Now you can learn about ancient history through Assassin's Creed

Video game series Assassin's Creed has always had one foot in the past, tasking players with living out the lives of adventurers in a number of famous historical eras.

And now it's proving to be a valuable tool for learning.

The latest game in the series - Assassin's Creed: Origins - is set in a meticulously researched reconstruction of Ancient Egypt.

Today it's getting a 'Discovery Tour' mode, providing the option to remove the combat and conflicts of the game altogether, leaving players free to wander its accurate and graphically stunning sights - and study all manner of facts about the past.

Learning is fun again

Far from letting you just wander the deserts (although you can do that if you wish), the mode comes with over 75 guided tours, some that can take upwards of 20 minutes to complete.

Developer Ubisoft Montreal is looking to show off the wealth of research that went into making the game so detailed and historically accurate.

The tours present themselves to you as a path of light across the floor. Following this leads you to areas of interest, where the game might take control of the camera to give you a lavish vista or a swooping view of a landmark.

The narration and facts were written by academics and experts in Egyptology, then passed on to the developers to turn them into interactive expeditions in Origins' lush environments.

If you want to learn even more than what Discovery Tour teaches you, most of what you're shown comes with sources, so not only can you double-check those facts, you can dig even deeper.