‘Named After the Great Odysseus’: Putting the Odyssey in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

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Published: May 22, 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14232/suc.2022.3.463-493
Keywords:
Odyssey, Homer, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, video games, reception, mythology

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Alexander Vandewalle
University of Antwerp; Ghent University

Abstract

The recent video game Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is one of the most elaborate popular re-interpretations of classical antiquity. Known for its lavishly detailed simulations of historical settings and events, the game is set during the first nine years of the Peloponnesian War (431–422 BC). But why is it called Odyssey? This paper aims to show the connections and similarities between the game and Homer’s Odyssey, by drawing attention to the game’s underlying story structure (which places the game within a large video game tradition of odyssey-like quest-adventures), its specific narrative and world design (which contains various references to the Homeric texts), and its main character (who may be considered as a reflection of Odysseus, due to their similar actions and shared characteristics).

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How to Cite
Vandewalle, A. (2023). ‘Named After the Great Odysseus’:: Putting the Odyssey in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. Sapiens Ubique Civis, 3, 463–493. https://doi.org/10.14232/suc.2022.3.463-493
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Vol. 3 (2022): Sapiens ubique civis III
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Articles
Author Biography

Alexander Vandewalle, University of Antwerp; Ghent University

is a Joint PhD Researcher at the University of Antwerp (Department of Communication Sciences) and Ghent University (Department of Literary Studies, Greek section) in Belgium, where he studies the characterization of Greco-Roman gods and heroes in video games set in the ancient world. He is also the creator of Paizomen (www.paizomen.com), a work-in-progress database of all video games set in ancient Greece, Rome or a Greco-Roman mythological storyworld.