A recent AMA on the Assassin’ Creed Reddit page has revealed a ton of interesting information about the next installment in the Assassin’s Creed franchise – Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.
Lot’s of questions were asked by the community and were answered by Jonathan Dumont, the Creative Director for Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. Some of the answered revealed more info about the general gameplay and interactions we’ll have with NPC’s and some answered questions about the lore and how Odyssey fits in to the Assassin’s Creed Universe.
I’ve selected some of the questions and answers that I found most interesting about the game.
Modern-day storyline won’t be optional
When I first encountered the modern-day part of Assassin’s Creed Origins, the bits where you play as Layla Hassan who is in the animus and essentially reliving Bayek’s memories, I was majorly confused. I had never played an Assassin’s Creed game before so I didn’t know anything about The Animus or any of the lore so I was left wondering why the game went from an ancient Egyptian setting to a modern-day one.
Turn’s out it’s an important part of the Assassin’s Creed lore, The Animus, Abstergo Industries and Layla’s connection to the Assassin’s Brotherhood. Layla Hassan made her first appearance in Origins and she also appears in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. Some fans thought though that the modern-day storyline would be skippable in Odyssey and where concerned that if this where the case, it wouldn’t move the story forward, as one Reddit user asked:
“It looks like you guys have made the decision to make the modern day storyline in Odyssey optional to players. Can you possibly expand a little more on that? Many worry that by making the modern day optional, it will be skippable content that won’t do much to move the storyline forward in a meaningful way.”
Thankfully though, Jonathan Dumont cleared up the rumour that modern-day parts of the story would be skippable by replaying with:
Thanks for asking, glad to clear this up! Modern day is not optional, everyone will experience modern day in their playthroughs and because of the narrative choices players can make in the game, there will be opportunities to experience more present day for players who want to.
Physical editions of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey will have reversible covers
A Reddid user asked about reversible covers for the game cases, currently the physical editions only show Alexios on the cover, but Jonathan Dumont confirmed that there will indeed be reversible covers for all Assassin’s Creed Odyssey physical editions.
It’s like you read our minds! We were hoping to have it ready to show it today, but it still needs a little fine tuning. So we will share it soon! All physical copies of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey will have reversible covers, featuring Alexios on one side and Kassandra on the other.
Complete gear sets grant a bonus and are upgradeable
A Reddit user asked about gear sets, specifically if the different pieces will be randomly scattered throughout the world or if they will be close together, like in the same area.
“Since there are separate gear pieces that together form a set, will the pieces of a set be scattered randomly across the world or will they be found close enough together (like on the same island or in the same camp)? And are they scattered randomly or have you chosen where to put everything? Thank you in advance.”
Jonathan Dumont confirmed that in most cases they different pieces of the gear sets won’t be randomly placed throughout the world and can be obtainable from objectives that you set for yourself, gear sets will also have a set bonus and can be upgradeable at the Blacksmith.
In most cases, they are not randomly placed and follow objectives you can set for yourself. Also completing a set grants a set bonus and all pieces can be upgraded through the blacksmith.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey will have a dynamic weather system
One of the questions posed during the AMA was will Assassin’s Creed Odyssey have a dynamic weather system? Creative Director Jonathan Dumont confirmed that it will and it will be spectacular.
We have a fully dynamic weather system to fit perfectly with our dynamic world, and the weather we have in game is spectacular. Sailing can really be a challenge in a storm!
You can pet and tame dogs and other animals, but there are no cute cats.
Cats were forever wandering around the place in Assassin’s Creed Origins, purring away and surrounding you like crazy little balls of fur. You could even kneel down and pet the little guys. Unfortunately, in Odyssey, there won’t be any cute little cats only big cats but there will be many other animals to pet and tame.
You can Pet and tame many animals. But there are no cats (Only big cats :))
You decide your path
A Reddit user asked if there will be a definative canon story and if it could be played in game, this was in regards to Kassandra being the ‘true’ character, as suggested in the upcoming novel. Jonathan Dumont confirmed that there will be a canon represented in the novel that features Kassandra and her journey but in the game it is you, the player who decides their own path.
Yes there will be a canon represented in the novel. It features Kassandra and her journey. But in the game you decide your path , there is no right or wrong way.
There will be no player usable shields in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Shields where a big part of the combat in Origins, with Bayek using his shield to block melee attacks as well as incoming arrow attacks. A Reddit user asked specifically if there will be shields, as they wehre an important piece of equipment for a Spartan warrior.
“Can we use shields? The shield was the single most important part of equipment for a spartan warrior. It feels silly to not be able to use one in a game about a spartan (even if you are an outcast). Not to mention it looks cool imo.”
Jonathan Dumoont replied that the hero in Odyssey is a mercenary and not a Spartan soldier. He continued that the gameplay will be much more versatile than that of Origins and a shield was not suited to it. So no usable shields in Odyssey.
Yes, Spartans did use shields, but our Hero is a mercenary, not a Spartan soldier. Our gameplay is much more versatile than that of Origins and a shield was not suited to it, so we replaced shields with dodging, rolling and parrying mechanics. The parry mechanics gives a bit more of feel of old school AC Fight of counter attack, while still retaining fight mechanics of Origins.
Naval combat will be more accessible and arcade like
Although I’ve never played Assassin’s Creed Black Flag, which I gather was heavely focused on ship combat, I wasn’t overly keen on the ship combat in Origins and was alwasy desperate for those missions to be over so I could be on dry land again. Ships and Naval combat will play a big part in Odyssey (half the map is water) but according to Jonathan Dumont, ship combat will be more accessible and arcade focused, so that’s good news, there won’t be cannons though, only arrows.
Ships and naval have a strong place in our game, but they’re less the core element of the experience than in Black Flag. Gameplay is also different from BF as we have a more accessible and arcade approach, focusing on the immediate fun. We are true to the era, so no cannon but we have arrows, javelins and more emphasis on cleaving and ramming. Nothing better than cleave a ship in half to see her crew devoured by sharks! But of course there is also a progression and recruitable crew for players that want to go deeper.
Ships will be upgradeable
On the subject of ships, ships in Odyssey will be upgradeable so you know there definitely playing a larger part in the game. A Reddit user asked about the extent of the ship upgrades:
To what extent will you be able to upgrade your ship?
You can upgrade your weapons, hull and ramming device through progression. Crew can recruited through the world to bring specific perks to your ship and cosmetic elements can also be applied to your ship and crew.
The Assassin’s Creed Odyssey map will be bigger than Origins
We already got a glimpse of the Assassin’s Creed Odyssey map thanks to some images leaked just before E3, and a Reddit user was curious which map was bigger. in the AMA, Jonathan Dumont confirmed that the Odyssey map will be bigger than origins, but half of it is sea.
The Overall map is bigger. Keep in mind that half is sea!!
There will be a horse named Phobos
Assassin’s Creed Origins had some pretty cool mounts to choose from and a Reddit user asked about the mounts in Odyssey, apparently there will be a horse called Phobos in the game.
“Are there camels as mounts in this game? I absolutely loved the camel in ACO.”
Well you get to choose a pretty cool horse named Phobos!
The game will have different endings, depending on the decisions you make
A Reddit user asked a question about whether the decisions we make in-game will have any effect on the ending. Jonathan Dumont confirmed that our actions and decisions in-game will lead to different endings, not just for the main game but for quests as well.
“Hi Jonathan, the decisions that we’ll chose in the game will affects at the end of the game???”
Yes. As for how dialogue choice will impact the game’s endings, we don’t want to give too much away, players will experience that for themselves. But your actions and choices will leave to different endings. True for other quests too!
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey will have more content than Origins
Assassin’s Creed Origins was abosultely choc full of content, with alengthy campaign, side quests, tombs and a huge world to explore, it’s hard to imagine something having more content than Origins, but apparently, Odyssey will. A Reddit user asked:
“Will Odyssey have more content than origins?”
And Jonathan Dumont answered with a simple yes.
Yes
So expect plenty of late nights and perhaps the odd sick day from work when Assassin’s Creed Odyssey drops.
You can read the full list of questions and answers from the AMA over on the Assassin’s Creed Reddit page.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey will be released on October 5th.
