Summary
A perceptiveAssassin’s Creed Odysseyfan has highlighted one of the game’s minor historical inaccuracies concerning Greek armor and equipment. The insight prompted discussion in theAssassin’s Creed Odysseyplayer community about the game’s balance between creative license and realism.
Despite multipleAssassin’s Creedseries games appearing after it released in 2018,Odysseyremains the game to beat in terms of havingthe bestAssassin’s Creedopen world. The game’s massive map seemingly covers the entire ancient Greek map, encapsulating an entire era of history, ranging from accurate representations of period cultures and places to epic legends tweaked to fit in with Ubisoft’s originalAssassin’s Creedfranchise lore. Critics and players alike praised the game’s staggering attention to detail and inimitable sense of scale.
Of course, any game of such size is bound to make a few slips, and player Divine-Crusader pointed out one minor oversight inAssassin’s Creed Odyssey’s costume and armor design sensibility. In a post on the franchise’s Reddit community, Divine-Crusader noted that bracers, pieces of armor designed to strap to a wearer’s forearms above between the wrist and elbow, were almost ubiquitous inAssassin’s CreedOdysseyarmordesigns, despite the fact that few ancient Greek warriors actually wore that type of equipment.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Armor Anachronism Illustrates the Game’s Aesthetic Priorities
To illustrate their point, Divine-Crusader brought up a screenshot of Kassandra,the femaleAssassin’s Creed Odysseyprotagonist. In the screenshot, Kassandra wears parts of the Spartan War Hero armor set, with a pair of metal armored braces shielding her forearms from harm. Divine-Crusader compared this to illustrations of Greek soldiers in action found on art from the period. The illustrations, which are of Greek Hoplite warriors, show the soldiers wearing torso protectors, helmets, and even leg guards, but rarely with bracers. Divine-Crusader argued that such solid arm protection as a bracer or vambrace was impractical for typical Greek soldiers, for reasons like cost, comfort, and the fact that in many cases the warrior’s shield and formation with fellow soldiers was sufficient.
The claim prompted detailed discussion among fans ofAssassin’s Creed Odyssey. Some commenters said that just because bracers aren’t always represented in historical art doesn’t mean no one wore them, bringing up the fact that some suits of ancient Greek bronze armor that predateOdyssey’s time period feature metal arm guards strapped to the wearer’s forearms, just like a bracer. Others noted that bracers might be necessary for gameplay, as the addition of bracers or gloves to manyAssassin’s Creed Odysseyoutfitsallows players to have an additional piece of gear to earn and select from.
Some commenters also brought up the “rule of cool,” asserting that whileAssassin’s Creedgames are inspired by historical periods and places, they’re fundamentally fantasy titles.Odysseyitself features many interactions with ancient Greek deities and other purely fictional exploits. Historical realism is laudable, but its tenets are, they said ultimately subordinate to making an entertaining game with attractive clothes to wear.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
WHERE TO PLAY
Choose your fate in Assassin’s Creed® Odyssey.From outcast to living legend, embark on an odyssey to uncover the secrets of your past and change the fate of Ancient Greece.TRAVEL TO ANCIENT GREECE: From lush vibrant forests to volcanic islands and bustling cities, start a journey of exploration and encounters in a war torn world shaped by gods and men.FORGE YOUR LEGEND: Your decisions will impact how your odyssey unfolds. Play through multiple endings thanks to the new dialogue system and the choices you make. Customize your gear, ship, and special abilities to become a legend.FIGHT ON A NEW SCALE: Demonstrate your warrior’s abilities in large scale epic battles between Athens and Sparta featuring hundreds of soldiers, or ram and cleave your way through entire fleets in naval battles across the Aegean Sea.GAZE IN WONDER: Experience the action in a whole new light with Tobii Eye Tracking. The Extended View feature gives you a broader perspective of the environment, and the Dynamic Light and Sun Effects immerse you in the sandy dunes according to where you set your sights. Tagging, aiming and locking on your targets becomes a lot more natural when you may do it by looking at them. Let your vision lead the way and enhance your gameplay.
