“Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey” is an open-world adventure game and the 11th mainline title in the franchise. Odyssey takes place in the expansive universe of Ancient Greece, embroiled in the Peloponnesian War (431 BC-404 BC). The game provides the option to choose your character’s gender, a first in this expansive franchise which allows you to pick either Alexios, who I played as, or Kassandra. The character takes on the role of a Spartan misthios, or mercenary, and grandchild of King Leonidas of Sparta. Alexios starts out on the scenic island of Kephallonia, where you are introduced to your surrogate family, Markos-a local merchant and playful entrepreneur, and Phoibe- a young orphan girl from Attica, and your pet eagle and friend, Ikaros. While questing on the island, you take on a much bigger job which requires you to head out on an odyssey of your own to find your real family, bring an end to the war, and save the entire Greek World from an evil cult. Overall I’d recommend “Assassin’s Creed Odyssey” as it provides a breath of fresh air into the series through its dynamic player-choice, meaningful narrative, and the ability to experience your very own odyssey.
The many little details the world of “Odyssey” immerse the player in the world of Ancient Greece, from the cultural exposure of traveling from region to region, to the many subtle nods to the Greek pantheon in NPC dialogue, and the merchant ships that pass by while traveling throughout the Ionian Sea. One of the most important mechanics of an Assassin’s Creed game is the combat and how it facilitates your interactions on the world. This affects all aspects of gameplay such as the story and the player’s enjoyment of Similar to its predecessor, “Origins”, “Odyssey” has a skill tree centered around three major classes: Warrior-close quarter combat, Hunter-ranged damage, and Assassin-stealth combat. By being able to choose where to put your ability points you gain from leveling-up, you can craft your own unique character tailored to your personal play style. Comboing abilities from one skill tree to another can lead to interesting gameplay, and some comedic ways to take out enemies, such as Sparta-kicking your enemies off cliffs. A returning mechanic is the naval combat, with added customization to your own ship, the Adrestia.
A staple for any Assassin’s Creed game is the story and “Odyssey” is quite possibly the best written in the series. With dialogue options being the major innovation for this year’s title it creates a sort of identity crisis for the game as at times it feels like an RPG in the same vein of other RPG titles like “Fallout” or “The Witcher.”But at the same time, “Odyssey’s” lack of depth on these features and overall story and player agency still relegate it to its flaws of the franchise, such as buggy game mechanics, poor voice-acting, and repetitive gameplay. In the main quest line, the player your encounters the ghosts of his past and is forced to deal with buried memories and emotions as you seek to reunite your family and bring order and peace to the Greater Greece. These newfound choices are at times seemingly inconsequential, as choosing some options may result in the same outcome for certain characters in the story.
The many little details the world of “Odyssey” immerse the player in the world of Ancient Greece, from the cultural exposure of traveling from region to region, to the many subtle nods to the Greek pantheon in NPC dialogue, and the merchant ships that pass by while traveling throughout the Ionian Sea. These traits are essential to build a world full of life and activity and to fully immerse the player to have a deeper connection to the world they play in. Overall I’d recommend “Assassin’s Creed Odyssey” as it provides a breath of fresh air into the series through its dynamic player-choice, meaningful narrative, and the ability to experience your very own odyssey.
