The second episode of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey’s Legacy of the First Blade DLC is now available and while overall the storyline was pretty incredible, many felt like one glaring plot point seemingly stripped players of their choice that they’ve had leading up to this point.
Videos by ComicBook.com
What made the latest Assassin’s Creed title so different than its predecessors is that it’s the first game in the franchise that is all about choice. Who you play as, who you romance – if you romance at all – and how you deal with the trials and tribulations throughout the game’s progression. Being ancient Greece, homosexual relationships were prevalent and players could choose who they wanted romance regardless of gender. The latest DLC has a very definite ending, one that very firmly put the player in one relationship with a very lasting consequence.
If you don’t mind major spoilers, you can see the full reaction from many in the player base here as to why there was such a backlash. The gist, for those that don’t want spoilers, is the ending directly goes against what the game director mentioned last year when he said that they won’t “force players in romantic situations they might not be comfortable with.”
Regarding the ‘controversy’ itself, Ubisoft has issued an official statement:
“We strive to give players choice whenever possible in Odyssey and apologise to those surprised by the events in this episode,” read the statement made to Kotaku. “Without spoiling it, you will engage in an important relationship as part of a set story.”
The spokesperson added, “The motivation behind this relationship is yours to explore in game and will be reflected in your character’s story arc. There is one episode left in Legacy of the First Blade which will tie your character’s actions together.”
As we mentioned previously, the reason many are upset is not only the base issue itself – but the massive flip Ubisoft has made. It’s either a game about choice or it isn’t, but this isn’t some blip in the plot – this is a major turning point that seems to turn its back on half of the player base itself.
What do you think of the initial reaction and Ubisoft’s response? Sound off with your thoughts in the comment section below, or hit me up over on Twitter – respectfully – @DirtyEffinHippy.
UPDATE 1/17:
“Reading through player responses of our new DLC for Legacy of the First Blade, Shadow Heritage, we want to extend an apology to players disappointed by a relationship your character partakes in,” read a message from Creative Director Jonathan Dumont on Reddit. “The intention of this story was to explain how your character’s bloodline has a lasting impact on the Assassins, but looking through your responses it is clear that we missed the mark.
Alexios/Kassandra realizing their own mortality and the sacrifice Leonidas and Myrrine made before them to keep their legacy alive, felt the desire and duty to preserve their important lineage. Our goal was to let players choose between a utilitarian view of ensuring your bloodline lived on or forming a romantic relationship. We attempted to distinguish between the two but could have done this more carefully as we were walking a narrow line between role-play choices and story, and the clarity and motivation for this decision was poorly executed. As you continue the adventure in next episode Bloodline, please know that you will not have to engage in a lasting romantic relationship if you do not desire to.
We have read your responses online and taken them to heart. This has been a learning experience for us. Understanding how attached you feel to your Kassandra and your Alexios is humbling and knowing we let you down is not something we take lightly. We’ll work to do better and make sure the element of player choice in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey carries through our DLC content so you can stay true to the character you have embodied throughout.”
