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Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey Best Difficulty—Which to Choose

Brownk2 — Thu, 24 Jun 2021 14:31:15 +0000

What Options Are There?

Compared to other games in the Assassin’s Creed franchise, the sprawling open world of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is by far the most RPG-heavy—it can be gruelling, especially for fans of the franchise less accustomed to the style of RPGs. Luckily, however, there are ways of adapting the gameplay to suit your preferred style, and at the beginning there are choices to be made that will affect how you experience the game: exploration mode, level scaling, and, of course, difficulty.

This article is not a review of Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey, but an overview of the options regarding the difficulty of the gameplay. These options work together to influence the overall difficulty of the game, and so it is important to match them together in a way that suits your play-style.

Guided or Exploration

Decide how you will explore the massive open world of Odyssey

The first decision to be made is whether you will play in one of two modes, Guided or Exploration:

The Guided mode is your typical open-world style, whereby quest markers are followed upon taking on a new quest. Overall, it is nice, easy to follow, and conventional.
Exploration, on the other hand, requires you to interrogate the NPCs that give you quests, and you must probe them for information in order to figure out where to go next. It makes the game feel a bit more like real life, where there are no markers in the sky informing you as to where random people and places you just found out about are. Exploration mode requires you to think a little harder about what you’re doing rather than just mindlessly heading from location to location.

If you are like me, and directions are not your strong suit—even in a virtual world with an easy-to-follow-map—you’re probably better off simply going with Guided mode, at least for the first play-through.

Level Scaling

Decide what level your opponents will be

The next option is regarding level scaling, which has a much larger impact on how you experience combat in the game. When the game was first released, the most frequent complaint that players had was that the scaling made the game too hard. Enemies constantly scaled to keep things challenging, but all that really meant was that players never got much stronger relative to your enemies, regardless of how much effort players put into building a powerful character.

In 2019 Ubisoft introduced a change to the game by providing alternatives for how players wanted to handle scaling. The Level Scaling option can help you adjust the challenge posed by quests and enemies to better match your personal style of playing, and there are four options:

Default/Normal allows the default, pre-set difficulty to dictate the challenge of the content. This is how the game was played before Ubisoft introduced any options for scaling.
Heavy allows the content to match your current player level.
Medium allows the content to be up to two levels below your current player level.
Light allows the content to be up to four levels below your current player level.

This system doesn’t really need much further explanation, though it is important to note that you can mix and match these levels with different Difficulties; for example, playing on Easy Difficulty Mode with Heavy Level Scaling.

Difficulty Mode

Try your hand against Medusa on Nightmare Level for true nightmare-fuel

Players will finally then select what overall difficulty to play the game at. I found that the difficulty level chosen affects how you enjoy the game more than most other RPGs, and especially when compared to other Assassin’s Creed games.

It is important to note that there are no rewards or trophies for playing the game at harder difficulties, so players don’t have to worry about missing out on any potential achievements if they undertake the game at a lower difficulty.

Having played the game at each of the four difficulty options for different lengths of times, I have concluded about my own thoughts on the best way to play Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, and so here is my review on each level.

Easy Mode

Come face to face with some of the best figures from Greek mythology.

I have encountered two camps of people who have played Odyssey: those who think that Nightmare Mode is too easy, and those who think that Easy Mode is too hard. Of those two camps, I think I come closer to falling into the latter. I don’t think that Odyssey is a simple game , and that is due, mostly, to the overall size and scope of the world. In fact, I would equate ‘Easy’ in Odyssey to ‘Normal’ in Assassin’s Creed: Origins.

There are hundreds of quests to do and so many places to explore, but in order to actually see a large portion of the map without being immediately cut down by someone dozens of levels above you, you need to grind. Grinding is an aspect of almost all open world RPGs, but Ieven on Easy Mode Odyssey takes grinding to the next level. Simply following the story is not an option; in order to level up enough to follow the main story, you’ll still need to complete a lot of side missions, contracts, and bounties in order to earn XP.

It is a turnoff for gamers who want to get through the game as quickly as possible while still fully experiencing Odyssey’s story that you can easily get stuck on one enemy for what feels like hours on end. Even on Easy Mode, I very nearly gave up the game for good while fighting Medusa as it took me countless turns to finally beat her. I felt like I was slowly going insane, carrying out repetitive movements again and again and again and again and dying over and over until I finally, by chance, defeated her. And yet when I replayed the game on Hard Mode, I slew Medusa in one go. Go figure.

For those who simply want to experience the game without too much of a challenge, Easy mode is the obvious choice.

Normal Mode

Some opponents have abilities that make them much harder to defeat, even at your level.

The second difficulty is exactly as it says on the tin—it’s not too hard, not too easy. Normal Mode isn’t that much different from Easy, save for the fact that you’re going to spend a bit longer hacking away at some enemies. That was the only real, discernible difference between the two.

Normal Mode is a nice starting place for players who are familiar with both RPGs and Assassin’s Creed mechanics, but who don’t want to launch themselves into the deep end straight off the mark. Overall, there isn’t that much of a difference when compared to Easy, since the options for level scaling were introduced in 2019. Which of the four scaling options you choose is what really matters with regards to Normal Mode.

Hard Mode

Some of the best fights you will experience will be against the Cult of Kosmos.

Hard Mode was my favorite way to play, out of the four difficulty options. Once I was familiar with the game and its combat style, Hard Mode presented enough of a challenge to engage my interest and ensure each quest felt refreshing and new.

As the game progresses and the world opens up, it becomes more of a simply compelling challenge rather than a sluggish chore to complete quests and spend time on some of the other aspects of the game, such as the Navy Battles and the Conquest Battles. But these aspects also mean that unlike other Assassin’s Creed games, you cannot simply spend all your time concentrating on building up stealth.

I found I did best on Hard Mode when I spent my ability points wisely—on second wind healing, on archery, and on some of the stealth abilities, rather than building up a hulking strong warrior. These abilities and how they affect your fighting style also make the game especially interesting when it comes to fighting certain enemies, especially the Legendary beasts, as you cannot simply attack them and then run away to heal.

There are many reasons why I enjoyed Hard Mode the most. It was gruelling enough that it still felt like an accomplishment to finish the main three storylines, but it was not impossible, once I got the hang of the game.

Speaking of impossible…

Nightmare Mode

Conquest Battles are one of the most enjoyable aspects of Odyssey.

I have encountered plenty of folk in online forums who claimed that Nightmare Mode was just too easy, too repetitive, too boring. I imagine such folk are perhaps professional gamers who have spent thousands upon thousands of hours gliding through every game out there, and now find that nothing is enough of a challenge for them. The best way I can think to describe Nightmare Mode is to describe it as an open-world Dark Souls set in the beautiful islands of ancient Greece, where one light stab is enough to bring about your untimely demise and the only way to avoid dying is to just keep running away.I was easily killed by enemies at the exact same level as me in only a handful of hits, but the enemies were essentially damage sponges.

Slashing a sword at a basic Athenian soldier, much longer than someone like Kassandra/Alexios would, simply wasn’t entertaining or realistic to the game’s lore, and being overwhelmed by more than one enemy meant instant death.

Don’t get me wrong—this mode will definitely appeal to a lot of hardened gamers with the patience to die over and over again; I simply am not one of them. Even so, I do recommend this Mode to anyone looking for a real obstacle to overcome, or anyone who hates Kassandra/Alexios enough to find pleasure in watching them continuously die in increasingly gruesome ways.

Conclusion

Don't be put out if the game seems too hard at first.

Overall, Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey is a game that finds innovative ways to challenge its players while still creating a brilliantly compelling story. This game captures the essence of Classical Greece, with period-accurate architecture, clothing, and weapons that work alongside a brilliant cast of historical and fictional characters, during the real events as recorded by the historian Thucydides. Of course, it should not be mistaken as an historically accurate game, but it still manages to feel like ancient Greece brought to life. The ability to discuss philosophy with Socrates, fight alongside Brasidas, flirt with Alcibiades, plot with Pericles—it is the potential to do these things is what makes the world of Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey so appealing.

The decisions regarding the game’s difficulty will influence your thoughts regarding the game, and if you find it too hard at a particular level I implore you to lower it and not give up, as this game is truly unique, and an enjoyable experience for anyone with interest in the ever-awe-inspiring world of Ancient Greece.

You might also be interested in:

Top 10 Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey Best Weapons and How to Get Them https://www.gamersdecide.com/articles/assassins-creed-odyssey-best-weapons

Top 5 AC Odyssey Best Armor

https://www.gamersdecide.com/articles/ac-odyssey-best-armor

Top 15 Best Assassin’s Creed Games to Play Today

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The difficulty you choose can significantly impact your gaming experience.

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Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey—All Mythical Creatures And How To Find Them

Brownk2 — Thu, 24 Jun 2021 11:56:32 +0000

Mythical Creatures or Legendary Creatures?

As a student of Classics who has long awaited an open-world RPG set in the promising, fascinating, and enthralling setting of ancient Greece, Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey felt like a dream come true upon its release. The Assassin's Creed franchise has always blended together historical accuracy with the supernatural superstitions, literature, and beliefs of the past. Since Origins they have expanded upon the magical and mystical elements that the historical setting of each game offers, and Odyssey goes even further than Origins in this sense. In this article, we will look at the Mythical Creatures that appear in this game—the Sphinx, the Cyclops, the Minotaur, and Medusa. This is not a step-by-step guide as to how you will defeat these Creatures, but is instead a guide that will aid you in finding them, and a review of the difficulty involved in doing so.

The creators of Odyssey take full advantage of the rich mythology of the classical Greek era. The fascinating source material shines through with terrifying beasts, cursed men and women, and dangerous Demi -gods prowling throughout the game’s open world. While players will mostly take on pirates, soldiers, and members of the Cult of Kosmos, one of the most appealing aspects of the game is the potential to come face-to-face with some of the highly intriguing creatures scattered across Greek literature.

As part of the ‘Goddesses’ Hunt’ quest-line which is given to players by Daphnae of the Daughters of Artemis, players can fight against some of the legendary animals of Greek Mythology, such as Kalisto the Bear, the Erymanthian Boar, the Kretan Bull, and the Nemian Lion. The Erymanthian Boar in particular puts up one of the toughest fights in the game, due to the fact that his poisonous fart cloud—yes, his poisonous fart cloud—can easily choke you to death.

The Erymanthian Boar is one of the toughest fights in the game.

While these Legendary Creatures do pose an exciting challenge, they are often easily confused with the four Mythical Creatures. It is these Creatures and the side quests leading up to them that really strike a chord with players, as these are some of the hardest, most gruelling, and most interesting fights in the game.

Coming face-to-face with these Mythical Creatures is only possible around mid-way through the main story, once the ‘Between Two Worlds’ quest-line has opened up. This quest is given to players once they have entered the ruins on the island of Thera. After meeting your true father and discovering the existence of Atlantis, you will unlock a quest-line called the ‘Gates of Atlantis’. To open the gate, you will be tasked with finding four lost Isu artifacts that were stolen and which are now dispersed all across the Greek world. Obviously, the artifacts are not simply scattered across the map, waiting for you to come across them. They instead are in the possession of the four Mythical Creatures who you will have to face, starting with the Sphinx.

Try your hand at outwitting the Sphinx.

If you are anything like me, you will probably want to immediately drop everything else in the game and set out in search of the Sphinx. I highly recommend that you reign yourself in, and just wait until later in the game, once the main story is complete or at least almost complete. At the end of the day, Kassandra/Alexios might be the heroic ‘Eagle Bearer’, moulded in the image of Oedipus, Odysseus, Theseus, and Perseus, but we are not.

The Lore of the Sphinx (Level 34)

How to find the Sphinx

The Sphinx is unique among the Mythical Creatures. There is no winding and complex side-quest involved in order to get to her—you just have to discover her location and force her to appear. This is achieved by entering the Strange Ruins in Boeotia where you will find a statue of the Sphinx and a man called Gorgias who will direct you to find his apprentice Pibos.

Pibos, like you, was in search of the missing half of the Sphinx Medallion, but unlike you (hopefully), he met his rather unfortunate demise in doing so. By defeating the Alpha Lion that lives in the Tomb of Menoikeus, you will find the half of the Sphinx Medallion that you need. After heading back to the Strange Ruins to place the Medallion in the statue, you will find that Gorgias and the statue of the Sphinx have vanished.

The Sphinx will at last appear in her true form. I was mentally prepared—though not at all physically prepared—for a boss-fight at that moment in my first play-through. Greek literature ought to have provided me with a hint as Oedipus, in his famously sombre story, never raised his blade against the Sphinx at Thebes—he solved her riddle. I was therefore fortunate that I never received the battle I was anticipating. Beating the Sphinx instead requires you to answer three of her riddles correctly, so if wits are your strong suit, or if you’ve made it this far in the game by just looking for cheats online, this quest will suit you perfectly.

Overall, I enjoyed the Sphinx storyline. In part this was because it tied in with my favorite Greek tragedy, Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, but also because it lured me into thinking that the Mythical Creatures would be no challenge at all because of how deceptively easy it was. Believing that the remainder of the Mythical Creatures will also put up a fight no more taxing than a stroll in the park, you may set out next to find the Cyclops.

A God Among Men (Level 35)

The questline that culminates with a fight against the Cyclops begins on the island of Kythera. He isn’t found on Kythera; instead, you are forced to embark on an extended adventure given to you by a man believing himself to be a god.

There are three quests you must complete to finally reach the Cyclops:

A God Among Men
Left to Dye
Stairway to Olympos

After completing this series of missions you will sail to the Forgotten Isle, which is found off the coast of Phokis to the west. There, you will finally confront the Cyclops.

Ultimately, the Cyclops is just a big boss fight, and the only real way to beat him, on any difficulty, is by dodging his attacks. Once the cave roof starts crumbling, too, the only way to evade getting squashed to death is to simply dodge the chunks of rock raining down.

Despite his hulking size and earth-shattering swings, it isn’t too hard to wear the Cyclops down. Like the Sphinx before him, this fight boosted my ego and hubris far more than I deserved; I was Icarus, flying higher and higher, just waiting for someone—the Minotaur, coincidently—to drag me back to earth.

Myths and Minotaurs (Recommended level of 28, but should be at least 40)

The quest to find the Minotaur is hidden away on Messara, way down along the southern border of the map. Head to Knossos Palace in the area called Minos's Legacy and find the quest ‘Myths and Minotaurs’ whereby an increasingly irritating child named Ardos will set you off on a series of missions necessary to acquire the key into the Labyrinth.

The missions given to you are:

Myths and Minotaurs
Recollections
Full Circle
Seeking Answers
He Waits

Quite a lot is involved in finding the Minotaur, compared to the Sphinx and the Cyclops. Once these missions are complete, you'll be able to head down to the catacombs, where you will follow along a golden thread that can be used to navigate your way around a maze, before facing the Minotaur.

Employing the same tactics as in the Cyclops fight is an effective way of fighting the Minotaur—dodge, dodge, dodge. However, he is a much harder enemy to defeat than the previous two opponents were combined. In the end, it only took me several dozen attempts on my Easy-Mode play-through to beat him, which was nothing at all compared to the fight with Medusa. In fact, it is really the laborious effort it takes to finally arrive at the Minotaur’s lair that makes this questline feel more difficult than it is. I did find that on my Hard Mode play-through the Minotaur fight dragged on for an exceedingly long time, so I would recommend coming to the fight over-prepared rather than simply at the suggested level.

Romancing the Stone Garden (Level 46, but really Level 50)

Medusa. Ah, Medusa.

Romancing the Stone Garden, the questline that culminates with the fight against Medusa, referred to in dialogue as the ‘Writhing Dead’, can be located in the Petrified Valley in Lesbos. I may moan a lot about how hard the Medusa fight is, but honestly, the questline involved in reaching her was one of my favorites in the game, as I have a terribly soft spot for tales revolving around star-crossed lovers. Bryce’s lover has disappeared within the ruins of the Petrified Temple found in the Petrified Forest, located deep in the Petrified Valley—they got very creative with the naming of this one.

The quests that will lead you to Medusa’s lair are:

Romancing the Stone Garden
Love's Long Shadow
A Slithery Plea
Heavy is the Spear
Hard to Artemis
Keys to Happiness
Writhing Dread

Once these quests are complete, you’ll finally face the hardest boss to fight in Odyssey, and, if you win, retrieve the final missing Artifact. Sometimes at night I have vivid nightmares about this fight, from when I played it on Easy Mode. When it came time to fight her on Hard Mode, I had flashbacks to being pummeled to death every two minutes by the Nameless King in Dark Souls. Those fights had nothing at all in common, save for the continuously recurring and increasingly infuriating loading screen that popped up every time I died.

Like any good boss fight, there are stages in the battle against Medusa. Just when you think you’ve figured out her moves, the fight kicks up a gear, and Medusa avails of her summoned minions to help her out. Ultimately, this fight can be won through some routine movements and well-timed attacks, but it drags on longer than most fights in the game, at nearly ten minutes on Easy Mode. It cannot be overstated that players need to come prepared for this battle the first time around, and armed with the best weapons.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the Mythical Creatures are one of the most enjoyable parts of Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey. On all difficulty levels they present a tough challenge to overcome, but there is no denying the huge sense of accomplishment once they have been defeated. They also pay homage to their original tales, too, in a way that serves to highlight just how successfully the game weaves together history and myth. Walking in the footsteps of the greatest heroes of Classical Mythology is an exciting opportunity for anyone with a love of the ancient world, and these fights are a gruelling, arduous, and rewarding experience for players of all kinds.

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Find and kill the mythical creatures of Greek Mythology

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Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey—All Bandit Camp Locations and How to Find Them

Brownk2 — Thu, 24 Jun 2021 11:15:15 +0000

What are the Bandit Camps?

One of the most common enemies' players will come up against in the broad open world of Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey are bandits. There are dozens of bandit camps hidden in caves and forests, and on the beaches and mountains found across the Greek world. There are several quest-lines in the game that involve rooting out bandit camps, such as ‘Besieging Bandits’, and at these various locations players can find Ainigmata Ostraka, weapons, gold, armour, and other valuables.

Explore the huge open world of Assassin's Creed: Odyssey in search of Bandit Camps.

However, it can be extremely disarming to encounter bandits when players aren’t expecting them. This is worsened by the fact that these bandits can be several levels above you, and can potentially cut you down in a matter of seconds. We have therefore compiled an alphabetical list of the bandit camps scattered throughout the game, paired with a link to a YouTube video which will show you where this camp is on the map, and how you can complete it. Alongside the bandit camps, we have listed the objectives for each camp and the region in which players will find it.

Happy hunting!

Abandoned Hunting Camp, Arkadia

1—Free Captive

1—Loot Treasure

Alkidas Fort, Lesbos

1—Kill Bandit Leader

3—Free Captive

1—Find Ainigmata Ostraka

4—Loot Treasure

Altar of the Dioskouroi, Lakonia

1—Find Ainigmata Ostraka

1—Loot Treasure

Aristomenes Camp, Messenia

2—Free Captive

1—Loot Treasure

Arrachion Camp, Arkadia

1—Kill Bandit Leader

2—Free Captive

3—Loot Treasure

Arrachion Jetty, Arkadia

1—Kill Bandit Leader

2—Free Captive

Artemis Trikalaria Camp, Achaia

1—Kill Lead Huntress

1—Free Captive

Artemis's Hunting Grounds, Arkadia

1—Kill Lead Huntress

2—Loot Treasure

Astra's Training Grounds, Boeotia

Quests: Sibling Revenge

1—Kill Captain

4—Kill Cultist Guard

1—Loot Treasure

Bandit Raid, Boeotia

1—Free Captive

1—Find Ainigmata Ostraka

1—Loot Treasure

Barracuda Island, Mykonos

1—Kill Bandit Leader

2—Loot Treasure

Bronze Club of Periphetes, Argolis

2—Free Captive

1—Find Ainigmata Ostraka

1—Loot Treasure

Burned Farm, Attika

1—Kill Bandit Leader

1—Loot Treasure

Camp of the Bow Bearers, Phokis

1—Kill Lead Huntress

1—Loot Treasure

Chariot of Hippolytos, Argolis

2—Free Captive

1—Loot Treasure

Danaides Camp, Argolis

1—Kill Lead Huntress

1—Loot Treasure

Dryad's Camp, Elis

1—Kill Lead Huntress

1—Free Captive

Erikis Camp, Korinthia

1—Kill Bandit Leader

1—Free Captive

2—Loot Treasure

Forest Camp, Phokis

1—Kill Lead Huntress

1—Loot Treasure

Hecatombeaon, Achaia

1—Kill Bandit Leader

1—Free Captive

1—Loot Treasure

Heraklea, Malis

Quests: The Best Defense

1—Kill Bandit Leader

1—Loot Treasure

Hunter's Rest, Phokis

1—Kill Lead Huntress

2—Loot Treasure

Hypermnestra Camp, Argolis

1—Kill Lead Huntress

1—Loot Treasure

Kalantos Bay, Naxos

1—Kill Lead Huntress

1—Loot Treasure

Kallirhoe, Achaia

1—Kill Bandit Leader

1—Loot Treasure

Kerkopes, Malis

1—Kill Bandit Leader

1—Loot Treasure

Kimon Camp, Skyros

1—Loot Treasure

Ktimene Beach, Kephallonia

Quests: Debt Collector

1—Loot Treasure

Laganda Pass, Lakonia

1—Free Captive

1—Loot Treasure

Lais Camp, Korinthia

1—Kill Lead Huntress

1—Free Captive

1—Loot Treasure

Lake Poseidon, Lakonia

1—Kill Lead Huntress

2—Loot Treasure

Landslide Bandits, Arkadia

1—Kill Bandit Leader

2—Free Captive

Lookout Camp, Phokis

2—Free Captive

2—Loot Treasure

Maenad's Camp, Boeotia

1—Kill Lead Huntress

1—Loot Treasure

Marooned Bandit Camp, Phokis

Quests: Equal Employment Opportunity Program

1—Loot Treasure

Medea Camp, Korinthia

1—Kill Leader Huntress

1—Loot Treasure

Melanippos's Camp, Boeotia

Quests: Let My Patients Go

1—Kill Bandit Leader

3—Loot Treasure

Menestheus Camp, Attika

1—Kill Bandit Leader

2—Free Captive

2—Loot Treasure

Old Battlefield, Argolis

1—Kill Bandit Leader

1—Loot Treasure

Panoptes the Forest Guardian, Argolis

1—Kill Lead Huntress

1—Loot Treasure

Pedasos Camp, Messenia

1—Kill Lead Huntress

1—Loot Treasure

Phedrea Camp, Attika

1—Free Captive

1—Loot Treasure

Pirate Beach, Naxos

1—Kill Bandit Leader

1—Free Captive

Pirate Beach, Lakonia

1—Kill Bandit Leader

1—Free Captive

1—Loot Treasure

Pirate Coast, Samos

Quests: Family Values

2—Loot Treasure

Pirate Hideout, Skyros

Quests: Odyssey Into the Past

1—Kill Bandit Leader

7—Free Captive

1—Find Ainigmata Ostraka

2—Loot Treasure

Pirate Island

Quests: A Pirate's Life

1—Kill Captain

1—Loot Treasure

Pond of Tainaros, Lakonia

1—Kill Captain

1—Loot Treasure

Poor Market, Attika

1—Loot Treasure

Prasonisia Island

2—Kill Captain

3—Kill Cultist Guard

6—Free Captive

2—Loot Treasure

Pyrrha Salt Pirates, Malis

Quests: The Blind Blacksmith

1—Kill Bandit Leader

2—Free Captive

Quicksand Bay, Elis

Quests: The Measure of a Man

1—Kill Bandit Leader

2—Free Captive

2—Loot Treasure

Red Lake Bandits, Lokris

Quests: Confiscated

3—Loot Treasure

Salty Bandits, Lokris

Quests: A Horse, of Course

1—Kill Bandit Leader

2—Loot Treasure

Sanctuary of the Muses, Boeotia

1—Kill Lead Huntress

1—Loot Treasure

Seaside Hideout, Makedonia

2—Loot Treasure

Shipwreck Campsite, Kythera Island

Quests: Atoll Order

1—Loot Treasure

Shoreline, Megaris

1—Kill Bandit Leader

1—Loot Treasure

Tamyris Camp, Messenia

2—Free Captive

1—Loot Treasure

Telephos, Arkadia

1—Kill Bandit Leader

1—Free Captive

1—Loot Treasure

The Scorched Tree, Arkadia

Quests: White Lies and Blackmail

5—Kill Cultist Guard

Untilled Plains, Arkadia

1—Kill Bandit Leader

1—Free Captive

2—Loot Treasure

Worshippers of the God of War, Malis

1—Kill Clan Chief

2—Free Captive

1—Loot Treasure

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Top 5 AC Odyssey Best Armor

https://www.gamersdecide.com/articles/ac-odyssey-best-armor

Top 15 Best Assassin’s Creed Games to Play Today

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Discover the bandit camps scattered across the Greek world.

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Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey—All Cultist Locations and How to Find Them

Brownk2 — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 15:47:59 +0000

Who are the Cult of Kosmos?

Shortly into the main storyline in Assassin's Creed: Odyssey, Kassandra/Alexios becomes aware of the Cult of Kosmos, a powerful group with a unique interest in their family and bloodline. One of the main plotlines revolves around eliminating the Cult members one by one.

To unmask Cultists, players generally first need to find clues towards their identity by tracking down different Cult members and gathering information. If it says to ‘continue your odyssey’, then you will need to progress further in the game to find them. If it says to ‘help people nearby’, then players will need to complete a side quest in the vicinity of the clue. When you’ve taken out all Cultists in a group, you can hunt their Sage, and each Sage killed reveals a clue about the Ghost of Kosmos, the group’s mysterious leader.

Explore the world of Ancient Greece as you hunt down the mysterious Cult.

Finding some Cult members is at times quite difficult and the clues are often ambiguous. Therefore, we have provided some tips on how and where to find more Cultists in Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey. We have provided a link to a Youtube video indicating how each Cultist might be located, as well as their suggested levels and any related quests.

Eyes of Kosmos

1. Elpenor (Level 11)

Elpenor is the first cultist you encounter in the main story and so there are no clues need to reveal his identity.

Elpenor is killed as part of the ‘Snake in the Grass’ quest; once you have killed his body double he can be found in the Snake Temple in Phokis.

2. Sotera (Level 13)

Sotera is one of the cultists revealed after ‘The Serpent’s Lair’ quest.

Sotera is found in the Port of Nisaia on the Southeast side of Megaris. She can be found near the docks in her personal quarters by a large boat.

3. The Master (Level 19)

The clue to aid in finding the Master states that the Cultist owns a quarry and a slave operation in Attika.

To uncover The Master, the player needs to complete four specific side quests relating to Sokrates, starting with the side quest ‘Citzenship Test’ in Athens. Follow this quest chain with ‘Witness Him’, then ‘Free Speech’, and ‘On a High Horse’, which leads players to the quest ‘A Life’s Worth’ in southern Attika. During this quest players will uncover the Master and kill him.

4. Midas (Level 18)

Midas can be found after completing ‘The Serpent's Lair’ quest.

Midas will be found in the streets of Argos in the region of Argolis, usually by the Temple of Poseiden or at the Leader House. Players can track his location on the map.

5. Hermippos (Level 19)

Hermippos is revealed in one of two ways.

The first: Kill the Polemarch at Fort Phyle in northern Attika.

The second: You can also uncover the identity of this cultist by completing the Sokrates sidequest ‘Free Speech’ in Attika which is unlocked by first completing the side quests ‘Citizenship Test’, followed by ‘Witness Him’. After completing the first two side quests, you can find Sokrates at the Akropolis where the ‘Free Speech’ quest can be started. Once this quest is complete, Hermippos will appear in Athens.

6. Nyx the Shadow (Sage) (Base Level: 18)

Nyx the Shadow is the Cultist Sage of the Eyes of Kosmos, and she is revealed when all other cultists from this group are defeated.

She is located at the Agora by the Theater of Dionysos in Attika which is located to the Southeast of the Akropolis.

The Silver Vein

1. Epiktetos the Forthcoming (Level 10)

Epiktetos is killed during ‘The Serpent’s Lair’ main quest.

2. The Centaur of Euboea (Level 14)

The Centaur is one of the cultists revealed after ‘The Serpent’s Lair’ main quest.

The Centaur can be found on the island of Euboea, where he resides inside the Abandoned Mine on the northeast side of the island.

3. The Chimera (Level 14)

The Chimera’s location is revealed after ‘The Serpent’s Lair’ main quest.

The Chimera is located on the island region of Andros in Steropes Bay. She is located on the southern end of the island, south of the Forge where you can travel after completing ‘The Serpent’s Lair’.

4. The Silver Griffin (Level 22)

Although the above video is longer than the others, it is useful in illustrating to players where they can find the second Silver Griffin clue.

The Silver Griffin is revealed through one clue that is dropped after killing the Chimera, and the second clue is located in Lavrio Silver Mine in Attika.

In the largest cave chamber in this mine there is an upper ledge on the left where a large chest holds the clue revealing The Silver Griffin’s identity.

Once revealed, you can find The Silver Griffin at Prasonisia island off the coast of Mykonos.

5. Machaon the Feared (Level 45)

The clue showing Machaon the Feared’s identity can be tricky to locate, but the above video illustrates where to find it.

Once revealed, you will be able to find this cultist at the Port of Patrai in the region of Achaia.

6. Polemon the Wise (Sage) (Level 50)

Polemon the Wise is revealed once all other cultists in this group have been eliminated.

Once revealed, you can find Polemon the Wise at the Teichos of Herakles Cult Stronghold, located in the region of Achaia.

The Delian League

1. Brison (Level 17)

Brison’s identity is uncovered over the course of the main story.

To reveal his identity, you must reach Attika and continue the main quest until Perikles tasks you with helping his friends. Complete the main quest ‘Escape from Athens’ to help Phidas get to Seriphos where players will receive the clue needed.

Once revealed, Brison can be found at the Salamis Marble Quarry on the Isle of Salamis.

2. Podarkes the Cruel (Level 23)

Podarkes the Cruel is exposed by engaging in a side quest.

In order to find this Cultist, players will complete the ‘Perikles's Symposium’ quest and return to The Adrestia. Then you will receive a new quest ‘Trouble in Paradise’, bringing you to Delos and Mykonos. In the follow-up to this quest, ‘Hades, Meet Podarkes’, you will you learn his identity and subsequently have the opportunity to kill him

3. Rhexenor the Hand (Level 25)

Rhexenor the Hand is uncovered by continuing the Main Questline, during the quest ‘A-Musing Tale’.

Once you reach the story point to uncover Rhexenor, you will find him in Athens.

4. Iobates the Stoic (Level 49)

Once uncovered, you can find Iobates on Lemnos.

Iobates the Stoic can be revealed by killing a mercenary by the name of Aigle, who drops a clue related to Iobates.

5. Kodros the Bull (Level 50)

Kodros the Bull can be revealed by killing Titos of Athens, the second-last opponent in The Arena.

He can then be found at the Leader's House in the city of Mytilene, Lesbos.

6. Kleon the Everyman (Sage) (Level 40)

Kleon the Everyman is revealed and killed as part of the main storyline quest ‘We Will Rise’; he cannot be missed.

The Peloponnesian League

1. Skylax the Fair (Level 17)

Skylax the Fair's Location

In order to uncover Skylax the Fair’s identity, players can go to the Xerxes Military Fort in the Lokris region, and loot the Nation Treasure Chest. Alternatively, he can be found without the clue revealing his identity.

Players will find Sklyax the Fair in Euboea. He can usually be found in the Leader's House in Chalkis City, but is surrounded by high level captains.

Alternatively, players can weaken the region and make Skylax more vulnerable. Skylax will drop in level and take to the streets of Chalkis, leaving him isolated.

2. The Monger (Level 21)

The Monger is revealed by following the main story, and as such cannot be missed. When you travel to Korinthia, you'll find the identity of The Monger, and plan to assassinate him during the quest ‘Monger Down’.

Players can choose to fight him in a cave, or make a public spectacle of him at the theater. This decision does have consequences, as players can convince another cultist to back down later in the game if they killed The Monger out of view of the public.

3. Silanos of Paros (Level 22)

Silanos of Paros is uncovered during the main story quest ‘Death and Disorder’, and can be killed during the quest ‘United Front’, while on Naxos Island. As such, he cannot be missed.

4. Kallias (Level 36)

Kallias is unmasked during the main story during Olympian series of quests, after the quest ‘The Contender’.

Once uncovered, you can find Kallias patrolling the region of Elis walking between Fort Koroibos and the main city, as well as the road between them.

5. Lagos the Archon (Level 26)

Lagos the Archon is one of the cultists whose clues are derived from ‘The Serpent’s Lair’.

Lagos is dealt with during the series of quests titled ‘The Cult and the Archon’. The clue will point to his location in Fort Samikon, in Arkadia, which will be revealed during the main story. You will have the option to kill or spare this cultist, depending on your choices while killing the Monger.

6. Pausanias (Sage) (Level 32)

Pausanias is the sage of the Peloponneian League, revealed through a number of different quests. It is suggested that you must have enough proof to implicate Pausanias before you accuse him, but this is not true.

Regardless of whether Pausanias is exiled or not, players will still be able to kill him and reclaim their home.

Gods of the Aegean Sea

1. Asterion (Level 14)

Asterion is the first cultist of the Gods of the Aegean Sea, and is one of the cultists revealed after completing ‘The Serpent’s Lair’.

Asterion can be found sailing his ship around the island of Andros.

2. Sokos (Level 23)

Sokos’ clue can be revealed by defeating Asterion.

The clue will point you to the Obsidian Islands, and to force him out of hiding you must weaken Melos enough to engage in a Conquest Battle. His ship will then take part in the naval battle.

3. The Octopus (Level 27)

The Octopus is revealed by killing Sokos.

You can find her sailing between the islands of Thera and Anaphi and then attack her ship.

4. Melanthos (Level 30)

Melanthos is revealed by killing The Octopus.

To expose this cultist, you must then kill the leader of Messara, his father. Melanthos will then be found sailing around Messara, vulnerable to attack.

5. The Mytilenian Shark (Level 30)

Once uncovered, you can find this cultist sailing around the waters of the region of Samos.

The first clue to finding the Mytilenian Shark is found by killing Melanthos which will direct players to loot the Palace of Amphitrite. Once there, players can obtain the Sunken Goods clue, which pinpoints the location of The Mytilenian Shark.

6. The Hydra (Sage) (Level 50)

The Hydra is the Sage who leads the Gods of the Aegean Sea, and can be exposed by eliminating all the cultists of this group.

Once unmasked, The Hydra can be found circling the waters in the far Southwest of the island of Messania.

Worshippers of the Bloodline

1. Zoisme (Level 12)

Once uncovered, you can fin Zoisme at Wild Bear cave in the top center of Malis.

Zoisme is the first cultist of the Worshippers of the Bloodline. A clue given during ‘The Serpent’s Lair’ leads players to a wolf den in Phokis, where a clue is found unmasking her.

2. Chrysis (Level 16)

Chrysis is uncovered during the Main Storyline, and as such cannot be missed.

You can uncover this cultist's identity at the conclusion of the quest ‘Speak No Evil’. Once uncovered, you will face her during the quest ‘Ashes to Ashes’ but she escapes if you choose to save the baby. If you save the baby—which, I mean, I assume you will—you can find Chrysis by undertaking a nearby side quest outside Argos called ‘Death Comes for Us All’.

3. Harpalos (Level 18)

There are two ways to reveal the identity of Harpalos.

The first: You must search for the Followers of Ares who can be sometimes be found in cultist caves, or at the Pillar of Dionysos in Megaris.

The second: You can simply eliminate Chrysis in Argolis.

After uncovering his identity, you can find Harpalos with the Followers of Ares on the island of Keos in the Cave of Ares. The cave is located next to an underwater pool you can dive down into from the Reclining Lion.

4. Diona (Level 36)

To expose Diona’s identity as a cultist, you must complete a series of side quests on Kythera Island given by Diona herself, starting with the quest ‘I, Diona’.

When you reach the end of the quest line, it will be revealed that Diona has an identical twin sister and you must kill the correct twin, as they will be standing next to each other. The correct sister is on the right side.

5. Melite (Level 33)

Once exposed, Melite can be found in Messara at Kresila’s Residence.

To expose Melite, first defeat Diona, then complete a series of side quests in Pephka, starting with ‘Minotaur de Force’ and ending with ‘No More Bull’.

6. Iokaste the Seer (Sage) (Level 50)

Once exposed, this sage can be found at the Anavatos Ruins in Chios.

Iokaste the Seer is the Sage of the Worshippers of the Bloodline, unmasked once you defeat all of the cultists in this group.

Heroes of the Cult

1. Okytos the Great (Level 18)

Okytos the Great is the first cultist in the Heroes of the Cult, and can be uncovered during ‘The Serpent’s Lair’.

Okytos is found at the Temple of Poseidon at the Sanctuary of Sounion in Attika, south of Athens.

2. Swordfish (Level 29)

Swordfish is one of the cultists whose clues can be found from ‘The Serpent’s Lair’.

The clue will point you to Messara where you must undertake a series of quests starting with ‘Myths and Minotaurs’ and then its follow-up, ‘Of Minotaurs and Men’. During the ‘Blood in the Water’ quest, players can find and kill Swordfish.

3. Belos the Beast of Sparta (Level 29)

Belos the Beast of Sparta can only be found in the Arena.

4. Pallas the Silencer (Level 45)

Pallas the Silencer is revealed during ‘The Serpent’s Lair’.

The clues direct you to a merchant in Korinthia. From the blacksmith in Korinth you can purchase an item from miscellaneous tab, the ‘tattered Spartan flag’, to uncover the identity of this cultist.

Once exposed, Pallas will be found on the main battleground in Achaia. Players must join Athens in the Achaia Conquest Battle to kill him.

5. Deianeira (Level 34)

Deianeira is revealed by defeating other cultists.

To uncover her, defeat Okytos the Great, at which point you will learn that she was involved in the conquest of Boeotia.

Once uncovered, you can either find her roaming this region, or at the Cave of the Oracle if you engage in her quest, ‘The Fall of Deianeira’ which is one of the four questlines involved in ‘The Conqueror’ of quests.

6. Exekias the Legend (Sage) (Level 50)

Exekias Location

Exekias the Legend is the Sage of the Heroes of the Cult, and is also the top mercenary in all of Greece.

Because of this, you can either happen across him on your travels, or pinpoint his location by defeating all the cultists in this group.

Since all mercenaries travel around Greece and appear at random locations, you may or may not find him before you uncover his identity as the cult sage.

Deimos (Level 35)

Play as Kassandra or Alexios; the character you don't choose will be 'Deimos'.

Deimos is fought at the end of the main story, on Mount Taygetos, Lakonia, during the quest ‘Where it all Began’.

The Ghost of Kosmos

Find the powerful leader of the Cult.

The Ghost of Kosmos is the leader of the cult, and by defeating the cult Sages clues will be revealed about their identity.

These are the clues that will reveal the Ghost’s identity:

Clue 1: The Ghost is a liar

Clue 2: The Ghost is a woman

Clue 3: The Ghost planned the death of Perikles

Clue 4: The Ghost controls both sides of the war

Clue 5: The Ghost longs for freedom

Clue 6: The Ghost is planning to herald in a new era

Clue 7: The Ghost uses faith in the gods to manipulate all

Clue 8: The Ghost controls Athenian politics

You may also be interested in:

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How to find and kill the Cult of Kosmos before they find and kill you.

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Assassin's Creed Movie: 5 Big Things You Should Know

PERIL — Thu, 28 May 2015 12:30:12 +0000

Dates, Plot, And More: Read On And Get Stoked!

News of an Assassin’s Creed movie on the horizon has sent a surge of excitement through fans worldwide. While movies based on video games have a history of letting their audiences down, gamers are hopeful that the creative minds in charge of this movie will land a mortal-strike on that distasteful pattern. Shooting is set to commence this September, and release is scheduled for December 21st, 2016.

Director Justin Kurzel is drawing on the momentum from his recent success, Macbeth, by summoning back the same star-cast.

Michael Fassbender, suave as a salamander.

Michael Fassbender (Inglourius Basterds, X-Men: Days of Future Past) will stand alongside Marion Cotillard (Inception, The Dark Knight Rises) in Assassin’s Creed. It is rumored that Fassbender will play the role of Desmond. The script will be fueled by Michael Lesslie (Macbeth), Bill Collage (Accepted), and Adam Cooper (Accepted).

Marion Cottilard, cute as a cucumber.

The official plot remains in the shadows due to the sheer number of possible plotlines, a complexity on which Fassbender has commented.

“…that is part of it, getting through the density of it and paring it down and engaging a simple story."

Despite all the hush-hush, a quick-trip to IMDb reveals the following synopsis.

“A bartender named Desmond Miles, is abducted by a company called "Abstergo Industries" to explore the mind of his ancestor, Altaïr Ibn La'Ahad, in order to recover a sacred artifact.” The accuracy of this synopsis will be revealed in time.

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Director Justin Kurzel

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10 Best Assassin's Creed Games, Ranked Best To Worst

PERIL — Tue, 26 May 2015 09:20:06 +0000

The Spectacles And The Setbacks; Do These Rankings Resonate With You?

Which Assassin’s Creed game is the best? For many of the top AC titles, that’s like asking me which piece of pizza I like most out of the few slices I have left. I like them all equally, thank you very much! Alas, I have utilized not only official critics’ scores but user scores as well in order to present a hierarchy that favors the opinions of players who shed pounds nerd-sweating over these great games. As it stands, Assassin's Creed is one of the most successful game franchises ever to grace our PC's. Regardless of the platform you haved played these on, these titles have seen huge success.

There's just something about these guys that makes you want to assassinate them.

Gamers who darted into the world of Assassin’s Creed when it first launched back in 2007 show no hesitation in expressing their resounding opinions that label this is as one of the best running series. With each entry comes a new plot advancement or an experience that makes ends meet in the bigger picture. These additions to the story often come with high praise, other times they are met with grief. Aside from the plot-advancements, AC games have a lot of other qualities that make them worthwhile.

Locales in Assassin’s Creed couldn’t really get any better; these games present historical fiction at its finest. This sense of realism adds a nice blur-effect where at times you are wondering what is fact and what is fiction. Combat has a solid feel, and while navigating through most of the environments you feel like you are driving a quality vehicle. Alright, alright. I suppose we can talk about the story.

Freedom Cry makes for some memorable moments...*tear*

Assassin’s Creed revolves around the Assassin’s known as the Brotherhood, and the Templar Order, their archrivals. While the Brotherhood believes that every human has the right to freedom, the Templars operate under the notion that peace can only be achieved by enacting rules and maintaining order. These different points of view led the two sides into a violent war.

In the process of unveiling events in the plot, the player controls the present day descendants of some Assassins who lived in different eras. By accessing their genetic memories, the player is able to relive the lives of these Assassin ancestors. The Animus, a machine created by a corporation known as Abstergo Industries, is what makes this possible. Interestingly, Abstergo is the modern-day front that provides the Templar Order some cover from which to operate. With all of this goodness in mind, let us go on an Assassin’s Creed journey to explore, from best to worst, one of the most prolific video game series on the planet.

10. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

Sometimes an assassination mission morphs into a small-scale skirmish.

Following the events in Assassin’s Creed II, Brotherhood has players continue following the story of Ezio as he works to reestablish a foundation of assassin’s in Rome. It is there that the Assassin’s must confront a menacing Templar family whose stranglehold on the city must be dissolved. Brotherhood is considered high-shelf material by many critics and gamers alike for a host of reasons. It is these reasons why Brotherhood also sits top-shelf in this article.

Death from above!

Brotherhood is set in Rome and invites players to explore one very large, open world. The interface is user friendly and the menus provide more information and facts for those who love their fancy-facts. History buffs can further rejoice since Rome is portrayed accurately. The game also brought improvements to combat in general, including new assassin skills and a multiplayer mode. At times, exploration can be frustrating since out-of-bounds areas are not always clearly illustrated on the map. However, the detailed character models, fluid combat animations, and clear representation of the city infuse a sense of authenticity into the game. This feeling persists throughout the 20+ hour single player campaign and even carries over into a memorable multiplayer experience which includes leaderboards.

All of these features add up to a seemingly perfect setup, right? Well, Brotherhood marks the onset of a flood of complaints that accuse the developers of cramming in too many distractions. Despite these complaints, the overall opinion is that the balance found in Brotherhood is close to perfect.

9. Assassin's Creed II

Open-world environments invite you to dive on in.

Assassin's Creed II continues where the first left off. For most of the game, players control Ezio who rises to Assassin-hood after his family experiences a brutal betrayal. There are also portions of the story that take place in the present day, as Desmond desperately attempts to escape Abstergo and their forceful use of the Animus on him. This title is worthy of the second place slot as one of the best Assassin's Creed games because of the impact its design had on the rest of the titles in the series. The developers listened to players’ criticisms regarding the original Assassin's Creed, which resulted in the ironing out of almost every flaw.

Improvements seen in this ironed out sequel include a more dynamic storyline, plenty of side missions, revamped graphics, and a more responsive combat system. One of the most exciting things about this sequel is that it gives players the opportunity to experience life in a virtual Renaissance Italy. The music plays an important role in immersing the player in the atmosphere of that era. Should the player wish for an even deeper level of immersion, there is an option to set the language of the game to Italian. Also, trying to hunt down every collectible was a huge incentive to explore.

Escape routes are left up to your imagination in these dynamic environments.

Though it may not have all the features of its sequels, this title is responsible for one of the largest improvement gaps that a sequel has ever created.

8. Assassin's Creed: Black Flag

A mini-boss while en route to the mission, why not?

Assassin’s Creed: Revelations and Assassin’s Creed III both received negative feedback from the players and many assumed that the Assassin’s Creed series had reached a dead end. However, Ubisoft made a brilliant move by taking naval gameplay, one of the most appreciated elements of Assassin’s Creed III, and built a game around it in Black Flag. Edward Kenway, the main protagonist of Black Flag, tells a new and refreshing story utilizing the dryland gameplay that players are already familiar with. Thankfully, the story is playful and doesn't get bogged down in politics and melodrama.

The pirate setting is a fantastic fit for the series’ theme of open exploration and combat. Sailing the Caribbean seas in search of islands to explore and enemy ships to plunder offers hours of potential fun. The combat in Black Flag has been streamlined, which is due in part to the game’s incorporation of naval warfare. The freedom to strike out on the open seas without a care in the world definitely entices the adventurous type. A vast ocean is waiting to be explored, on which the player will encounter enemy ships and forts, as well as dive sites in which treasure can be found. The graphics of Black Flag are simply stunning.

If piracy is your scene, Black Flag will set you free!

Of all the entries in the series, Black Flag has the most to offer, and this alone lands it a top spot as one of the best Assassin's Creed games. Though it boasts a lot of new features, its naval warfare does not attract everyone. Many of the main missions focus on pirate themes and this can make the game feel lopsided, especially for those who aren’t big pirate-fans. For those individuals, the situation improved with the arrival of Assassin’s Creed: Unity, a more typical game of the series, and Rogue, which is considered a spiritual-successor of Black Flag.

7. Assassin's Creed I

Altair must act carefully if he wishes to reclaim his honor.

Assassin's Creed I came onto the gaming scene as a title with massive potential. It brought forth interesting new content including a unique dual-story consisting of present-day Desmond, being manipulated by people and technology that are way over his head. Desmond simply doesn’t know the history, but in due time he comes to know a lot more about his Assassin ancestor, Altair, than he thought was humanly possible. Due to the sheer amount of mechanics it possessed, this game raised the bar for what was going to be expected from future installments in the series.

The concept of the game was unique at the time given that traditional stealth games only involved hiding in the shadows. What makes Assassin's Creed stand out from the crowd is that it allows players to blend into a crowd; a feature that has persisted throughout the entire series. Of course, exploration has no limits; players can go anywhere and kill anyone if they wish. Also, this was the game that gave gamer’s around the world the tingles as they activated the hidden-blade for the first time. That was the year when there was a shortage of sharp pencils and a surplus of students paying the school nurse a visit after having gored their wrists on their hidden weapons. As groundbreaking as these features were, there were some things about the game that didn’t impress.

Even assassin's believe in living to fight another day.

One of the biggest problems in this game is that it quickly takes on the flavor of an endless grind. This opened the door for a story that might strike some as slow-paced and speckled with uninspired elements from time to time. While fun for its time, Assassin’s Creed didn’t take big enough risks to set itself up to become a classic.

6. Assassin's Creed: Revelations

The hook-blade pushes the term handy to the next level.

Revelations weaves together a few different plotlines involving Desmond, Ezio, and Altair. The backbone of the story is comprised of Ezio’s quest to get at the mysteries inside of Altair’s vault by utilizing his memories. At this point in the games we are quite familiar with and borderline bored of Ezio Auditore. Perhaps this is why many players believe that Revelations represents the low point of Ubisoft's creative-direction with Assassin's Creed. Even so, Revelations has a nice, thick silver-lining.

What makes Revelations stand out is that it presents a perfect blend of historical fiction, the artistic style is top-notch and the multiplayer is innovative. The hook-blade, an extension of the hidden-blade, makes an exclusive appearance in this title as part of the technology derived from the Constantinople branch of the Assassin Brotherhood. Revelations was also praised for its incorporation of space and time travel. Not only did these two features aid players in piecing together overarching storylines, they also provided an escape from Constantinople, which many viewed as one of the least memorable settings in the franchise. Constantinople was one of a few major complaints that players had about the game. Another cause for complaints stemmed from players being required to participate in an ill-conceived tower defense mini-game. Due to the mini-game being perceived as a gimmick, the game received harsh criticism for it.

While Revelations does a fine job of rehashing the recruit-and-train-assassin’s formula, that milked-concept coupled with the easily forgettable setting of Constantinople leave much to be desired. Still, the game took and perfected every system found in previous games.

5. Assassin's Creed: Rogue

Gorgeous environments are one of the few redeeming traits in this lackluster experience.

In Rogue, Players take control of Shay Cormac, an assassin turned Templar, who is out to hunt his former kind. Shay's story takes place during the Seven Years War and his quest makes him a contemporary of Haytham Kenway. The game was developed by Ubisoft Sofia and deploys an improved version of Black Flag's gameplay. Whether assassinating targets on the ground or sinking ships in the North American Arctic waters, an angry and vengeful Shay executes his job with precision.

A few highlights of the game are the ability to get inside a Templar and the improved visibility during naval battles. Also, due to the chosen historical period, characters and locations are unique. The air rifle, a new weapon available, is also considered a plus.

The downside of the game is that it can become monotonous, there is no underwater exploration and it feels more like an expansion pack than a separate installment. Being the 7th installment in the series, Rogue simply doesn’t have enough character to stand tall on its own.

4. Assassin's Creed III

An executioner being assassinated, how glorious!

One of the most negatively viewed games in the series, Assassin’s Creed III, set itself on a very ambitious path. Players assume the identity of Desmond’s descendent, Connor, as he struggles to suppress Templars who are vying for freedom during and following the American Revolution. After playing as Ezio for the previous three games, many players were eager to see a new protagonist. Unfortunately, not everything worked out as well as Ubisoft hoped it would.

As far as Connor is concerned, he is quite different from Ezio in that he comes across as more serious. Although this can make his mission more emotionally compelling, sometimes he appears static, incapable of adapting his emotions to the scene. When it comes to features, Assassin’s Creed was a breath of fresh air, even though implementation was not a stunning success.

Assassin's Creed III was the first game to feature naval combat which offered a new style of missions and the accompaniment of new animations alongside improved graphics were thrilling. However, the mechanisms involved in this naval-style of combat were not mastered until later on in the series. Despite the lackluster naval experience, the story is very compelling and has many surprises. While an Assassin's Creed game set during the American Revolution sounded amazing, the delivered goods fell far short of the hype.

Reasons for this are that the story was overwritten, and the opening tutorials seem to drag on before players are finally set loose in the world. More complaints were raised regarding a host of bugs that are still present. On top of that, the new fighting and health systems are not easily understood and naval battles are not incorporated into the multiplayer. However, the fans love the Colonial America setting and the leaping, stalking and killing mechanics are still satisfying to this day. In the end, the baggage that Assassin’s Creed III carries disqualifies it from being able to contend with the best in the series.

3. Assassin's Creed: Freedom Cry

No doubt about it, the heart of Freedom Cry is eye-candy.

Even if Freedom Cry is the DLC for Black Flag, it is considered a standalone release. The story presents the life of the assassin Adewale, Edward Kenway’s former quartermaster. Upon finding himself shipwrecked on the island of Saint-Domingue, Adewale, a former slave, attempts to incite rebellion amongst the slaves he encounters so that they might be free men.

Embracing a general view, Freedom Cry’s gameplay is similar to Black Flag’s although it introduces additional elements to combat, weapons included. The game shines thanks to powerful storytelling, fleshed-out characters, and gorgeous environments. The downside to Freedom Cry is that the missions are somewhat tasteless and exploration is restricted to a bare minimum.

2. Assassin's Creed: Liberation

There is nothing sexier than a female assassin.

Liberation takes place at the same time as Connor's story and introduces us to the only female protagonist from the series, Aveline de Grandpré. Not only is Liberation a video game released in the world as we know it; the plot involves Abstergo releasing a video game called Liberation that is propaganda working in favor of the Templars. The historical setting of the game takes place between 1765 and 1780, from the period between the end of the French and the beginning of the Indian War, until the American Revolution.

Liberation’s primary gameplay is based on Aveline's three main branches, or disguises: Assassin, Lady, and Slave. These guises grant her mobility that she otherwise would not have due to the unique skillsets she has access to within each persona. As far as features go, Liberation doesn’t bring anything new to the table. The only aspects worthy of mentioning are that the HD version has updated graphics and some new missions.

Fans of the franchise will certainly have a hard time finding joy in Liberation’s short, simplistic missions and subpar voice acting. The only drawing factor of Liberation is the disguise system, which can’t be found in any other Assassin’s Creed title.

1. Assassin's Creed: Unity

Clearly there is disagreement regarding who should be executed.

Assassin’s Creed Unity is a next-generation-only version that was also developed for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. In Unity, the action takes place during the French Revolution and the main character is the French assassin named Arno Dorian. It is Arno’s noble intent to curtail the Templars’ threatening imposition on Paris. As the story unfolds, Arno comes to learn that the cards are stacked against him.

Unity introduces a new and exciting feature, the parkour system, which allows Arno to descend from high buildings with relative ease. This version also introduces a more intimate multiplayer experience that encourages cooperation since players must fulfill complementary roles in combat.

The fact that a city as beautiful as Paris and a historically charged point in time are not delved into is a major downside of Unity. It feels as though the story and the main characters have no personality and the cooperative mode could benefit from more optimization. Furthermore, the stealth and parkour mechanics are not seen as strong points due to countless bugs.

There is plenty of good to be found in that the historical locations within virtual-Paris look splendid and secondary characters are unique (such as Napoleon, de Sade and Robespierre). Overall, drawbacks such as poor optimization, combat glitches, micro-transactions, and a campaign lacking depth are too much to recover from.

The first Assassin's Creed isn’t ridden with any game-breaking flaws, yet is too linear to boast about its achievements. On the other hand, it appears that many of the recent installments suffer from serious cases of tunnel vision. It would seem that in their pursuit of highly dynamic gameplay, the developers have overshot the sweet spot that requires games to possess a perfect blend of traditional concepts and bleeding-edge innovation.

This concludes our 10 best Assassin's Creed games, ranked best to worst. How would you rank these titles? Which features or gameplay aspects keep you coming back to Assassin's Creed? As time goes on there will surely be new candidates for this leaderboard; it will be exciting to see what features those games boast.

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Assassin's Creed 2

James Lightning — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 08:08:01 +0000

Assassin's Creed 2 is set in the 21^_st century where players control "Desmond Miles", the descendant of a long line of assassin's. Using the Animus 2.0 device, Desmond will train to become a modern-day assassin by reliving the memories of his ancestor Ezio Auditore da Firenze. Live and breathe as Ezio, inheritor of the talents and creed of Assassin's as he hunts down the political figures who murdered his family. The journey will take Ezio on a perilous path from Florence, to San Gimignano, Forlì, Venice and eventually to Rome.

You'll ally yourself with important historical figures and arm yourself with amazing new devices designed and built by the greatest mind of the Italian Renaissance. Armed with an impressive arsenal of weapons and tools, your options in combat, assassination and escape are vast.

Year Released:

2009

Genre:

Action

Adventure

Platform:

PC-Games

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System Requirements:

OS: Windows® XP (32-64 bits) /Windows Vista®(32-64 bits)/Windows 7® (32-64 bits)
Processor: Intel Core® 2 Duo E6700 2.6 GHz or AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ or better
RAM: 1.5 GB Windows® XP / 2 GB Windows Vista® - Windows 7®
Video Card: GeForce 8800 GT or ATI Radeon HD 4700 or better
Hard Drive Space: 8 GB

Releasing status:

Rating:

8.4/10

Rate and Review PC Games:

Developer:

Ubisoft

Popularity Rank:

Best Game Rank:

Latest Rank:

Average Vote:

83.00

Number of Votes:

Editors choice:

Theme:

Stealth Killer

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Assassin's Creed III

James Lightning — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 11:12:27 +0000

Connor Kenway, a young half-Native American finds his village burned to the ground and himself as the sole survivor of this incident. Soon after, he discovers that he is destined to become an Assassin, in the footsteps of his ancestors, to fight the Templars and devote his cause to a war greater and far more ancient than the one already brewing on the North American continent...

In Assassin's Creed III, players are taken to the American War of Independence, a bloody conflict layered on an even bloodier conflict between the Assassins and Templars, who now vie for supremacy over uncharted lands, to seize artifacts of unmeasurable power.

Year Released:

2012

Genre:

Platform:

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System Requirements:

OS: Windows Vista® (SP2) / Windows® 7 (SP1) / Windows® 8
Processor: 2.66 GHz Intel® Core™2 Quad Q9400 or 3.00 GHz AMD Phenom™ II X4 940
RAM: 4 GB
Memory: 17 GB
Graphics: 1024 MB DirectX® 10—compliant with Shader Model 5.0 or higher

Releasing status:

Rating:

7.6/10

Rate and Review PC Games:

Popularity Rank:

Best Game Rank:

Latest Rank:

Average Vote:

77.00

Number of Votes:

Editors choice:

Theme:

Stealth Killer

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Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

James Lightning — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 10:04:26 +0000

After the events of Assassin's Creed 2, Ezio Auditore flees to Monteriggioni and sets up a hideout in Villa Auditore, glad that his personal vendetta is finally over. However, the following day, the Villa is besieged by Cesare Borgia who steals the Apple of Eden and forces Ezio out of his home and into Rome, where the Templars are headquartered. In Rome, Ezio must revive the falling order of Assassins into a force that can challenge the Templar might - and have his revenge against Cesare Borgia.

In this direct sequel to Assassin's Creed 2, players once again play as Ezio as he continues his crusade against the Templars and restore the Assassins - forming what would become the Brotherhood.

Year Released:

2011

Genre:

Adventure

Role-Playing Game

Platform:

PC-Games

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System Requirements:

OS: Windows® XP (32-64 bits) /Windows Vista®(32-64 bits)/Windows 7® (32-64 bits)
Processor: Intel Core® 2 Duo E6700 2.6 GHz or AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ or better
RAM: 1.5 GB Windows® XP / 2 GB Windows Vista® - Windows 7®
Memory: 8 GB
Graphics: GeForce 8800 GT or ATI Radeon HD 4700 or better

Releasing status:

Rating:

8.4/10

Rate and Review PC Games:

Developer:

Ubisoft

Popularity Rank:

Best Game Rank:

Latest Rank:

Average Vote:

78.00

Number of Votes:

Editors choice:

Theme:

Stealth Killer

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GAMERS DECIDE - ac

Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey Best Difficulty—Which to Choose

What Options Are There?

Guided or Exploration

Level Scaling

Difficulty Mode

Easy Mode

Normal Mode

Hard Mode

Nightmare Mode

Conclusion

You might also be interested in:

Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey—All Mythical Creatures And How To Find Them

Mythical Creatures or Legendary Creatures?

The Lore of the Sphinx (Level 34)

A God Among Men (Level 35)

Myths and Minotaurs (Recommended level of 28, but should be at least 40)

Romancing the Stone Garden (Level 46, but really Level 50)

Conclusion

You may also be interested in:

Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey—All Bandit Camp Locations and How to Find Them

What are the Bandit Camps?

Abandoned Hunting Camp, Arkadia

Alkidas Fort, Lesbos

Altar of the Dioskouroi, Lakonia

Aristomenes Camp, Messenia

Arrachion Camp, Arkadia

Arrachion Jetty, Arkadia

Artemis Trikalaria Camp, Achaia

Artemis's Hunting Grounds, Arkadia

Astra's Training Grounds, Boeotia

Bandit Raid, Boeotia

Barracuda Island, Mykonos

Bronze Club of Periphetes, Argolis

Burned Farm, Attika

Camp of the Bow Bearers, Phokis

Chariot of Hippolytos, Argolis

Danaides Camp, Argolis

Dryad's Camp, Elis

Erikis Camp, Korinthia

Forest Camp, Phokis

Hecatombeaon, Achaia

Heraklea, Malis

Hunter's Rest, Phokis

Hypermnestra Camp, Argolis

Kalantos Bay, Naxos

Kallirhoe, Achaia

Kerkopes, Malis

Kimon Camp, Skyros

Ktimene Beach, Kephallonia

Laganda Pass, Lakonia

Lais Camp, Korinthia

Lake Poseidon, Lakonia

Landslide Bandits, Arkadia

Lookout Camp, Phokis

Maenad's Camp, Boeotia

Marooned Bandit Camp, Phokis

Medea Camp, Korinthia

Melanippos's Camp, Boeotia

Menestheus Camp, Attika

Old Battlefield, Argolis

Panoptes the Forest Guardian, Argolis

Pedasos Camp, Messenia

Phedrea Camp, Attika

Pirate Beach, Naxos

Pirate Beach, Lakonia

Pirate Coast, Samos

Pirate Hideout, Skyros

Pirate Island

Pond of Tainaros, Lakonia

Poor Market, Attika

Prasonisia Island

Pyrrha Salt Pirates, Malis

Quicksand Bay, Elis

Red Lake Bandits, Lokris

Salty Bandits, Lokris

Sanctuary of the Muses, Boeotia

Seaside Hideout, Makedonia

Shipwreck Campsite, Kythera Island

Shoreline, Megaris