As an avid Christopher Nolan fan and committed moviegoer, one of my most anticipated films since it was first revealed has, naturally, been The Odyssey. To be honest, it’s a best-case scenario for someone like myself, who not only loves Christopher Nolan and movies, but also The Odyssey itself. It has always been one of the most fascinating stories in my mind, ever since I first saw Wishbone adapt it as a kid, so the fact that someone who I consider to be one of the greatest film directors to ever live has now created his own adaptation of it, I don’t think I need to explain further how excited I am to see this movie. However, with Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced now also taking up the bulk of my gaming time, I’ve been thinking more about an entry that I and many others consider to be the best of the series’ RPG era.
That game is, as you likely expected, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. Nolan’s film and Ubisoft’s RPG may take place in different eras and tell very different stories, but both draw from the same well of Greek mythology, Mediterranean adventure, and larger-than-life heroism. From sailing between sun-drenched islands to confronting legendary creatures and exploring places tied to the gods, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey offers one of gaming’s richest ways to immerse yourself in the world surrounding Homer’s epic. With The Odyssey bringing that world back to the big screen, there may never be a better time to begin Kassandra’s (not Alexios’) journey for the first time or return to Ancient Greece all over again.
There Has Never Been a Better Time to Play Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Thanks to Christopher Nolan
Before I get any further, let me corroborate my claim that Odyssey is the best of the Assassin’s Creed RPGs. Firstly, Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla are commonly known as the original Assassin’s Creed RPG trilogy, while Shadows is the latest addition to the bunch. Among each of those entries, Odyssey actually has the highest average Metascore between platforms. While I understand that Metacritic doesn’t solely get to decide which Assassin’s Creed game is the best, when you step back and look at all of these RPGs together, Odyssey truly does a lot of things well that its siblings simply did not.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Easy (120s)Medium (90s)Hard (60s)
Metacritic scores games separately by platform
- Assassin’s Creed Origins: 81 on PS4, 85 on Xbox One, 84 on PC.
- Assassin’s Creed Odyssey: 83 on PS4, 87 on Xbox One, 86 on PC.
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: 80 on PS4, 82 on Xbox One, 84 on PS5, 84 on Xbox Series X, 82 on PC.
- Assassin’s Creed Shadows: 81 on PS5, 85 on Xbox Series X, 79 on PC, 80 on Switch 2.
Using each game’s highest Metascore, the ranking is:
- Odyssey — 87
- Origins — 85
- Shadows — 85
- Valhalla — 84
For me, a large part of what makes Odyssey the strongest Assassin’s Creed RPG is its version of Ancient Greece. Even after spending hundreds of hours exploring massive open worlds over the years, there is still something special about sailing the Adrestia across the Aegean, spotting an island in the distance, and knowing I can step ashore there whenever I please. Origins has Egypt, Valhalla has England, and Shadows has Japan, but none of them give me the same sense of adventure that Odyssey does.
Of course, the Greek mythology plays a huge role in that as well, especially once Kassandra’s journey begins crossing paths with the Minotaur, Medusa, the Sphinx, and other creatures pulled directly from ancient legend. Odyssey is obviously not retelling Homer’s story, and it even takes place centuries before the events of The Odyssey, but it still gives you the chance to explore the same culture, seas, islands, and mythology surrounding it. The Fate of Atlantis expansion takes this even further by sending Kassandra into places like Elysium, the Underworld, and Atlantis itself.
Origins has Egypt, Valhalla has England, and Shadows has Japan, but none of them give me the same sense of adventure that Odyssey does.
Now, I keep mentioning Kassandra and not Alexios for a reason, which I don’t necessarily need to mention to those who have played the game. To me and many others, Kassandra offers the quintessential Assassin’s Creed Odyssey experience, simply on account of Melissanthi Mahut, the actress responsible for bringing her to life. It’s, quite honestly, one of the better performances I’ve seen and heard in any video game, for one thing, but when you make her stand next to Alexios, the differences are staggering.
No offense to Michael Antonakos, who plays Alexios in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, but any word out of his character’s mouth is exceedingly difficult to listen to. For the most part, he is very one-dimensional—this big brute of a man who has the tough-guy persona nailed down a little too well. He sounds soulless and bland, all while Kassandra stands out as the more emotionally layered protagonist of the two, and therefore the one most players prefer at the helm.
But at this point, I digress, because Assassin’s Creed Odyssey isn’t just great because Kassandra is. Apart from everything I’ve already mentioned, it also has the best naval exploration of the RPG era, one of its best progression systems, and an open world that constantly rewards curiosity without making every detour feel like another item on a checklist. Even its dialogue choices and branching outcomes, while far from perfect, give Kassandra’s story a more personal quality that Origins, Valhalla, and Shadows never quite replicate. Add in the Cult of Kosmos, the mercenary system, and some of the most memorable side quests in the series, and Odyssey becomes far more than an excuse to spend time in Ancient Greece.
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey Is the Perfect Excuse to Return to Ancient Greece
All of this is precisely why Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has me thinking about another playthrough of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, despite knowing exactly how much of my time it would consume. Seeing Nolan bring Homer’s seas, islands, monsters, and larger-than-life characters to the big screen will inevitably leave me wanting to spend even more time in that world, and Ubisoft’s RPG is still the closest any game has come to letting me live inside it. The stories may be separated by centuries, but sailing across the Aegean as Kassandra offers the same sense of danger, discovery, and adventure that has kept Homer’s epic alive for thousands of years.
Odyssey is obviously not retelling Homer’s story, and it even takes place centuries before the events of The Odyssey, but it still gives you the chance to explore the same culture, seas, islands, and mythology surrounding it.
For anyone who has never played Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Nolan’s film offers the perfect reason to finally take the plunge, especially with the movie bringing Greek mythology back into the spotlight. Those who have already finished the game may find themselves feeling the same pull I do, as The Odyssey could make Ancient Greece, naval exploration, and mythical creatures difficult to resist all over again. I may still be busy sailing with Edward Kenway right now, but once Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey arrives, I have a feeling the Adrestia will be calling my name.
- Released
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October 15, 2018
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language
