With Assassin's Creed Valhalla releasing what looks to be its last big DLC this December and Assassin's Creed Mirage still a long way off, there's likely to be a big lull in content for the series for a while. That also means this is the perfect time to get started on Assassin's Creed Odyssey.
Players that haven't yet given the game a try are in for a treat, as it serves up a similarly monumental adventure to Valhalla but in a fascinating Ancient Greece setting. In order to make that start as easy as possible, there are a few simple tips and tricks new players should bear in mind when getting started.
Don't Ignore The Side Quests
In contrast to the earlier games, Assassin's Creed Odyssey was the first game in the series that truly embraced an RPG gameplay style and that means a whole lot more to do. While it might be tempting to disregard side quests and focus on the main story, that's actually not the best way to the game.
Not only do side quests provide plenty of rewards that make them worth the player's time, but completing them also helps the player stay leveled for the main campaign. Side quests can also be some of the most fun parts of the game, giving the player the chance to get involved in smaller, more personal stories or take on some of the finest warriors in Ancient Greece.
Explore The World Of Odyssey
Though it's expected of the franchise at this point, Assassin's Creed Odyssey's open world is absolutely massive and full of interesting locations and things to do. That's why making a bee-line for the mission markers usually isn't the way to get the most out of the game.
Exploring the world is incredibly useful, providing loads of extra opportunities to test the player's combat skills and solve difficult Ainigmata Ostraka puzzles, but it's also fulfilling simply for the awe-inspiring locations hidden within the map. Odyssey is a beautiful game, and it's worth taking advantage of that.
Synchronize Locations As Often As Possible
Another reason why it's good to explore and go off the beaten track sometimes is that it can mean the chance to synchronize as many locations as possible early in the game. This is a smart approach, given that synchronized locations become fast-travel points and having more of them can make moving around a lot easier.
While traveling the old-fashioned way is fine early on, fast travel is something the player is likely to be using a lot as the game continues, so it's worth investing the time to set up more travel points. Additionally, the player's ship is an extra fast-travel point that can be summoned to any dock, providing an extra option.
Focus On A Specific Style
When it comes to leveling up the player's character, there are three distinct classes that they can specialize into using the abilities tree that all lends themselves to a different gameplay style. These are Assassin, Warrior, and Hunter, and depending on whether the player wants to take a stealthy approach, be an all-out brawler, or do damage from a distance, all of them have their advantages.
Since gear and what abilities they've chosen all go into defining how the player can approach each situation, it's a smart idea to focus on a single class or two early rather than trying to be a jack of all trades. For the most versatile approach, the simple sword-based combat style of the Warrior is perhaps the best option.
Don't Stress About The Abilities Tree As It Can Be Reset
The way Assassin's Creed Odyssey developed the skill tree concept compared to previous installments of the franchise is a part of what makes it one of the best games in the Assassin's Creed series, but that can have its drawbacks. For one thing, being presented with an entire abilities tree can be daunting early on.
Having to choose a skill without knowing the implications in terms of what it will lead to later down the line can be stressful, but it's actually not worth worrying about too much. That's because it can be reset at any time in the abilities menu for Drachmae, meaning it's always possible to re-adjust later.
Upgrade The Revelation Ability
Though it's important to upgrade the abilities that suit the player's own play style, there's one ability that's worth upgrading in anyone's playthrough. Located in the Assassin part of the ability tree, the Revelation skill gives the player a radar-like ability that marks loot and enemies in an area.
It might not sound particularly interesting, but it's one of the most useful skills in the game, especially early on. In order to get to power spikes sooner, gathering as much loot as possible is of crucial importance to a new player, and Revelation makes the process a lot easier.
Don't Let Ikaros Go To Waste
Ikaros is the trusty eagle that Kassandra has at her side from the beginning of the game, and it's important not to let him go to waste. The eagle can help the player to discover hidden secrets in Assassin's Creed Odyssey and scout out mission locations ahead of time, revealing and marking the locations of enemies, chests, war supplies, and more.
That makes him a powerful tool in the player's arsenal, so it's more than worth sending Ikaros in ahead of every mission and getting the most out of him. It's even more powerful for players taking the sneaky assassin approach, where knowing the locations of enemies and loot can allow for the perfect stealth mission.
Look For Better Gear Rather Than Upgrading Early On
While the gear upgrading system is introduced relatively early into Assassin's Creed Odyssey and it's tempting to begin crafting improved gear as soon as possible, it's usually better not to in the early game. Since most of the gear the player finds early isn't that great in the first place, it's only a matter of time before they find better stuff anyway.
When the player has collected gear worth upgrading, it's best to upgrade it every 10 levels, starting from Level 11. As that's when the built-in engravings on the weapon improve and give better stats, it's not usually worth upgrading until the gear is ready for that extra boost.
Don't Hoard Gear
As tempting as it can sometimes be for a player to keep absolutely everything they pick up just in case it comes in handy later, it's much smarter to ditch gear as soon as possible in Assassin's Creed Odyssey. Not only are most gears a waste of space once better items have been acquired, but it's also a waste not to sell or break down obsolete gear for resources.
It's more economical to sell gear and use it to buy resources than break it down, so the smartest approach to sell any unnecessary gear whenever there's an opportunity. It's also worth noting that ship upgrades are permanent whereas gear upgrades only last until the player finds something better, so it's worth keeping some resources aside for that.
Always Accept Contract Missions On Message Boards
Though perhaps not as interesting as the more story-based side quests in Assassin's Creed Odyssey, it's important not to overlook the bounty missions found on message boards in some towns as they can be a great way of earning money, valuable resources, and extra experience needed for taking down powerful enemies in Assassin’s Creed.
These missions are infinite, meaning there will always be more to do after a while, and there's no downside to accepting the contracts even if a player has no intention of actually completing the mission. There's also a message board located on the player's ship that's worth checking whenever possible.
Source:gamerant.com