Assassin's Creed: Odyssey Standard Edition (Xbox one/Xbox Series X|S)

Game description:

Assassin's Creed Odyssey is a 2018 action role-playing game developed by Ubisoft Quebec and published by Ubisoft. It is the eleventh major installment in the Assassin's Creed series and the successor to 2017's Assassin's Creed Origins. Like its predecessor, the game features a large open world and adopts many elements from the role-playing genre, putting more emphasis on combat and exploration than stealth. Naval combat from previous titles in the series also plays a prominent role in Odyssey.

Gameplay:

At the beginning of the game, the player can select to play as either Alexios or Kassandra, Greek mercenaries and descendants of the Spartan king Leonidas I. In addition to completing the story campaign, players can freely explore a large open world set in Greece on foot or on horseback. As the player explores the world, they will encounter various non-playable characters who give players side missions to complete. They also discover locations of interests, clear out fortresses and camps, explore tombs and shipwrecks, and collect hidden treasures. Synchronization points in various landmarks in Greece, which serve as fast travel points, can also be unlocked. Players can also collect special collectibles and various crafting resources, such as iron ore, wood, leather, metal, and precious gems, through exploration and hunting wildlife. Other side activities players can undertake include competing in a gladiatorial arena and completing time-limited bounties and contracts. Unlike the previous games in the series, Odyssey offers two modes of gameplay: Guided mode shows the player the locations of their objects immediately using waypoints, while Exploration mode tasks players to find out the locations themselves after being given brief clues from other.

Game review:

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is a resounding achievement in world building, environment, and engaging gameplay with occasional problems throughout. Its incredible recreation of ancient Greece is something I’ll want to go back to long after I’ve finished its main story, and its excellent systems mesh together in a way that’s hard to beat. While there are definite rough edges, Odyssey sets a new bar for Assassin’s Creed games and holds its own in the eternal debate over the best open-world roleplaying games ever.