Like most years in the past decade, 2018 will see the release of yet another Assassin’s Creed title. However, this year’s forthcoming entry has managed to reinvigorate interest in what could be described as a series too reliant on formula.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey first raised eyebrows with an impressive demonstration at E3 2018, showcasing a new choice-based dialogue system and gorgeous setting in Ancient Greece. A recent interview with game director Scott Phillips reveals all new details, including that Odyssey will take a lot longer to beat than its predecessor, Assassin’s Creed Origins.
Director Scott Phillips confirms that Odyssey will be a “much, much longer” game than Origins, which is a pretty substantial experience itself at around 30 hours to beat for the average player. Along with having a longer story, Phillips explains that Odyssey’s recreation of Ancient Greece will be a larger map than Origins’ sprawling Ancient Egypt.
If these eight minutes of gameplay footage are any indication, the more time players get to explore and interact with the rich history of 431 BCE Mykonos, the better.
In the recent interview with Game Informer, Phillips replied to 107 rapid-fire questions pertaining to the latest Assassin’s Creed release, at one point breaking down the mechanics of Odyssey’s non-linear story structure, where players make dialogue choices that affect the narrative. The change in storytelling marks perhaps the most fundamental update to Assassin’s Creed in the series’ history, and it’s one Phillips believes is a positive evolution for the series.
When asked which improvement he was most proud of, Phillips replied, “Making it a full RPG, focused on choice with dialogues and options for the player to affect the outcome of the world. Interactions with characters where you feel like you develop a relationship…”
In another major departure from the series’ formula, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey’s main character will be a mercenary rather than an assassin. Whether the player chooses the male or female mercenary, they will have the option to develop romantic relationships with non-playable characters of either gender.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is set for release later this year.
Source: YouTube - Game Informer
