Why Was Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Bad? A Critical Deep Dive
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, despite its initial hype and impressive sales figures, garnered a significant amount of criticism and remains a divisive title within the Assassin’s Creed franchise. The game suffers from several key flaws that prevent it from reaching the heights of its predecessors and contribute to its overall negative reception. These flaws primarily stem from its bloated open world filled with repetitive content, a lack of compelling story elements, and an over-reliance on grindy RPG mechanics that clash with the core tenets of the Assassin’s Creed experience. Combined with a controversial DLC storyline, and a sometimes frustrating combat system, these factors ultimately undermine the game’s potential.
Core Problems: A Breakdown
Repetitive and Bloated Open World
Odyssey’s map is undeniably massive, a sprawling recreation of ancient Greece. However, size doesn’t always equate to quality. The vast majority of the map is filled with identical-looking locations and repetitive side quests. Players quickly find themselves performing the same tasks over and over again: clearing out bandit camps, collecting resources, and assassinating generic targets. This repetition quickly leads to player fatigue and a feeling that the world is more of a chore than a genuine space to explore. The initial sense of wonder soon gives way to tedium as the hours stack up.
Grindy RPG Mechanics
The introduction of heavy RPG elements, such as level-gated content and a strong emphasis on gear upgrades, fundamentally altered the Assassin’s Creed formula. While RPG elements can enhance a game, in Odyssey, they feel forced and often detract from the core experience. Players are constantly required to grind for materials to upgrade their weapons and armor, a process that can become incredibly time-consuming and frustrating. The inability to assassinate enemies due to level differences further exacerbates this issue, forcing players to engage in lengthy combat encounters even when stealth would be a more appropriate and enjoyable option.
Weak and Unfocused Narrative
While the game boasts a lengthy campaign, the overall narrative of Odyssey is surprisingly weak and unfocused. The main plot line, involving the protagonist’s search for their family, is often sidelined by a multitude of unrelated side quests and distractions. This lack of narrative cohesion makes it difficult to stay invested in the story, and the characters themselves are often underdeveloped and unmemorable. The overabundance of choices, while initially appealing, ultimately diminishes the impact of key decisions and creates a sense of narrative dissonance.
Controversial DLC Storyline
The “Legacy of the First Blade” DLC stirred significant controversy within the Assassin’s Creed community due to its handling of the protagonist’s sexuality. The DLC forces the player character into a heterosexual relationship, regardless of their previous choices in the main game. This decision was widely criticized as being insensitive and disrespectful to players who had previously engaged in same-sex romances. The DLC’s storyline felt contrived and out of character, further damaging the game’s reputation.
Combat System Issues
While the combat system in Odyssey attempts to offer a more action-oriented approach, it often falls short due to its unresponsive and clunky mechanics. Parrying feels inconsistent, and the reliance on special abilities can make combat feel less strategic and more like a button-mashing exercise. The lack of fluidity in the animations and the awkward camera angles further contribute to the overall frustration of the combat experience.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Why do people dislike the repetitive quests in AC Odyssey?
The repetitive nature of the quests stems from the sheer size of the open world, which is filled with numerous, but often identical, tasks. Players find themselves doing the same things repeatedly, which makes the game feel more like a chore than an engaging experience. This repetition undermines the narrative and exploration aspects that are usually strengths in the Assassin’s Creed series.
2. How does the leveling system contribute to the problems in AC Odyssey?
The leveling system enforces a grind, requiring players to constantly level up their character and gear to progress through the main story. This often means engaging in side quests and activities that are not particularly interesting or relevant to the main plot, leading to frustration and a feeling of artificial padding.
3. What makes the combat mechanics in AC Odyssey problematic?
The combat mechanics are often criticized for being unresponsive and janky. Parrying is inconsistent, and the reliance on special abilities can make combat feel less strategic. This makes the game feel less like a fluid action experience and more like a frustrating button-mashing exercise.
4. Why was the grind for materials to upgrade weapons and armor so annoying?
The constant need to grind for materials between missions to upgrade weapons and armor was a significant source of frustration for many players. It detracted from the story and exploration, forcing them to spend hours collecting resources instead of progressing through the game.
5. Why was the story in AC Odyssey considered weak?
The story was considered weak because it was unfocused and lacked a compelling narrative. The main plot line was often sidelined by numerous unrelated side quests, making it difficult to stay invested. The characters were also often underdeveloped and unmemorable.
6. What was the LGBTQ+ backlash over the AC Odyssey DLC about?
The LGBTQ+ backlash stemmed from the “Legacy of the First Blade” DLC, which forced the player character into a heterosexual relationship, regardless of previous choices. This was seen as insensitive and disrespectful to players who had engaged in same-sex romances.
7. What kind of inappropriate content is found in AC Odyssey?
The game contains instances of sexual material, including characters kissing and caressing before the screen fades to black, as well as dialogue referencing sex and prostitution. This content contributes to the game’s Mature rating and may not be suitable for all players.
8. Is AC Odyssey a good game overall despite its flaws?
Despite its flaws, AC Odyssey has redeeming qualities. It offers a vast and visually stunning open world, a wealth of content, and engaging gameplay mechanics. It provides a worthwhile experience but not as good as some other games within the franchise.
9. How does AC Origins compare to AC Odyssey?
While both games share similar gameplay mechanics, Origins is often praised for its tighter narrative and more focused experience, whereas Odyssey offers a larger, but more bloated, open world. Each game has its pros and cons, making it a matter of personal preference.
10. Is it better to play as Alexios or Kassandra in AC Odyssey?
The choice between Alexios and Kassandra is largely a matter of personal preference. However, Kassandra is often considered the better choice due to her voice acting and character portrayal, which many find more compelling than Alexios’s.
11. Can you be evil in AC Odyssey and what are the consequences?
Yes, you can make choices that align with an “evil” path, but these choices can have significant consequences on the story and relationships with other characters. Pursuing this path may lead to negative outcomes and impact your overall experience.
12. Can you turn off blood and gore in AC Odyssey?
Yes, the game offers an option to disable blood and gore in the settings menu. This allows players to customize their experience based on their preferences regarding violence.
13. What is the “bad ending” in AC Odyssey?
The worst ending occurs when you fail to save key family members, leading to the protagonist returning home to eat dinner alone, signifying the ultimate failure to reunite their family.
14. Why do some people prefer AC Valhalla over AC Odyssey?
While opinions vary, some players prefer Valhalla for its stronger main story and more focused narrative. However, Odyssey is often praised for its more vibrant and alive world.
15. Where can I learn more about gaming and its impacts on society?
You can learn more about gaming, learning, and its broader societal impacts by visiting the website of the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.