As Kassandra goes on her story, she has to level up by finishing quests. Level differentiation is hugely important in Assassin's Creed Odyssey. Although the game is pitched as an open world -- and I can select which current quests to take in which sequence -- this only functions in parts of the world suitable to my level.

Other areas of the planet are deemed suitable only for higher amounts. Effectively, this walls off them for anything but the For Honor Steel Credits funniest expedition. While I might be able to subdue an entire fort at my level, I could barely deal with an outraged pig that is two levels above me.

Hence the story is kept within the broadly manageable boundaries of linearity. Although each player explores particular cities and islands within their own ways, we all travel through this narrative in much the same order, following a strict geographical ordering. I do not mind this, but it certainly isn't an"open world."

In last year's Origins, players were able to ASSASSIN'S CREED ODYSSEY Helix Credits complete the narrative (in roughly 50 hours) and then go off and explore the rest of the Egyptian world, entering higher degrees as they went. In Assassin's Creed Odyssey, the story has been stretched out over much more of this game, meaning plenty of XP grinding.