AC Origins vs. Odyssey: A Spartan Showdown for Assassin’s Creed Supremacy!

Is Assassin’s Creed Origins or Odyssey better? It’s a question that has sparked countless debates among fans of the franchise. The truth? It’s not a simple answer. It boils down to personal preference. Origins offers a more grounded, story-driven experience that stays closer to the Assassin’s Creed roots, while Odyssey embraces RPG elements with a vast open world, customizable character builds, and impactful choices. Ultimately, both are excellent games, but one may resonate with you more than the other.

Delving Deeper: A Comparative Analysis

Let’s dissect the key differences to help you make an informed decision.

Setting and Story: Ancient Egypt vs. Ancient Greece

Origins transports you to Ancient Egypt, a land of pharaohs, pyramids, and political intrigue. The story follows Bayek, a Medjay protecting his people, as he unravels a conspiracy that leads to the formation of the Assassin Brotherhood. The narrative is personal, emotional, and steeped in historical context. The environment is gorgeous and helps immerse you into Ancient Egypt.

Odyssey, on the other hand, sets sail for Ancient Greece during the Peloponnesian War. You play as either Alexios or Kassandra, a Spartan mercenary, and navigate a world filled with gods, monsters, and warring city-states. The story is more epic in scope, focusing on family, fate, and your character’s journey to becoming a legend. You get to engage with Ancient Greek history, and explore mythical aspects.

Gameplay: Stealth vs. Combat

Origins refines the classic Assassin’s Creed formula with a revamped combat system, emphasizing hitboxes and tactical movement. Stealth is still viable, but engaging in open combat is more rewarding. The skill tree is relatively straightforward, focusing on enhancing Bayek’s abilities as a warrior and protector.

Odyssey doubles down on RPG mechanics, offering a deep and customizable combat system with special abilities and gear perks. Stealth remains an option, but the game encourages experimentation with different combat styles. The skill tree is extensive, allowing you to specialize in warrior, hunter, or assassin builds. Choices in dialogue also impact the story and relationships.

World Design and Exploration: The Scale of Adventure

Both games feature massive open worlds, but they differ in their design philosophy.

Origins‘ map, while smaller than Odyssey’s, feels more dense and interconnected. The deserts, cities, and oases of Egypt seamlessly blend together, creating a sense of realism. Exploration is encouraged through hidden tombs, bandit camps, and historical landmarks.

Odyssey boasts a significantly larger map encompassing the entirety of Ancient Greece, including numerous islands and vast stretches of sea. Sailing is a major component of the game, allowing you to discover hidden locations and engage in naval combat. The world feels more diverse, but some areas can feel less populated and more spread out.

RPG Elements: Character Customization and Choices

Origins features a more streamlined RPG experience. While you can customize Bayek’s gear and skills, your choices have limited impact on the story. The focus remains on the core narrative and the historical setting.

Odyssey embraces RPG mechanics wholeheartedly. You can choose dialogue options that affect the story, build relationships with other characters, and make decisions that have consequences. The gear system is more complex, with numerous armor sets and weapons to collect, each with unique stats and perks.

Choosing Your Adventure: Which Game Reigns Supreme?

Ultimately, the “better” game depends on your personal preferences.

• If you prefer a grounded, story-driven experience with a focus on stealth and historical accuracy, Origins is the better choice.
• If you enjoy vast open worlds, customizable character builds, impactful choices, and a more fantastical setting, Odyssey will likely be more appealing.

Both Origins and Odyssey are fantastic games that offer countless hours of entertainment. Try them both if you can! If not, reading up on some additional FAQs below may help you narrow your options.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is Odyssey bigger than Origins?

Yes, Odyssey’s map is significantly larger than Origins’. Odyssey’s traversable world clocks in at approximately 130 square kilometers, while Origins’ is around 80 square kilometers.

2. Which Assassin’s Creed has the biggest map?

Generally, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla has the largest overall landmass, but Odyssey’s map encompasses a greater area when including the sea.

3. Which Assassin’s Creed should I start with?

For newcomers, the Ezio Collection (Assassin’s Creed 2, Brotherhood, and Revelations) is often recommended as it introduces the core gameplay mechanics and a compelling story. After that, Origins or Black Flag are excellent starting points.

4. What is the difference between Assassin’s Creed Origins and Odyssey’s combat?

Origins features a more grounded combat system with hitboxes and shield usage. Odyssey emphasizes special abilities, weapon perks, and a more action-oriented approach.

5. Which Assassin’s Creed is the hardest?

Assassin’s Creed Unity is often considered the most difficult due to its challenging controls, glitches, and less damaging attacks.

6. What is the longest Assassin’s Creed game?

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is the longest, with an average playtime of around 60 hours for the main story alone.

7. What is the easiest Assassin’s Creed game?

Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood is often considered one of the easiest due to its generous combat mechanics and strong support system.

8. Is Origins before Odyssey?

Yes, chronologically, Origins takes place before Odyssey. Origins is set in Ancient Egypt, while Odyssey is set in Ancient Greece during the Peloponnesian War.

9. Which Assassin’s Creed is most like Odyssey?

Assassin’s Creed Origins is the most similar game to Odyssey in terms of gameplay mechanics, open-world exploration, and RPG elements.

10. Which Assassin’s Creed has the best story?

Opinions vary, but Assassin’s Creed 2, Brotherhood, Black Flag, and Origins are often cited as having some of the best stories in the series.

11. Which Assassin’s Creed has the best graphics?

Recent titles like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Mirage are noted for their impressive graphics and visual fidelity.

12. Is it okay to play Assassin’s Creed in order?

While not strictly necessary, playing the games in chronological order can enhance your understanding of the overarching storyline.

13. What is Assassin’s Creed Infinity?

Assassin’s Creed Infinity is a hub or platform that will connect future Assassin’s Creed games and experiences.

14. Which Assassin’s Creed is the bloodiest?

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is considered the bloodiest game in the series due to its Viking setting and brutal combat.

15. Are there learning opportunities in Assassin’s Creed games?

Absolutely! Assassin’s Creed games are rich with historical information and cultural insights. They can be a fun and engaging way to learn about different periods in history. To learn more about games and learning, be sure to visit GamesLearningSociety.org, a community dedicated to the intersection of games and education.