With E3 kicking into gear this week, it was inevitable that some key information would leak out in advance. One of those leaks comes to us courtesy of Reddit and HungryGhost57, who got an early peek at next month's Game Informer cover story on Assassin's Creed Origins.

Set in ancient Egypt, Assassin's Creed Origins appears to be set up to tell the tale of the beginnings of both the Assassin brotherhood and the Templar organization. According to the leaked information, Ubisoft didn't provide any story details, but the time frame and the subtitle seem to indicate that's where the story will be focused. It sounds like there will be two playable characters, which could also hint at a dual story line. I wouldn't be completely surprised if Assassin's Creed Origins leads you to believe that both characters are Assassins, only to have a twist at the end, with each founding one of the two organizations.

Gameplay-wise, it sounds like Assassin's Creed Origins will offer plenty of room to explore. According to the leaked information, multiple cities are promised, including the ancient city of Alexandria. Every building is supposed to be climbable, which should offer plenty of free-form movement, especially when you need a quick escape route.

Combat is said to be improved, with enemies attacking naturally, rather than waiting their turn. This means you'll have to engage smartly, rather than rushing into a group and going ham with a combo. During the fight, an adrenaline meter builds up, which can be used to unleash more powerful attacks. Another combat tweak has to do with the hidden blade. It is not a guaranteed kill against powerful opponents, so stealth players won't be able to one-shot everyone in sight.

There is no sprint button in Assassin's Creed Origins; instead, your speed depends on how far you push the analog stick. Crouching is in the game, and eagle vision will highlight objects but not enemies.

Time passes in a regular day-and-night cycle in Assassin's Creed Origins, but it's not just for show. The time of day has an impact on NPC actions, so smart players will time their actions to the appropriate moment. It is said that you'll see NPCs eat, sleep, and go to work.

Animals are once again a part of the game, with crocodiles, camels, and horses all mentioned. Animals are said to have their own AI loops, allowing you to trick them into attacking each other. You'll be able to dive into the water and explore things like sunken ships. The look of your character can be customized, but it won't affect your stats.

According to the leak, you have a level cap of 40 for your character, and there are three different ability trees to unlock: Hunter, Seer, and Warrior. Gear can be improved via crafting. There is also the promise of improved puzzles and some honest-to-goodness tombs to explore, which makes it sound like Ubisoft took some inspiration from Rise of the Tomb Raider.

Another nifty touch that is said to be in the game is the ability to use arrows that you block with a shield. Instead of the arrows disappearing, you can pull them out and add them to your inventory.

The only real downside so far is the news that Ubisoft will be shipping no fewer than four versions of Assassin's Creed Origins, with the most expensive priced at $109.99. There's also a pre-order exclusive bonus mission, "Secrets of the First Pyramids."

All of the information we have so far is second-hand, but what we've heard (and the off-screen photos that we've seen) makes Assassin's Creed Origins look promising. Given that the game will be one of the first Scorpio titles, we expect to hear more at both the Xbox press conference and the Ubisoft press conference. If the game ends up on the show floor, we'll deliver some hands-on impressions.