Pictures of your Games 11 - The Quickening

[HoonDing]

[IndiraLightfoot]

After 20+ hours, I'm really taken aback by the quality of Assassin's Creed: Odyssey: 

-I'm a history buff who loves Ancient Greek history, Greek Mythology, and I know my way around the Greek languages as well, Ancient and Modern. Sure, the dialect in this game has a Russian tang to it, but at least that gives it all a slightly foreign character.

-Having been to Greece on numerous occasions, I do feel what they've done is pretty accurate. It's still probably depicted a bit too much on the arid side (which is the way much of recent Greece is), but before over-population, deforestation, and extensive agriculture, even many of the islands were pretty lush, actually. The soundscape is lovely, and terrain and landscape presented convincing, at least topographically, while obviously scaled down considerably. Still, the game map is ginormous - I wouldn't be surprised if it's bigger than Skyrim. And there are much more detailed underwater landscapes as well, which in Skyrim was barren lakes and an ice-cold coastline. Regardless, I just lose myself walking around in the mountains, the forests and the villages, or when I sail on the seas, and all this complete with weather and day and night. Exploration is rewarded with crafting materials and secret places and items.

-They haven't gone all-in on the mistake seen in American Ancient Greek movies in the mid-1900s, where everything is white and marble, including statues and such, when in fact, buildings, etc, were much more colourful and painted in intricate patterns. They stay true to the material culture of the Peloponnesian War, including pottery, dresses, and economy. And when they present us with ruins from older times, these are painted in late Bronze Age style, including objects and even gates (like the Lion Gate), which they merrily link to the Odyssey saga (I can't complain. It's a bit of a dream come true!). And the loading screens mix historical facts with gameplay tips. This is the kind of game that can make kids of today interested in ancient history, that's for sure.

-CRPG-wise, it really delivers. It's pretty low-key, in the beginning, sprinkled with laughter and reasonably natural dialogue. Some hard moral choices to make, from the get-go. The cut scenes and flashback memories are great. The story is pretty gripping. I actually get more RPG of this game than Deadfire, for instance, which is somewhat bisarre (since that doesn't need an AAA-budget). As someone who's never played the Witcher more than 2 hours, I can't really tell if it's comparable, but I hazard a guess and say that it is.

-Stealth and sneaking isn't on par with Dishonored, but it's rather close, and the same goes for combat. Sure, using a controller, I immediately feel more involved (too involved, I had to turn off vibrations).

-Ship battles are pretty fun, although a bit wonky (There are lots of things to consider at once: rowers, archers, javelin-throwers, sails, speed. It's way better than Deadfire's "press 1, 1, 1, 1... Victory!", and the same goes for boarding and sinking ships (and you can even dive after stuff while they sink afterwards).

The first islands, and all the great stuff that you do there in the game, it turned out to be simply the prologue of the game, so that you could get your ship and then sail into the huge game world. Absolutely staggering!

 

-The pacing is pretty much perfect the first 10 hours, but when you sail around or gets lost in forests and mountains, it gets harder, but for the most part, I feel I have myself to blame to be so dream-y and quest-disobedient.

-And speaking of quests, they are story-related, and/or fetch quest-like, but very optimally embedded in the politics and Athens-Sparta conflict plus local power struggles on the one hand, and the history, philosophy, religion, and science of the Classical era

-Some odd stuff. Players can take photos, and then I can enjoy them, despite my playing a single player game - they can be toggled by me as markers on the overland map, pretty cool.

Certain simple side quests have real life timers on them, which unlock a rare currency, which, if amassed sufficiently and patiently, can be used to buy items by special dealers. There will also be events and constant updates of in-game quests, so that they game stays fresh. Obviously, these are ways to get people more hooked to the game, and play it longer. Personally, I don't mind.

-As an AssCreed novice, I've kept most helper markers on, but in my 2nd playthrough, I'll most likely turn most of that stuff off.

 

 

If you do like games like Elder Scrolls and the Witcher series, I can really recommend this game. If you happen to dig ancient greek history as well, you're in for an addictive treat!

Edited October 7, 2018 by IndiraLightfoot

[Lexx]

Does the game still feature these crappy modern day scenes?

[Hurlshort]

My favorite AssCreed was the one set in Constantinople. I felt like I had stepped into history.

[IndiraLightfoot]

Does the game still feature these crappy modern day scenes?

Only a brief one at the start (so far), where you lay down on a couch while a colleague send you back in time, via a high-tech Illuminati thingie. This is when you chose the sex of your character, basically. 

 

Oh, another thing that they've done pretty well is that everyone is working and walking around on elaborate waypoint schedules. All the grind stones and the huge jars for olive oil and amphorae for wine, and the vineyards, it's all so very neat! And you can climb up on nearly everything and jump around, a bit like Dishonored, I guess, but here you get to bump into people. And while you're riding, you can actually do it roughshod and trample people to death, if you are so inclined. There are plenty of "evil" options in the dialogues and quests. Watch out, though, 'cause when you're running, you may accidentally push people into some brazier or ember tripod, and then they catch fire and die.

Edited October 7, 2018 by IndiraLightfoot

[HoonDing]

[Gorth]

My first Tequatl the Sunless kill... I love those massive Boss brawls.

 

[Hulk'O'Saurus]

Recruiting members:

 

'Hey, friend! Wanna join up with us?'

 

'Why yes, please!'

 

'Ok... Well... your other friend is after us now... quickly, new friend, run to the edges of the screen before they initiate conversation with PC!'

 

Edited October 10, 2018 by Hulk'O'Saurus

[HoonDing]

[Orogun01]

 

Does the game still feature these crappy modern day scenes?

Only a brief one at the start (so far), where you lay down on a couch while a colleague send you back in time, via a high-tech Illuminati thingie. This is when you chose the sex of your character, basically. 

 

Oh, another thing that they've done pretty well is that everyone is working and walking around on elaborate waypoint schedules. All the grind stones and the huge jars for olive oil and amphorae for wine, and the vineyards, it's all so very neat! And you can climb up on nearly everything and jump around, a bit like Dishonored, I guess, but here you get to bump into people. And while you're riding, you can actually do it roughshod and trample people to death, if you are so inclined. There are plenty of "evil" options in the dialogues and quests. Watch out, though, 'cause when you're running, you may accidentally push people into some brazier or ember tripod, and then they catch fire and die.

 

A chicken attacked me and I had to kill a bunch of villagers because of defending myself. Why the **** do they programmed the chickens to defend themselves and how in the hell do chickens give +3 soft leather as loot?

These are the questions that keep me up at night?

 

Btw is everyone in Greece a tanned ball of grease like the game portrays? Cause the Greeks I know are lighter...still greasy though.

[IndiraLightfoot]

Now that you mention it, everyone does have a weird sweaty sheen to them. Perhaps it's more realistic this way? Greece 2,500 years was more steamy jungles and less arid and dry, so maybe the humidity was through the roof? And I've read that most men during this time were much more tanned, while women stayed more indoors and such, so let's chalk all this up as a post 2,000 AD computer game fantasy, shall we?

Edited October 11, 2018 by IndiraLightfoot

[Fenixp]

A chicken attacked me and I had to kill a bunch of villagers because of defending myself. Why the **** do they programmed the chickens to defend themselves and how in the hell do chickens give +3 soft leather as loot?

Are the chicken at least levelled? Are chicken above your level a true challenge? Is there a chicken boss that only sports an upscaled chicken model and level described as [PlayerLevel + 2] ?

[Orogun01]

 

A chicken attacked me and I had to kill a bunch of villagers because of defending myself. Why the **** do they programmed the chickens to defend themselves and how in the hell do chickens give +3 soft leather as loot?

Are the chicken at least levelled? Are chicken above your level a true challenge? Is there a chicken boss that only sports an upscaled chicken model and level described as [PlayerLevel + 2] ?

 

Chicken scale to your level, same as civilians.

[Hulk'O'Saurus]

Boots of speed can get you into sticky situations...

 

 

[Fenixp]

[Hulk'O'Saurus]

Back when Wizards were more op...

 

[LadyCrimson]

Because, lots o' cats (the MC is human). I rather enjoy the artstyle too.

[Bokishi]

Surpised how well this runs in 8K

 

 

 

[melkathi]

Do I need to Photoshop ciri into those screenshots again?

[Lexx]

Games always looks so visually crappy in these big screenshots.

[LadyCrimson]

Games always looks so visually crappy in these big screenshots.

They look awesome on the mobile phone screen, tho! 

[LadyCrimson]

I think this grumpy Prince needs a Snuggle date. Sadly I left him frowning because the game was poop.

Cute cat dating sim sounded funny. It wasn't.

 

 

Oh, hey, I can stockpile things in my kitty-den and it's not one per "square", they pile on top of each other.

I wonder how many objects you can drop before the game crashes (game warns going over 60 may affect performance but does that only apply to toaster-pc's...).

[marelooke]

Leashed me a new pet

[Bokishi]

Mykonos

 

 

 

[Hulk'O'Saurus]

Yeah... I like this game a lot.