Assassin's Creed Odyssey review – an epic journey through ancient Greece

Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC; Ubisoft
The writing is sharp and the action fun, but it is the stunning re-creation of another world that is this game's crown jewel

Assassin's Creed Odyssey is aptly named. It is an enormous, meandering journey through ancient Greece at the beginning of the Peloponnesian war as the struggle between Sparta and Athens begins to reshape the Greek world. It will shock you with its breadth and depth: the sea hides sunken ruins, the detail of temple paintings is impeccable, authentically clothed characters wander enormous cities whilst chatting in Greek, soldiers clash on roads as citizens scatter.

You play a mercenary, choosing between the equally statuesque and self-assured Kassandra or Alexios. There is an element of family drama that propels the story forward in counterpart to the overarching historical drama of the setting. The script is exactly the same for both characters; choosing Kassandra, I found her to be a great mix of sharp writing, subtle character animation and a standout performance by voice actor Melissanthi Mahut.