Assassin’s Creed Odyssey brings a lot of “new” to the franchise. RPG-driven dialogue wheel has made its grand appearance, as well as choosing between a male or a female protagonist, and chosen (and woo’d) romance options. Assassin’s Creed appears to be in touch with their inner BioWare and just like their famous franchises such as Mass Effect and Dragon Age, Odyssey too will have resounding consequences regarding player-made choices.
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Since this world is the biggest yet for the entire Assassin’s Creed franchise, it can be seen as a little overwhelming for some. Even though Origins was phenomenal, it was a little unstructured at times but Odyssey definitely didn’t follow suit. Even still, here a few tips to help new players begin their journey on the smoothest note possible!
Alexios or Kassandra?
At the beginning of the game, players can choose to take on the world of Ancient Greece through the eyes of Kassandra or Alexios. For my playthrough I chose Kassandra, which was amazing to me as woman who has been in love with this series since the time of Altair. Though we’ve been able to play as women in the past with a spin-off games and most notably Syndicate, Odyssey was the first time that a woman was the protagonist of the game.
Kassandra is also the “canon” choice regarding the companion novels but honestly? It doesn’t matter who you choose, both have the same narrative and both have similar romance options (if that’s another aspect you are excited for). This is an RPG experience, which means play it how YOU want to play it. If that means choosing Alexios over Kassandra or vice versa, then get on with yo bad self and have an incredible time!
What about the other games?
Since Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is a prequel in the truest since of the word, a familiarity with the rest of the franchise isn’t necessary. Yes there are references only long-time fans will get but Ubisoft did an amazing job and making sure those dots were connected.
As for the modern-day story, it is important to notate that Layla chose to side with the Assassin’s against the Templars – a choice that occurred in the previous game. You’ll see a lot of references to that in the limited modern-day story that Odyssey offers, but that’s really the only “need-to-know” tid-bit that’s necessary going in.
TALK TO EVERYONE
No, seriously, talk to everyone! The side quests in this game are so hilarious at times but often, they hide a character that is important – especially so when you begin building your crew for your ship!
The stories hidden away in the main narrative housed characters you wanted to find, you wanted to know, and that makes the explorable terrain even more lustrous in what it has to offer regarding a full player experience.
Each mission, each “menial” quest felt like it had purpose and drove me as the player to see Kassandra complete everything thrown her way; to become a champion of the people. There is a wide variety of side missions available including puzzle solving, crafting, side storylines, and even naval combat. There were so many tie-in little stories that could be overlooked if a player found themselves pressed for time but when done, offered an incredibly memorable experience.
Without spoiling what the game itself has to offer, I can name 10 side quests off of the top of my head that I will carry with me in fond remembrance for a long time to come. That makes an RPG memorable and a thrilling experience.
There was one mini side quest in particular that I really felt was made even more hilarious just by being Kassandra. Without giving anything away, there was a dialogue option where she could take either take the mature route, or the totally hilarious one. Naturally I chose comedy and her deliberate lowering of her voice to assume Godhood was nothing short of hysterical.
Romance
Don’t be shy about sweet talking those characters you find interesting. The one featured that I absolutely loved that was added to the game was the ability to romance different characters throughout the game. That alone was pretty amazing, especially from a totally immersive RPG standpoint, but the freedom of dialogue was even better. My Kassandra was a total dog and absolutely nailed the “Aye yo girl, lemme get yo numah” persona. It didn’t work out in my favor all of the time, but the effort was there.
It’s also important to note that not every relationship in the game has to be a deep seeded proclamation of love – one night stands are aplenty – including one really awkward, um, encounter with an older woman whose husband just couldn’t keep up.
Just like with most RPGs that offer a romance feature, it’s about listening, connecting, and gifts help A TON.
Should be obvious but is overlooked: “Odyssey” Quests is the main storyline.
Throughout your playthrough you’ll be getting hounded with side-quests and it’s easy to lose track of where you were. If you look under the tabs, you still a sub-category of ‘Odyssey’ quests – that’s your main storyline. If you’re not finished exploring an area or haven’t talked to everyone, you might want to hold off completing quests in that category to avoid progressing past a point of no return.
Synchronization points are your friends.
Synchronization points are your friend and you’re going to want to head to those immediately upon discovering a new location. Not only does this give you a bird’s eye view of the land, but it also triggers a “fast travel” location in case you ever want to go back and revisit already met characters, complete additional quests, etc.
Disassemble gear verses selling
You’ll be getting A LOT of gear in your playthrough and it’s because of that that it will be tempting to sell right off the bat. Instead of selling, however, disassemble those disregarded pieces in order to upgrade the new weapons and armor you want to equip and make them even better.
To do this, simply go to your inventory, hover over an item and choose “Dismantle.” It’s super easy!
Easy XP: Location, location, location
Want to earn XP super fast? Explore every inch of new locations. Caves, camps, beaches – explore it all to discover new locations within larger areas. Not only will this rank up that XP super fast, but this will also help you find quests you might have otherwise missed while also upping your chances of finding some pretty cool Easter eggs!
Spartans vs Anthenians
Honestly? It doesn’t matter. There will be many opportunities to side with Anthens or Sparta and it really doesn’t change the story too much to choose one over the other. You’ll pick these sides on smaller scales such as sneak assassinations, all the way up to those Conquest Battles for a chance to learn epic loot.
Speaking of Conquest Battles, you’re going to want to keep your eye on the price. Target only those enemies with special markers over their heads. To help minimize the difficulty, I’d recommend taking out every mercenary before going into battle – otherwise, they’ll hunt you down while you’re overrun.
Have fun!
All in all, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is a game changer for the franchise. Visually, narratively, historically – there isn’t a single thing I would want to change. Maybe my inner Dragon Age lover would have loved to be able to customize the look of my Kassandra, but that’s a silly little ‘What If’ and in no way damped my enjoyment.
The story was thrilling, heartbreaking at times, and progressive in a way that kept me engaged. Dynamic, immersive, and filled with choice, consequence, and the tumultuous tale of human love, loss, and lessons learned.
It’s the game that Assassin’s Creed fans deserve as well as a truly charming experience for those gamers just coming in. You can also check out our full review right here!
