What Defines the End of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey?
The final act of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is here. With the Judgement of Atlantis DLC, our time in Ancient Greece is ending, so it’s more important than ever that you get the conclusion you want. The very final outcome of events doesn’t change all that much, but there are plenty of character arcs and storylines that are affected by the decisions you make.
- You can accidentally access important story areas before they’re relevant to your adventure, but still bear the negative consequences of interacting with them ‘wrongly’. Don’t explore the adamantine mines before you start the ‘More Adamantly’ quest.
- This course of action placates both the crowd and Gadrios, and you can walk away without much more harm. I chose to allow the games to continue. Now report back to Atlas. This cutscene is one of the major turning points in the whole DLC, and has consequences later on.
- If you saved the Archons earlier, then Azaes steps in to Elpis’ legitimacy – which I’d say is the ‘good’ ending. If you got the good ending, you can complete the romance and have a bit of a snog by choosing the ‘You saved me’ option.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey’s Fate of Atlantis expansion provides an appropriately epic finale. Odyssey had a set of three finales – one for each of its three intertwining storylines – but each refused to close the book fully. However, The Fate of Atlantis provides a fitting conclusion to Odyssey’s overall tale via a hugely ambitious narrative told over a grand series of settings.
Its story fills in much of Kassandra’s fate as Atlantis’ Keeper, glimpsed very briefly in the main game if you complete all of its mythological questlines. Additionally, it lets you spend more time as modern day protagonist Layla Hassan, who barely featured in Odyssey’s 100-hour gameplay at all. For long-time fans, Atlantis also delves generously into the franchise’s sci-fi backstory for some surprising returns and revelations.
- Each episode of Atlantis takes place in its own unique region set apart from the main Odyssey map. The three-episode serial begins in Elysium, a sort-of heaven for those chosen by the Greek gods. It’s a setting perfect for what Odyssey wants to achieve with this arc, which dives headfirst into the plans and machinations of the Isu, the series’ mysterious precursor race.
- The storyline’s third episode arrives in Atlantis itself. This is not the underwater Atlantis you might expect, but a shining city of otherworldly stone yet to be cast beneath the waves. After triumphing in Elysium and surviving Hades, Kassandra arrives in Atlantis as a hero of renown, even to the Isu – and it’s here the game’s choice-based gameplay finds a natural home with you finally able to act as an overseer of the realm.
In the ‘Fate of Atlantis’ DLC for Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, the Atlantis ending sees the player character, either Kassandra or Alexios, choosing to sink the city of Atlantis using the Staff of Poseidon. This decision comes after navigating complex moral choices within the Isu society of Atlantis, ultimately deciding to prioritize the safety of humanity over the potential for immense power.
The player is presented with the choice to either use the Staff of Poseidon to maintain order and control within Atlantis or to let chaos reign, ultimately deciding to seal the city away. By choosing to sink Atlantis, the player character prevents the potential misuse of the Isu technology and safeguards the world from catastrophic consequences.
After completing her trials, Kassandra and Poseidon sank the city by using the Staff in conjunction with the Prize of Cerberos and the Prize of the Hekatonchires.
Exploring the Fate of Atlantis in AC Odyssey
To get the Atlantis Ending in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, players must complete the ‘The Gates of Atlantis’ Odyssey Quest.
This quest can only be activated by going to the Volcanic Islands and getting to Atlantis.
You must complete the 4 Artifacts Needed to Seal Atlantis by defeating 4 Mythical Beings to obtain their artifacts. These beings include:
- The Minotaur in Messara,
- Brontes the Cyclops in Kythera Island,
- Medusa the Gorgon in the Petrified Islands,
- The Sphinx in the Attika region.
After defeating all the monsters and acquiring the artifacts, return to the gates of Atlantis to finally seal the place forever.
Every time you insert an artifact, you will hear a recording from Aletheia.
As an optional challenge, players can battle Pythagoras. You can choose to fight him in an intense battle for the Staff of Hermes Trismegistus, or simply talk to him, which will also yield the same results, with Pythagoras dying peacefully after giving you the staff.
Lastly, you will take control of Layla as she discovers what Atlantis has to offer in saving the Assassins in the current time. You will have to complete one final mirror puzzle to achieve the ending.
Is Fate of Atlantis the Ultimate Conclusion?
The second DLC story arc in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is The Fate of Atlantis, where the Eagle Bearer finds themselves in the great fields of Elysium – an afterlife paradise for glorious heroes.
The choices you make throughout the DLC lead to different outcomes, and yes, it does end with a cliffhanger, setting up for more adventures ahead.
To achieve a ‘good’ ending, players must navigate various quests and make pivotal choices. For instance, siding with characters and deciding the fate of others is crucial. Key moments include:
- Choosing to destroy Lethe’s water.
- Persuading Persephone against Hekate.
These decisions ultimately influence the conclusion of the story.
In the climax, players must lie during conversations with Persephone to shape the outcome favorably. Additionally, decisions made during the quests like ‘The Rebellion’s Uprising’ and how you handle relationships with characters like Hermes play crucial roles in determining the fate of Atlantis.
Kassandra (or Alexios) arrives in the hidden Isu city of Atlantis, where they must ultimately choose to destroy the city and its powerful technology. This action is taken to prevent further chaos and suffering, effectively sinking Atlantis beneath the waves while preserving the balance of the world. This decision follows facing trials in the realms of Elysium and the Underworld, and encountering key Isu figures like Poseidon and Juno.
Consequences of Choices in Fate of Atlantis
In general, the nine endings of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey differ depending on how many of Kassandra/Alexios’ family remain alive at the end of the game. Here is the short version of how to get this ‘best’ ending:
- Spare Nikolaos in Chapter 2: The Wolf of Sparta.
- In Chapter 6: Catching Up, tell Myrinne you will save Deimos from the cult.
- In Ashes to Ashes, save the baby.
- In Chapter 7: Paint it Red, be kind to Nikolaos and tell him to help Stentor.
- Don’t kill Stentor.
- In A Bloody Feast, tell Myrinne ‘I’ll bring Deimos back.’
- In A Bloody Feast, tell Deimos ‘Hold on!’ after you fight him.
- In Doing Time, convince Deimos the cult is manipulating you both.
- Continue to convince Deimos the cult is using him and refuse to fight in Where it all Began.
Saving all of your family will unlock them as Lieutenants for your ship.
Additionally:
- If you let the infected villagers escape in The Blood Fever side quest, the sickness will spread across Greece. Conversely, if you choose not to free the infected, the sickness will not spread.
- Killing Nikolaos will prevent him from reuniting with you later, ultimately affecting the ending.
- In Monger Down, if you execute The Monger publicly, you will have no choice but to kill Lagos the Archon in a later quest. However, if you choose to execute The Monger secretly, you will be able to spare him and gain evidence that will condemn a king in the future quest A Bloody Feast. This outcome regains your citizenship to Sparta and makes it easier to assassinate your next target.
- In Ashes to Ashes, you must choose to save a baby from a burning building or to go after the cultist Chrysis. Not saving the baby will make it impossible to save all your family down the line, but you will get Chrysis’ rewards immediately. If you save the baby, you will then have access to a side quest nearby that will allow you to kill Chrysis anyway.
Moreover:
- You can either choose to execute criminals or refuse and walk away. If you refuse, things go pretty badly, so executing them may be the better choice. This course of action placates both the crowd and Gadrios, allowing you to walk away without much more harm.
- If Lyra chose to commit suicide, she will not appear in the memory but will be mentioned by Kassandra later. If Lyra lives, she will later be abducted once again and held in the experimental chamber alongside Damades and Rhene, with Kassandra discovering her fate.
The canon ending is that Alexios dies while Myrrine, Stentor, and Nikolaos remain in Sparta. To achieve this ending, do not promise Myrrine that you will save Alexios and do not provoke Alexios against Kleon in the Athenian prison. Everything else remains the same for keeping everyone alive.
These are all the choices made through the Judgement of Atlantis to achieve what could likely be called the ‘good’ ending. There are many choices throughout the journey to the ending, including whether to romance Adonis, who later becomes disfigured by Persephone, and other decisions such as killing the captains as requested.
Unpacking the Best Ending for AC Odyssey
Ending of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey: Fate of Atlantis
Kassandra confronts Poseidon, stating, “Your laws have done nothing! People are suffering under your rule, and you don’t even realize it!”
Poseidon responds, “No one would have the audacity to disobey me. Surely, this is a mistake.”
In a significant moment, Poseidon explains that sinking the city will result in “the horns wailing, and the animals set free.” He assures Kassandra that “humans in the Porimos Ring will know to take to their boats. I assure you—they will escape.”
Kassandra is concerned about her own fate, exclaiming, “If we sink the city, but I’m in it, then I die, too.” However, Poseidon reassures her, “No. You are the Keeper of the Staff. It will protect you. Unfortunately for you, now is not your time.”
Kassandra takes decisive action. She draws the Staff and thrusts the tip of the pommel into the hole before her, triggering the city’s sinking. As the horns sound, animals and humans, including Neokles, Melitta, and the Isu Harbormaster, flee to safety.
Ultimately, the DLC culminates with Kassandra acting as an overseer of Atlantis, judging Isu and human rebels while deciding the fate of new Isu projects. After surviving Hades and triumphing in Elysium, Kassandra arrives in Atlantis as a hero. She eliminates the Hekatonchires and es judgment by sinking the city.
After completing her trials, Kassandra and Poseidon successfully sink the city using the Staff in conjunction with the Prize of Cerberos and the Prize of the Hekatonchires. Choosing to deliver justice and execute the criminals leads to a peaceful resolution, placating both the crowd and Gadrios, thus allowing Kassandra to walk away without further harm.
What Happens After Completing Atlantis DLC?
Once you’ve completed the Atlantis DLC, the overall story culminates in Kassandra (or Alexios) learning to harness the power of the Staff of Hermes Trismegistus and achieving destiny as the Staff’s Keeper. The DLC consists of three major arcs: Elysium, Tartaros, and Atlantis, each providing unique quests and character interactions that delve into the game’s mythology and narrative depth.
Furthermore, the Judgment of Atlantis segment introduces Poseidon as the ruler of Atlantis. In this role, Kassandra is tasked with presiding over the city as a dikastes, or judge. This involves addressing conflicts among Poseidon’s sons and their human subjects, ultimately revealing the dark underbelly of Atlantis’s seemingly perfect society, where humans are exploited by Isu researchers.
Additionally, each part of the DLC offers a different emotional and gameplay experience. The Torment of Hades stands out for its strong emotional storytelling and challenging quests. The contrast between the beautiful yet flawed Elysium and the haunting atmosphere of Tartaros enhances the narrative and gameplay variety. Consequently, returning to the main game feels relatively simpler after these intense experiences.
After finishing the DLC, players have access to additional content such as the Lost Tales of Greece and other paid DLCs. This allows for continued exploration of Kassandra’s world and further engagement with the rich lore and mythological elements introduced in the game.
I recommend starting the Atlantis DLC after finishing the Atlantis questline in the base game. Thus, save that quest until the end of the main story. Generally, it’s best to wait until you’ve completed the main three storylines before doing the Atlantis content. Moreover, before you can explore the sunken city, you need to complete Between Two Worlds and The Heir of Memories. This will allow you to access the expansion, which is significant and takes place over three mythological realms, expanding beyond the main story by focusing more on the hero’s true power.
Comparing Atlantis to Other AC Odyssey Missions
The Gates of Atlantis is part of the main quest line in Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey. It is unlocked after completing Unified Front and then A Family’s Legacy. There are four quest lines associated with The Gates of Atlantis, all involving Mythical Creatures:
- The Last Riddle (Sphinx) – Boeotia
- A Place of Twists and Turns (Minotaur) – Messara
- Tunnel Vision (Cyclops) – Kythera Island
- Shadows of Serpents (Medusa) – Lesbos
The Last Riddle will unlock immediately after unlocking The Gates of Atlantis. However, the other quests require players to travel to different areas of the map to uncover clues, which unlock chains of quests leading to a mythical creature and an Artifact.
Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey, released on April 23, 2019, features The Fate of Atlantis as its second expansion pack alongside Legacy of the First Blade. This expansion is presented in a three-part episodic story arc, comprising:
- Fields of Elysium
- Torment of Hades
- Judgment of Atlantis
Each episode was released roughly every six weeks starting from April 23. Within this expansion, players encounter mythic creatures while uncovering the mysteries of the sunken city of Atlantis. The story also allows exploration of the Greek afterlife, including the paradise of Elysium.
In addition, players strive to outwit Hades and help lost souls find peace while discovering the fate of the fabled city of legend and encountering Poseidon. The storyline culminates in Those Who Are Treasured (Korfu), where the journey of Kassandra/Alexios as Keeper of the Staff is initiated, linking to the next title in the series.
It is worth noting that many players recommend completing Legacy of the First Blade before diving into The Fate of Atlantis, as playing Legacy afterward may diminish the experience of Atlantis.
Should Ubisoft Continue Expanding AC Odyssey?
Ubisoft is effectively building an interactive hub that will function like the Animus. This hub will allow players to jump between different historical playgrounds while simultaneously progressing the modern-day narrative framing that has been with the series since the beginning. Originally, Infinity was planned to launch alongside Shadows on February 14, but is now expected to be pushed back to March 20, 2025.
The first two games to the Infinity Hub will be Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Assassin’s Creed Codename Hexe. It is then expected to expand and evolve over time. This approach could feel a little metaverse-y, but it makes perfect sense for the franchise.
- Assassin’s Creed Codename Hexe: This is being positioned as a ‘very different type of Assassin’s Creed game.’ Created by Ubisoft Montreal and led by former Watch Dogs Legion creative director Clint Hocking, it is expected to be set in 16th-century Europe during the witch trials, offering a weird, subversive open world RPG experience.
- Assassin’s Creed Jade: This game will be the first truly open world Assassin’s Creed game for mobile. Set in China in 215 BCE, players will parkour across the Great Wall. It allows players to create their own assassin from scratch, ensuring an authentic experience optimized for touch controls.
- Assassin’s Creed Invictus: Ubisoft is investigating how to bring back standalone multiplayer experiences into the Assassin’s Creed universe. Although details remain sparse, this game will launch as part of the Assassin’s Creed Infinity Hub.
In 2023, Assassin’s Creed is set to return to its roots with the release of Assassin’s Creed Mirage. This title will emphasize the Assassins’ fight against the Templars during the golden age of Baghdad, featuring more focus on stealth, parkour, and close-quarters combat.
Beyond Mirage, there are several titles announced as part of the franchise’s future under what Ubisoft calls period three. Period two encomes Origins, Odyssey, Valhalla, and Mirage, while period one includes everything before that. Thus, a full two or three years could before new titles within this period are released.
- Assassin’s Creed Codename Red: This title is set to take place during Feudal Japan, promising a full Shinobi fantasy experience, and is one of the most requested scenarios by fans.
- Following the release of Assassin’s Creed Mirage in 2023, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is set to follow. The success of both Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla has shaped the future trajectory of the franchise significantly.
Future crossover stories may potentially include encounters with iconic characters like Kassandra, adding new layers to the narrative possibilities within the franchise.
