Ubisoft has created a useful shortcut for Assassin's Creed: Odyssey players who want to access the new The Fate of Atlantis DLC without having to complete all the pre-requisites.
There are two ways to play Story Arc 2, the first episode of which is out 23rd April.
The first involves completing the main game story arc questline Between Two Worlds, and Heir of Memories, the Lost Tales of Greece questline available after completing Between Two Worlds. Then, you also have to have reached character level 28 or above.
If you’ve been keeping track of my gaming laptop reviews lately, you’ll have noticed that Assassin’s Creed Odyssey has been murdering a lot more than dodgy cult members lately. It’s also been slashing the game’s frame rate, turning what should be silky smooth performance into a stuttering sideshow.
When I first encountered the problem on the Alienware m15, I was worried it might be a problem with the laptop itself. Then it happened again on the Asus ROG Strix Scar II, which led me to believe it must be a problem with the game. So I put out some feelers via that magical medium of email to find out what the deal was. And yes, it’s a big ol’ bug.
An easter egg recently uncovered in Ubisoft's latest online shooter The Division 2 has ignited speculation that the next Assassin's Creed game may well have a Viking theme.
The easter egg in question can be found in The Division 2's Potomac Event Center, and keen-eyed visitors (as initially detailed by user AlifMorrisonudin on the Assassin's Creed Wiki) might notice a number of posters strewn around the walls, all sporting the titled Valhalla (from Norse mythology). That in itself isn't particularly unusual - but things get a little fishier when you take a closer look at the posters in question.
The image displays a Norse-like figure standing in profile, with a mysterious round object clutched tightly in their hand. After a spot of the old ENHANCE, it transpires that the object looks awfully similar to one of the powerful Apple of Eden artefacts at the centre of Assassin's Creed's history-spanning storyline. First, here's the poster:
Ubisoft has confirmed it'll be returning to E3 in 2019, with its conference beginning on June 10th at 1PM PT. The publisher's conferences never disappoint for big game reveals—and since we don't have much of an idea of what Ubisoft has in the works past Anno 1800, Beyond Good & Evil 2 and Skull & Bones, there should be plenty of surprises.
We know Assassin's Creed is skipping this year, so what can we expect? I predict Watch Dogs 3 will be announced, which is rumoured to be set in London (and, I imagine if that's true, minus any Brexit commentary whatsoever). I also wonder if this'll be the year we see Splinter Cell return, which was hinted by a series of Walmart Canada listings last year that were otherwise fairly accurate. I also think we'll see a completely new game, probably intended for next-gen consoles and PC, that'll be miles off but get everyone talking in the vein of the original Watch Dogs reveal. And, probably some Rabbids too.
With Sony skipping E3 this year after the triumphant debut of this pipe guy in 2018, Ubisoft's commitment shows how important the event is to major publishers.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey's third DLC chapter Bloodline wraps up its Legacy of the First Blade arc with barely a nod to the controversy surrounding January's episode, and a final conclusion that does nothing to correct the clanger Ubisoft dropped. It's perhaps unsurprising - this expansion was planned out and worked on before the main Odyssey released, long before the eruption of fan fury at the start of this year, and leaving promised tweaks to January's episode minor at best - and yet I continue to be amazed Ubisoft never sense-checked its script before signing it off.
Bloodline begins with a few short scenes showing the quiet life Kassandra/Alexios settled down to at the end of January's episode. The hero has a new family now - a young baby to protect, a partner (romantic or not), and Grampa Darius to lend a hand. And it's during these quiet moments I expected some explanation for the previous episode's baby plot twist. Why did your hero feel the need to settle down now? Why did they feel the pressure to continue their magic bloodline, if not romantically interested? How did they feel about doing so? None of these are explored.
The story Ubisoft has tried to tell here - that, like their mother, the hero has had a baby for a pragmatic yet mystical reason - is an uncomfortable one, especially so in a game which boasts of its ability to role-play heroes of different genders and sexualities. I had hoped Ubisoft, having opened the door to all this, would venture at least a toe over the threshold to engage with the questions it brings. But no, unfortunately not. Your partner continues to be poorly written, and the closeness of your relationship whether you're romantically involved or not seems pre-programmed as the default. (It's worth noting how many fans role-playing straight heroes hate this relationship option too, for simply being so monumentally lacklustre compared to others in the game, like the brilliant Kyra.)
Assassin's Creed Odyssey's new update is out today, tempting players back to Greece with a New Game Plus mode where you'll be able to start Alexios or Kassandra's adventures again. Tweaks have been made to the Shadow Heritage DLC, as well, which previously locked players into a heterosexual relationship despite their earlier romantic decisions.
New Game Plus mode will become available when you complete the main quest, hurling you back in time to Kephallonia. You'll be able to keep all the excellent stuff you've already earned, of course. Gear, mounts, spear upgrades, ship upgrades, abilities, drachmae, crafting materials and more will be retained.
This is normally where I might consider kicking the difficulty up a notch, but Odyssey's not one of those games I've felt really benefits from tougher fights. Enemies are damage sponges rather than devious adversaries. Not that I have time for a second outing. It's already massive! I commend anyone brave enough to risk getting sucked in again.
Back in January, facing criticism for forcing players into a heterosexual romance in the Shadow Heritage DLC, Ubisoft said it would be changing dialogue and a cutscene "to better reflect the nature of the relationship for players selecting a non-romantic storyline." You'll be able to see that change today, though the patch notes are vague about what those changes entail. It's also not clear if players who have already played Shadow Heritage will be able to go back and make a non-romantic choice.
The update also adds new frames for your photos, accessibility improvements, balancing and bug fixes. It's out today, and you can check out the patch notes here.
UPDATE 27/2/19: Play through Assassin's Creed Odyssey DLC episode Shadow Heritage now and you'll be able to make clear you are not in love with the game's forced relationship.
But the changes are minimal, and Darius' offspring will still try and cosy up to you anyway. Ew.
What exactly has changed? Well, not much. In the boat leaving scene at the end of the episode the option to make Darius and his offspring stay is now labelled with a heart icon, indicating this is a romance option. If you don't pick it, the cut-scene you get is now edited very slightly to remove one shot of you and Darius' offspring embracing. Finally, the conversation option after the reveal you have had a baby now lets you state "I chose this life to secure the bloodline".
Assassin's Creed Odyssey's February update confirms the details of the New Game Plus mode and increases the level cap to 99. Another free 'Lost Tales of Greece' episode has been added and a host of other features are on their way.
The New Game Plus mode was confirmed last week with an official tweet and we now know exactly what that entails. New Game Plus will arrive with the Title Update 1.1.4 at some point later this month, and will let you live the story again, allowing you to make different choices as you go. You will get the option to play a different character and as we expected, your level and gear will be carried forward, as will your stats and abilities.
To unlock New Game Plus you will need to finish the main story, obviously, then load up the save you want to carry over and select the 'New Game+' option that will be available in the menu.
The level cap will also be increased, allowing your character to reach level 99. New Mercenary Tiers will be added, as well as three additional Engraving Tiers and 22 new Fast Travel points will make it easier to explore Adrestia.
Additionally, The Lost Tales of Greece gets a new episode, A Brother's Seduction, where you must help two brothers deal with their father's passing. The free episode is available now to players that have reached Chapter 5 of the main story.
A couple of new gear packs will also be available in the shop: the Wild Boar Pack and the Deep Sea Hunter Pack and a number of new frames will be added to the Photo Mode, coinciding with the new Photo Mode contest that kicks off on February 22 with a 'Winter in Greece' theme.
You can check out all the details in the update video above or if you're at work and need to be a bit more discreet, you can head on over to the official site. It's okay, we won't tell.
Ubisoft’s villainous plan to keep people playing Assassin’s Creed Odyssey until the heat-death of the universe moves into an even more dastardly phase this month. Available now is a new free quest arc called A Brother’s Seduction, putting your chiselled mercenary at the peak of a love triangle, but the big stuff happens later this month. Ubisoft will be raising the level cap to a preposterous 99 (presumably not 100 so they don’t have to widen all those number boxes), and adding a New Game Plus mode – you can keep your stats, but switch character and reset the plot.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey's controversial DLC storyline is nowhere to be seen in the game's latest regular monthly update.
In past months we've previously been given an early glimpse at what's next in Odyssey's Legacy of the First Blade DLC arc. But February's video makes no mention of the DLC or the changes currently being made to the ending of its second episode.
Ubisoft said last month it would adjust the ending in response to a storm of fan fury, with many upset their character was forced into a romantic relationship which resulted in a baby regardless of their choices up until that point.
