Assassin’s Creed Odyssey: Deluxe Edition (Xbox One) | $20 | Amazon
At this point the lore of the Assassin’s Creed franchise is so convoluted that it necessitated a reboot in the form of Assassin’s Creed Origins in 2017. While I didn’t play more than an hour or two of that one, I did play the latest Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, and let me tell you, the experience is worth paying full price. Still, if you’re an Xbox One owner and you haven’t already, pick up the Deluxe Edition for $20 and save yourself more than a few bucks later on as we approach the unspecified release date of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.
The RPG-ified post-Syndicate Assassin’s Creed series breathes new life into what was becoming an increasingly stale, rinse/repeat formula. Now I love experimenting with different weapon types—beyond the Hidden Blade—and discovering what works for me vs. what doesn’t in the combat. My only regret is that I didn’t play as Kassandra, who I’m told is the canonical protagonist of the two playable characters. That said, I made plenty of queer love as Alexios, thanks to the inclusion of gender-neutral romance options.