Ubisoft’s eleventh game in the Assassin’s Creed series tops all the rest, with a thrilling story, strategic RPG-like combat, naval combat that made us all enjoy Black Flag and a beautiful open world state.
The game is all about choice, which is clear from the get go when you choose between Alexios (male) or Kassandra (female) for your playable character. Their dialogue is nearly identical and does not significantly impact the game. You have a decision to make in almost everything you do and anything you do can and will come back to bite you if the wrong choice is made. There is also the option to get romantic with a variety of people, none of which are locked by the gender you choose.
There are also three classes that can be played. Hunter excels in killing people with a bow in arrow, Warrior focuses on weapon-on-weapon combat and Assassin kills people before they know it. The armor and weapons used determine how much damage each class does along with the perks chosen. Don’t worry though, they allow the player to change all of their skills for a bit of drachma. That way, if you decide that you no longer wish to kill everyone with a bow you can swap it up.
My favorite part about this game is the open world of possibilities. It is easy to run around killing Spartans and Athenians alike and totally forget that there is a main quest. The world is so massive that not only did they give you a bird and a boat for transportation, but also a horse in one of the earliest quests just so you can get to where you need to be.
Although the graphics that were in Origins are incredible, the graphics Odyssey brought to the game are even better. The attention to detail and the graphics combined made this Assassin’s Creed feel more like a movie than a traditional game. The best thing about the graphics is how Ubisoft makes water look like it going to start flowing out of your monitor.
Warning: The following section contains spoilers.
The story line starts as Alexios or Kassandras living their ordinary lives. After some mercenary work, you are hired to assassinate a leader of the spartan army code named “The Wolf of Sparta.” The player goes undercover as a mercenary who only wishes to help Sparta win the war. When “The Wolf” is found, you find out that this character is your father who kicked you off a mountain at a young age because his country demanded so. You later learn that he’s not really your father. This is all in the first 20 or so hours of playing with plenty more plot twists likely coming as gameplay continues.
The installment hit all the sweet spots without many major faults and if more Assassin’s Creed’s games like this are made, then Ubisoft is sure to make a killing off them.
