The Assassin's Creed series has been going for a long time now, so it's no surprise that we decided to put out a list about the newest installment in the franchise. This series may have had its ups and downs in the past, but we think it's only fair to give each new one a chance once it has been released. Here's hoping that the series has gone back to its roots and really pulled something great out of the bag here!
What we've done is thrown together a list of things that people can look forward to doing once they pick up the new Assassin's Creed game. We want people to have a chance to take a look at the awesome aspects of the game before they put their money on the table, so this is the list for people who are a little bit unsure. There's a lot of really great stuff in this game, and it manages to take the series to a new level that we haven't seen before.
So, we think it's about time to delve into what is possible in the new Assassin's Creed installment. Want to see what sort of things people have been enjoying in the game? If you're already playing, want to know the kind of things that you haven't figured out yet? Well then, it looks like it's about time for us all to get started!
25 People's Choices Effect The War
The world in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is divided into 27 states, with them all being divided into both red and blue, Sparta and Athens. Players choices will make a difference as to which states are controlled by which group of people.
Leaders who are in trouble, who have fewer resources, and are worried that they will be taken over by another faction, will try and hire the player.
The players will always be aware of how tight a control factions have on certain areas.
24 There's A GTA Style Wanted System
There are a lot of mercenaries in the world of Assassin's Creed Odyssey, and players can expect them to come after them if they choose to play in a certain way. They will be hired to take players down if the wrong a certain character, or if they choose to take out random NPCs. This means that while players certainly do get to make their own choices in the world, they can't expect to get away with it without any consequences. These options matter.
23 The Narrative Is Based On Freedom Vs. Order
The Ancient Greeks pondered things and wrote about things that continue to affect the way we see the world to this day, so it's no surprise that the game has been affected by this. Ancient Greek scholars were asking questions about life, whether or not we can truly control our lives and have real freedom, or whether we should embrace the chaos that seems inherent in the world around us. The narrative follows this argument and gives an insight into the concepts that were important during Ancient Greece.
22 It Keeps The Bird Gameplay From Origins
Just as players were offered the option to scout ahead through the use of a bird in Origins, Odyssey is giving gamers exactly the same option!
If people don't want to run in straight away, they can use their bird as a sort of drone, allowing them a chance to scout out what sort of enemies they're going up against. The bird can also highlight the treasure for the player, or be ordered to bother enemies and distract them for the upper hand in combat or to allow the player to sneak past.
21 Players Will Be Rewarded For Stealth
Origins wasn't a game that really allowed players to go the true stealthy route or incentivize them to take that path. However, Odyssey turns this on its head.
Players are rewarded with extra experience points for going into somewhere stealthy, with developers arguing that it takes as long to silently take out one person as it does to run in head first. The skill tree also has a dedicated branch for people who want to fill their move set with stealthy attacks.
20 The Main Character Can Debate Socrates
The series has been known to inject a lot of history into their games, which includes allowing the player to interact with figures from history. Odyssey is no different in that respect.
This image shows the character meeting Socrates.
Seeing as the game allows people to choose what they say throughout, it means that they can end up in a position where they're discussing and debating life with one of the most famous philosophers of all time. How great is that?!
19 There's More Than One Way To Sort Things Out
Giving the player an Assassin to run around as means that many people are going to take the direct approach to any problem they're handed, especially when they give them blades as well.
That being said, the developers wanted to make sure that there was more than one option for people.
Essentially, if people don't want to use direct action, they will be glad to hear that there are other ways around a problem than a blade or a spear...
18 Taking On Anyone Is Allowed
In the past, all of the Assassin's Creed games have stopped the player from attacking people who weren't enemies, but this one is different.
Seeing as the player is roleplaying through a character that isn't a life-taker but is instead a mercenary, they're actually able to take down whoever they want. No matter who it is, the character can go after them.
This is a new gameplay choice that, while not adds much to the experience, does make narrative sense, so we definitely welcome it.
17 There Are New Animals To Hunt
Video game developers don't want to push too much into one video game, as it can end up feeling bloated, as if they haven't properly focused on any one part of their experience, which is never a good thing.
However, we welcome the change in Odyssey that has included a huge batch of new animals.
Players can choose to take down these animals if they so want, hunting them down. That being said, some of them are just there to be marveled at, such as the dolphins that can pop out of the sea.
16 The Battles Can Get Big!
It's impossible to ignore the war that is rumbling on alongside the main character's narrative, so players will have to get involved somewhat. The developers have managed to fit some genuinely epic battles into the game.
Some of these battles will see players getting into the thick of it among 300 soldiers, which genuinely forces the player to prove their combat ability.
These battles can get stressful, but we like being forced into challenges. Combat could sometimes get way too easy in past Assassin's Creed games...
15 Players Can Explore Ancient Greece
This is the furthest back that any Assassin's Creed game has gone, placing the player right into the middle of the Peloponnesian War, set in and around 431 BC, going back four centuries before the last game in the series. This means that the players are in a universe where the brotherhood doesn't exist yet, allowing the writers to try new things, going in a new direction that the other games have yet to go. Not only that, but Ancient Greece is a fascinating world to be able to explore.
14 Gamers Will Jump From Past To Present
The inclusion of a present-day section in an Assassin's Creed game is no surprise, as they've been in there ever since the first game, but Odyssey takes things in a slightly different direction.
The developers claim there are enough twists and turns in there for their hardcore fans who care.
However, for the first time, it's a lot more optional for those who have never enjoyed the present day narrative, which we know is good news for a lot of people out there!
13 Naval Battles Make A Return
Ever since Black Flag, players have been aware that Assassin's Creed can make genuinely engaging ship combat, the sort of thing that could carry an entire game if they wanted to. That's why a lot of people will be happy to hear that Odyssey brings back naval battles. Yes, in Odyssey players can buy a ship, build up a crew, take on other ships, swing over and kick NPCs into the sea where they are attacked by sharks. Playing through that is just as fun as it sounds, trust us.
12 There's A Reason Why We Get To Choose Our Main Character
In the first Assassin's Creed, we found out that we were actually playing through the memories of the ancestor of someone plugged into a machine known as the Animus.
Now, we know that we're playing as a present-day character that can use a modified Animus to tap into the memories of someone else's ancestors.
The developers have explained that the reason gamers are able to choose which character to play as is because there are two DNA strands that the present day character has the option of tapping into. They didn't need to add this narrative reason, but it's nice that they did.
11 Who People Pick Won't Change Much
While it's a great addition to the world, people can be safe in the knowledge that they won't have to play the game twice to get through all of the content in the video game. Choosing either a man or a woman will only affect things such as the voice acting.
How people can play and who they can romance will definitely not change.
This isn't to say that certain moments and dialogue options that will change slightly, but we won't be spoiling that...
10 It Has The Biggest Map In The Franchise So Far
The developers claim that that Odyssey is the biggest map in the Assassin's Creed series yet, but this isn't always a good thing. A bigger world can get boring fast, especially if it's not filled with enough to do or looks too similar.
Odyssey doesn't fall into this category thankfully.
Not only is it huge, but it offers the player a world that is very different depending on where they choose to travel to, varying massively from one end of the map to the other.
9 And More Customization Options!
Assassin's Creed has never really been that interested in allowing gamers the chance to customize the way that people look. However, Odyssey turns this on its head.
The loot system has returned and anything the player can loot from enemies is then sorted by rarity.
Players will have a chance to make their character look how they want them to, within the boundaries set out by the developers. Gear can also be upgraded with various items and etchings, offering a strategic element to this otherwise cosmetic component of the game.
8 Mythological Beasts Make An Appearance
Despite being based in history, this isn't the first time that the Assassin's Creed series has dipped its toe in the unreal or the mythological. In Odyssey, people will be going up against numerous mythical beasts. While we don't want to spoil everything that gamers can expect, it's easy to see which mythological figure is being represented in the image above, and we can tell everyone that it is a lot of fun going up against these beasts! Always some good fun.
7 It's The Most Beautiful Game In The Series
We've got to a point in the world of video games where it's getting almost impossible for the developers to improve on the games that came earlier in the series, at least when it comes to the visual aspects.
It's not an unpopular opinion though to say that this is definitely the best looking game in the franchise.
It feels as if they gone above and beyond to show that they can create something that is genuinely stunning to look at.
6 Players Can Choose To Be Either Male Or Female
This isn't exactly new, to games or to the series so far, but that doesn't mean we're not happy to see it here again. We think it's important that people are given choices in their video games, with this being one of them.
It's easy to implement this sort of thing and it allows another layer of choice to the game, so we're glad it's here!
Offering both a man and a woman gives everyone a chance to be immersed in the game as someone that lines up with their own gender.