“Hunted” is set for release on December 4, and it will focus around Darius, the assassin responsible for the death of King Xerxes and the first wielder of the franchise’s iconic Hidden Blades.
The rest of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey’s “Legacy of the First Blade” arc will be released over two additional episodes. The second episode, “Shadow Heritage,” is scheduled for release six weeks after “Hunted,” and the final act, “Bloodline,” is set for six weeks after that.
Upon the conclusion of “Legacy of the First Blade,” Ubisoft will release a second episodic DLC. Titled “The Fate of Atlantis,” this will feature three more episodes, with a similar release structure, that will ask players to “confront godly creatures and uncover the secrets of the legendary sunken city.”
A Season Pass is currently the only way to gain access to these DLCs. Owners of the game’s Gold, Ultimate, Spartan, and Pantheon Editions will already have a Pass, and it can be purchased separately for $40.
Separately, Ubisoft has also outlined a new Mastery Levels System, which will release in tomorrow’s update 1.1.1. Preceding the release of “Hunted,” this system is “a new way to upgrade your character once you reach Level 50.”
Mastery Levels will allow players to spend Ability Points to gain Statistical Perks that will increase their damage, health, resistance, and much more. There are 72 Mastery Levels to pick from, and each can be upgraded 20 times at the expense of one Ability Point per upgrade.
This new approach to late-game character upgrades, combined with the beginning of the game’s elaborate post-launch DLC, is a surefire way to keep players engaged. And with the myriad of other AAA titles currently vying for player’s attention, this continued investment may just keep Assassin’s Creed Odyssey in the running as people cast their ballots for Game of the Year this Winter.
Full details on the Mastery Level System can be found on the Assassin’s Creed Odyssey website.
