Overview of Assassin's Creed Odyssey: Change Happens

Assassin's Creed Odyssey juggles a lot. It flirts with comedy and tragedy, serves the stealth for which the series is known and rehabilitates and enhances simple melee combat. Odyssey doubles also on roleplaying elements in the two choices of combat and dialogue – in a year where everyone is breathless on the death of single-player games.

Odyssey is also in unknown territory. It's more than 300 years before Assassin & # 39; s Creed Origins – the game in which the Brotherhood of Assassins was born, raising the question: "Where are we now?"

Last week, I went through the first six to seven hours of Assassin's Creed Odyssey during a demonstration session. I can not tell you how that complicates or explains its connection with Assassin's traditions, the early civilizations or even the chronology of modern times.

On the other hand, I had a lot of time left to focus on the updated fight and immerse myself in big beats. Assassin's Creed Odyssey does everything possible to stay familiar, while recognizing that something must change.

Combat is as important as stealth

I cherish the stealth elements in Assassin's Creed games, because I panic good at home (for once!). I metaphorically rub my hands together every time I'm confronted with a sprawling complex of stupid villains and some stronger, more important villains who are nevertheless stupid.

But it is not unreasonable to say that over 11 years of Assassin's Creed almost continuously, this format has become obsolete, having changed by about 0%. And so, as Assassin & # 39; s Creed Origins before that, Odyssey makes melee combat as important as stealth. But it goes even further by deepening this fight for different styles of play.

Your skill tree in the game has three main branches: Hunter, Warrior and Assassin. Contrary to The originsthere is little cross between the branches. In my demo, I focused on strengthening my warrior abilities (read: melee), with a pinch of killer skills. Many of these abilities were not passive; However, I mapped them as I wanted on the buttons on the controller and used them strategically during the battle. (The developers have kindly helped me specify my character for a style of play called "I'm under-leveled but need to finish this story content aujourd & # 39; hui. ")

One could also call it "Bull Rush," the name of a useful ability that allows you to load forward and through opponents, essentially doing the mincemeat. I've also caught a healing ability and the beloved kick of Spartan. The kick was great if you were fighting on heights like a cliff or a wall. You can absolutely send your enemies to death.

Ubisoft Quebec / Polygon

When the consequences of my sub-level have become disastrous and I face bosses of two levels higher than me, the developers have recommended an ability that allows you to tear the shield of your opponent and hit him. The result is a pleasantly strategic mix of parry, light and heavy melee attacks and special combat abilities. It's way beyond the mind like the slash-and-parry fight of Assassin & # 39; s Creed Union, and even more crisp than The origins.

It's another Assassin's Creed game,

One of the most common criticisms I've seen of Odyssey comes from people who are thirsty for these classic elements of assassin: stealth kills, hoods, hidden blades. There are no hidden blades here, for obvious reasons, but the stealth core gameplay is still there (just like the caches). It's just not strictly a series on being sneaky throughout the story.

Assassin's Creed changes. Like all large ships, course correction has been slow.

What is fascinating is that its evolution is opposed to the state of popular game in 2018. Along with its dazzling success in the sale of games as a service, Ubisoft doubles its commitment to the solo experience. Creative Director Jonathan Dumont told me that Ubisoft would certainly support Odyssey after its launch, but also that the deepening of the role play through the capacities and the dialogue is what is necessary for the series.

"Regardless of what is happening or what others are doing, I thought that for Assassin's Creed to explore the story differently – to explore it in the sense that I do not just see it, I can to participate – I think that's what the franchise promises, "he said. "I think that's where Assassin's Creed had to go."

This is, of course, the first Assassin's Creed game to incorporate a complete RPG and to include dialogue choices.

Ubisoft Quebec / Polygon

"In the end, I think [that] improves the gaming experience, "said Dumont. Odyssey is presented as a game of twists. Dumont wants these moves to be won with the participation of the players – so that we are responsible for our stories. Some choices will have immediate results, while others are slow to burn.

At the end of our interview, Dumont happily lit the tables and asked questions about the choices I had made – did I hug a character? Did I let another character die?

"You did things you know [the outcome of] just after the portions you have completed, "said Dumont. "You did things you know after 30 hours. Some of the actions you have done on the first island can be quite dramatic.

What this means, of course, is to have played the game for about seven hours, I can not tell you if these long-term choices have had spectacular results or not – although the enthusiasm of Dumont m leads to more play.

The main lines of history – who wins the war, for example – do not change. Instead, the narrative choices focus on the main character, with the Peloponnesian War as a backdrop.

It's a good decision to tell a personal story in a chaotic moment. I skate around the details to leave the game as intact as possible, but the main thread of the main story of the first six hours was good. There have been big hiccups in history that have moved me forward, and the challenges that have arisen between me and the next revelation have not been arbitrary.

Ubisoft Quebec / Polygon

There were scenes that made me feel uncomfortable, and one that was particularly cinematic, combined with a timely use of the Assassin's Creed theme, made me lose my mind.

So the big stories really work here, but I can not say the same for the dialogue with the minor NPCs, who can sometimes feel discouraged. Ubisoft wants everything to be interactive so that the player always does something. But in practice, the essential choice of dialogue is always to ask questions to get information or to choose to act as a friendly person or a jerk.

For Dumont, it's just a question of consequences: the player feels like they are responsible for things that go aside, rather than mysterious Plot Diktats from above.

"The more we played with, the more it gave us depth," he said. "I think that's where Assassin's Creed had to go to really appreciate that scenery and enjoy the story a little bit more."

Assassin's Creed Odyssey Released Oct. 5 for PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One.