Assassin's Creed Odyssey Review: Is It Worth Playing?

What is Assassin's Creed Odyssey?

Assassin's Creed Odyssey is an action role-playing game released in 2018, marking a significant departure from the stealth-focused formula that defined the earlier entries in the long-running Ubisoft franchise. Set in classical Greece during the Peloponnesian War, the game places players in the sandals of a mercenary, either Alexios or Kassandra, who becomes entangled in a conflict that spans both family drama and the broader war between Athens and Sparta. The game is widely recognised as a turning point for the series, leaning heavily into the open-world RPG mechanics introduced by its immediate predecessor, Assassin's Creed Origins, while expanding them considerably.

According to the official documentation and the consensus of aggregated critic reviews, the narrative is structured around a branching dialogue system, a first for the mainline series. Player choices affect the outcome of quests and the fates of key characters, a design decision that drew comparisons to titles such as The Witcher 3. The game also introduces a modern-day framing narrative, though this element received a more muted response from reviewers, with many noting it felt secondary to the historical setting. The Metascore, which reflects the average of critical reception, placed the game in a strong position for the year, with many outlets praising its scope and ambition, while others criticised its pacing and the sheer volume of content.

Gameplay

Gameplay in Odyssey is built around a combat system that blends light and heavy attacks, dodges, and a stamina bar, offering a more action-oriented feel than previous entries. According to the official Ubisoft press materials, the game features a skill tree divided into three branches: Hunter, Warrior, and Assassin, allowing players to specialise in ranged combat, melee prowess, or stealth takedowns respectively. This system allows for considerable build variety, and player reviews on platforms such as Steam and Metacritic frequently highlight the flexibility of character progression as a positive, though some note that the sheer number of abilities can make combat feel cluttered in the early hours.

The naval combat, a staple of the series since Assassin's Creed III, returns in a refined form. Players command a ship, the Adrestia, and can engage in sea battles, board enemy vessels, and recruit lieutenants to improve the ship's stats. Aggregated player feedback suggests that naval encounters are a highlight, though they can become repetitive over extended play sessions. The world itself is vast, and traversal is aided by the return of the eagle, Ikaros, which functions as a reconnaissance tool. Critics generally agreed that the map is one of the largest in the series, but some reviews noted that the density of question marks and side activities can lead to a sense of fatigue, a common criticism of open-world design in the late 2010s.

The mercenary system, known as the Bounty system, is a notable addition. Committing crimes raises a bounty, and mercenaries will hunt the player down, creating dynamic encounters. Player reviews on forums such as Reddit and the official Ubisoft forums often mention this as a double-edged sword: it adds unpredictability, but can also interrupt exploration at inopportune moments. The game also includes a Conquest Battle mode, where players fight in large-scale battles for either Athens or Sparta, which serves as a way to earn gear and experience. Overall, the gameplay loop is one of constant engagement, but the pacing is frequently cited as uneven, with the main story taking a backseat to the overwhelming number of side quests.

Who is Assassin's Creed Odyssey for?

Assassin's Creed Odyssey is primarily aimed at players who enjoy expansive, choice-driven RPGs with a strong emphasis on exploration and character customisation. Based on the critical consensus, it is less suited to those who prefer the tight, stealth-focused gameplay of the earlier Assassin's Creed titles, as the stealth mechanics are simplified and often optional. The game rewards players who are willing to invest significant time, with the main story alone estimated to take upwards of forty hours, and completionist playthroughs often exceeding one hundred hours, according to aggregated player reports on sites like HowLongToBeat.

The game's historical setting will appeal to those with an interest in ancient Greece, as the world is richly detailed and populated with figures from the era, including Socrates and Hippocrates. However, the game's treatment of history is loose, prioritising gameplay over accuracy, a point noted by several academic and critic reviews. It is not a game for those seeking a quick, linear narrative experience. The branching dialogue and multiple endings mean that a single playthrough may not reveal all the story has to offer, encouraging multiple runs, though the sheer length of the game makes that a significant commitment. Casual players may find the level-gating of certain regions frustrating, as progression is often tied to completing side content to reach the recommended level for main story missions.

Graphics and performance

From a technical standpoint, Assassin's Creed Odyssey is a visually impressive title, particularly on high-end PCs and the then-current consoles. The game utilises the AnvilNext engine, and the rendering of the Greek landscape, from sun-drenched islands to the marble streets of Athens, received widespread praise in contemporary reviews. The lighting and weather systems were highlighted as standout features, creating a believable and atmospheric world. The character models and animations are generally of high quality, though some facial animations during dialogue scenes were noted as stiff by some reviewers, a minor blemish in an otherwise polished presentation.

Performance, however, was a mixed bag at launch. According to aggregated user reports on Steam and console forums, the PC version suffered from occasional stuttering and frame rate drops, particularly in densely populated cities and during naval battles. Console versions, especially the base PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, were reported to run at 30 frames per second with occasional dips, though the Pro and One X versions offered performance modes with higher frame rates. Ubisoft released several patches in the months following release that addressed many of these issues, and later player reviews suggest that the game runs more smoothly now than at launch. It is worth noting that the game is not a benchmark for optimisation, and players with mid-range hardware may need to adjust settings to achieve a stable frame rate.

Value for money

In terms of value, Assassin's Creed Odyssey offers an enormous amount of content for the asking price. The base game alone provides dozens of hours of gameplay, and Ubisoft supported the title with a substantial amount of post-launch content, including free updates and paid expansions. The two major paid expansions, Legacy of the First Blade and The Fate of Atlantis, add significant new storylines and regions, and are often bundled with the base game in the Gold or Ultimate editions. According to the official Ubisoft store pages, the game is frequently discounted, making it a cost-effective purchase for players who are willing to wait.

However, the game also features a microtransaction store, which drew criticism from players and critics alike. The store sells cosmetic items, gear, and time-savers, such as experience boosters. While the game is fully playable without spending extra money, the presence of these microtransactions in a full-priced single-player title was seen as a negative by many, with some arguing that the game's pacing is deliberately slow to encourage purchases. Aggregated player reviews on Metacritic and Steam frequently mention this as a point of contention. For players who can resist the in-game store, the base game offers substantial value, but the overall package is undermined by these monetisation practices.

Verdict

Assassin's Creed Odyssey is a sprawling, ambitious, and often impressive action RPG that successfully redefines the series' identity. The critical consensus, reflected in the Metascore, is that the game excels in its world-building and combat flexibility, but is let down by pacing issues and an over-reliance on repetitive side content. The game is a clear recommendation for fans of the genre who have the time to invest, but it is not a title that respects the player's time, often padding its runtime with unnecessary fetch quests and map markers.

For those who value a rich, historical setting and a high degree of player agency, Odyssey delivers a memorable experience. For those who prefer a tighter, more focused narrative, it may feel bloated. The microtransaction store is a stain on an otherwise generous package, and the performance issues at launch have largely been resolved but should be considered. Ultimately, Assassin's Creed Odyssey is a game of extremes: its highs are very high, and its lows are frustrating. It is a worthy entry in the series, but one that demands patience and a willingness to engage with its sheer scale.