After finally wrapping up the main game, I finally pressed onto the AC Odyssey Legacy of the First Blade DLC. Although the DLC continues to explore the same map as the main game, I enjoyed the story of cyclical peace and revenge. The 3 episode split of the DLC was also an interesting way to break up the story.
There was some urgency to finish with all the noise of Baldur’s Gate 3 growing louder. I don’t want to start a new game or I’ll never finish the DLCs in this one. It’s hard to come back.
Legacy of the First Blade and His Son
The first of the 3 episodes was a bit weird for me. It was confusing why Spartans were working for Persians. Anyone whoever watched the movie 300 would know they were mortal enemies. What I did like was the mysterious old Assassin, Darius, and his son, Natakas.
Unraveling their backstory was more interesting than the actual missions. Many of them felt like more of the same with not much point, maybe I was just burnt out. It also didn’t help it took place in Makedonia that I explored in the main game already. Loved Darius though. The Assassin that killed Xerxes with the first hidden blade. Was nice to see a prototype the infamous blade.
This Legacy of the First Blade episode also finally introduced the Order of the Ancients to the Greek World. I thought it strange the main game had the Cult of Kosmos as the big bad with no real association with the Order from recent games. This DLC fixes that and ties them together. With their introduction came a new kill list which I like, not sure what that says about me.
This episode held the Huntsman as the main villain with badass armor. He’s a Persian linked to Darius’s past in a surprising way, but surprise, I killed him. He surrounded himself with vicious beasts, but my high level after the main game ensured he was no match for me. By this time, I had a killer combo of abilities.
I’d start with Fury of the Bloodlines to deal brutal damage with it’s 5 hits and bonus adrenaline gain. Once that knocked the enemy back, I’d activate Flaming Attacks, then use Battle Cry of Ares to setup 20% more damage. With the extra damage due to those last 2 abilities, I’d use the adrenaline from the first ability to activate Overpower Attacks. All that damages stacks up and decimates my enemies.
Sailing into the Tempest
Episode 2 led me over to the port city of Achaia. Still an area from the main game, but one I didn’t explore very much. Missions were much better in this episode, although the pretty coastline likely helped. I enjoyed my time tracking down the Tempest, the villain of this episode. She was a ruthless Sea Captain, working for the Order of the Ancients.
It was a nice twist finding out who her mother was and my failed attempts to try to save them both. I don’t remember if I can save either one, but my choices throughout early Legacy of the First Blade missions felt like they carried weight in the final showdown. Even if was just an illusion of choices that truly matter, it adds to the immersion.
The real star of the entire episode was the Chimera’s Breath, a flamethrower for my ship. A Tempest engineer planned on adding it to her ship, but I stole the plans to put it on mine. I loved ramming other ships with mine in sea battles, so the Flamethrower was a nice chef’s kiss right after the ram. It was very satisfying bathing the other ships with fire.
The reward for all that fighting was a new family for Kassandra.
No Happy Endings for Legacy of the First Blade
They saved the best for last of the episodes. Story and gameplay meshed well for me. At the start, Kassandra, Natakas and Darius all settled into a home. It caught me by surprise when they revealed the time jump also included a son for Kassandra and Natakas, named Elpidios.
They all seemed happy together. It was a nice change of pace for more peaceful missions like gathering shellfish or playing hide and seek. They helped build the relationship up in this new family, but also foreshadowed tragedy. This peace being the start of the last episode guaranteed a story of revenge.
It wasn’t long until that reality set in with Natakas dead and Elpidios kidnapped. The choices I made leading up to that point damaged the relationship with Darius. That really made their relationship cyclical. first episode tension, then friendlier in the second, then back to tension.
Back to Revenge
Lucky for me, Darius and Kassandra had little choice, but to unite for revenge. That led me onto another kill list, but felt different this time. It wasn’t just about taking out the Order, but crushing the group that destroyed their family. The ultimate climax of the Legacy of the First Blade kill lists was Amorges, the big bad that betray Darius long ago. Darius and Kassandra fought side by side for this one.
With my overpowered abilities and Darius’s help, the fight was a bit long, but not hard. It was a nice touch that the two old friends reconciled in a small way as Amorges took his last breath. The recurring theme in the episode of was the Order chasing the “Tainted Ones”. It spoiled the ending for me in a slight way.
They’d never stop searching for Kassandra’s Isu bloodline. It was only natural Darius would take Elpidios away to safety as Kassandra became the moving target for the Order. Their goodbye was a great end to this surprising DLC and start of Kassandra’s next journey.
Although the game foreshadowed the main twists a bit, I still enjoyed the story. There was more emotion around the typical missions to kill and destroy. There was true purpose in the last episode.
Onto the Final AC Odyssey DLC
I ended up liking AC Odyssey Legacy of the First Blade a lot more than I expected. My understanding was the Fate of Atlantis was the best, but this one surprised me. The first episode felt like a bit of filler, but the last 2 episodes redeemed the DLC for me.
Now it’s onto the Fate of Atlantis DLC to finally wrap up Kassandra’s story.