Assassin’s Creed Odyssey went full-blown mythological with the launch of The Fate of Atlantis DLC. In the first episode, your misthios traveled to the Elysium Fields for a vivid and colourful adventure that was fun even though it didn’t really innovate too much. The second episode, Torment of Hades, is out now and it’s going in a completely different direction.

No, literally. Instead of heaven, you’re going to hell, with all the requisite fire and brimstone.

Is the setting mere window dressing? Yes and no. First off, this episode continues the overall sense of “this is different and fun” that came with the Elysium episode (and was lacking in the First Blade DLC series). Much of the mission structure is the same: the core quest involves doing smaller tasks and assassinations before taking out more important foes (and one famous three-headed dog).

The difference here, though, is the expansive nature of Elysium is traded for a much smaller space. This may be intentional to give a greater sense of claustrophobia, at least in Assassin’s Creed terms. In terms of gameplay, though, it does mean that you have less to traverse, which means there’s less dead (no pun intended) time in the episode. While that seem like a drawback, it works here, given that Hades‘ three areas aren’t stunningly gorgeous like Elysium.

This is fun and unique, and if you plan to resume the proper game after finishing the DLC, you’ll get some impressive equipment upgrades as you journey with — and battle with — a who’s who of Greek mythology (and some surprise guests). In a way, it’s like the Assassin’s Creed mashup with God of War that was always wanted, especially with a pretty epic ending.

What the game isn’t, though, is any reinvention of the wheel. Both main and side quest structures are fairly typical for the main game, though the completely different setting and somewhat goofier tone make it a trip worth taking.

It’s hard to not have a good time with this, especially given the crisp mechanics of the engine. But you’re not going to experience anything new, regardless of how enjoyable this several-hour excursion is.

OVERALL (4/5)

Torment of Hades flips the script as Kassandra/Alexios journey through mythology. Is it worth signing up for? We’ll just say this: go to hell. (Sorry, we had to do it.)

First off, that means you get a whole new map to explore. It’s not anywhere near as big as the main game, but that is totally fine. This achieves what most DLCs should: create an isolated add-on experience that exists separately from the main game and builds on it. more

Shooting is a little more of an acquired taste. You’ll carry two primary weapons and a sidearm with unlimited rounds (ammo is plentiful for the main guns as well). No matter what gun you’re using, however, the recoil takes some getting used to as without adjustments you’ll be firing above your initial target after squeezing off a few rounds. It’s not as pronounced as the original, and your weapon’s stats make a real difference, but it’s something to be aware of. more

Familiarity also comes through with the mission selection, which doesn’t really break the mold of anything set prior. That means that all of the stuff you’ve done in previous episodes — and really, the entire game — happens again. You’ll be scouting out enemy strongholds, taking down leaders, searching for clues, and eventually doing the occasional bit of really nasty combat. more

The world that was created in Far Cry 5 is still a damn fun place to visit, and there are enough changes that going through it all again feels just different enough. Sure, some of the additions fall flat — the minor RPG elements don’t do much more than keep you progressing at a specific pace — but others are quite enjoyable. more