In less than 30 days, Ubisoft is planning to release the most ambitious entry in their popular action-adventure series yet when Assassin’s Creed Odyssey launches worldwide on Xbox One, PS4, and PC. With this game debuting less than a year from the release of Assassin’s Creed Origins, I’ve certainly been thrown off by another entry coming so soon but am very much excited based on all that I’ve seen so far.
Since October will be a busy month for video games releases, and some might be contemplating taking a break from the Assassin’s Creed series altogether, I wanted to briefly highlight five key reasons why this upcoming title deserves your undivided attention.
Ancient Greece Setting
Developed by the talented team over at Ubisoft Quebec, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey takes place in the year 431 BCE during the height of the Peloponnesian War between Athenians and Spartans. Players take on the role of a mercenary that will have to decide between aligning with the Spartans or Athenians as the war intensifies. In addition to this, the modern-day story revolves around Layla Hassan from last year’s Assasin’s Creed Origins.
If you’re a massive fan of Starz’s Spartacus or any film, television show or book that takes place in Ancient Greece, then you may find it very hard to resist the urge to check this game out. Ubisoft made a wise decision to create a sequel within this setting as this era resonates well with audiences and will bring new players into the series that might have avoided the previous entries.
Male or Female Main Protagonist
In Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, players will finally be able to choose the male (Alexios) or female (Kassandra) gender of their lead protagonist. As a skilled descendant of the Spartan King Leonidas, you inherit his broken spear and unlock special abilities making you extra deadly on the battlefield.
Giving players the decision to choose between a male or female main character was also another smart decision by Ubisoft Quebec. This option adds a level of personalization to the overall experience even though players won’t be able to create their character from scratch.
Impactful Conversations and Choices
Dialogue options and choices play a major role in what separates this particular Assassin’s Creed game from the others. For the first time, you’ll have the choice over how you interact with key characters throughout the campaign. More importantly, these conversations lead to meaningful decisions that will impact relationships and how your story ends.
As a longtime fan of games like Mass Effect 2 and The Walking Dead, I’m very much looking forward to seeing how deep this system goes in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. In my most recent demo, I had an option of adequately preparing for a battle or listening to an ally and attacking right away. I chose the foolish option and suffered greatly for my actions, so I’m curious to see how decisions like these impact the whole story moving forward.
Customizable Skill Tree System
One of the most challenging but also rewarding aspects of Assassin’s Creed Origins was the intuitive combat system. Odyssey takes this dynamic even further thanks to the use of a skill tree system that allows players to unlock new abilities across archery, combat, and stealth mechanics. Furthermore, players will be able to customize their weapons and gear which will enable them to play the game on their terms.
Allowing players to take advantage of these fantastic options will essentially grant them the freedom to dictate their own gameplay experiences. Aside from the impactful conversations and protagonist gender choices, this is the ultimate plus as far as personalization goes and will entice more players to try the game out.
The Return of Naval Battles
Naval combat was one of the many reasons why people loved Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. These will also play a role in Odyssey by granting players access to Hellenistic-era warships to explore all that the Aegean Sea has to offer.
Ubisoft is fully aware that naval combat was a massive success which is why they are also currently working on Skull & Bones. Finding a way to add it to Odyssey will increase interest even further and will be yet another reason why fans will want to pick up this game.
Is Assassin’s Creed Odyssey On Your Radar?
In closing, this concludes my article on five reasons why you should be excited about Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. Ubisoft Quebec is creating a masterpiece, and if you love action role-playing games, then this title was made especially for you. Please feel free to check out some additional screenshots of this beautiful game below.
Purchase Assassin’s Creed Odyssey on Xbox One or PS4
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey launches worldwide on October 5th for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Have any of you completed Assassin’s Creed Origins and are planning on checking out this entry next? Please feel free to let us know your thoughts on AC Odyssey and more in the comments section below.
