Can You Change from Alexios to Kassandra in Assassin‘s Creed Odyssey?
Yes, absolutely. Thanks to New Game+ you can freely swap between playing as Alexios or Kassandra when starting a new playthrough in Assassin‘s Creed Odyssey. This gives players flexibility in a second (or third, fourth, etc.) run through the expansive open world story.
Read on for deep analysis on how swapping protagonists changes the Odyssey experience, or jump ahead:
Personality and Story Changes
Playing as Kassandra vs Alexios results in far more than just a different voice guiding you across ancient Greece. The choice fundamentally alters personality and relationships between many characters.
Kassandra Makes a Better Protagonist
As the Eagle Bearer and misthios hero of our odyssey, Kassandra has superior characterization and depth. Her emotional range, sensitivity, humor and intensity all outpace Alexios.
This helps make Kassandra simply feel more compelling in the protagonist role. Her eagle vision scenes also carry more gravitas. Alexios tends to sound overly gruff delivering the same script.
Swapping Roles Shifts Critical Relationships
When you opt for Alexios instead, Kassandra takes on the Deimos antagonist role. This transforms her into a ruthless, dogmatic instrument of the mysterious Cult of Kosmos.
Notable relationship shifts include:
The dynamic with mater/pater changes drastically. Kassandra as Deimos, raging against the family that discarded her as a child, adds depth and tragedy.
The reunion scene carries far more weight with Kassandra as Deimos. Her venom and deep-seated pain contrasts powerfully against sympathetic pleas from Nikolaos and Myrrine.
Key Story Moments Land Better with Kassandra
Other critical moments, like the battle of 300, feel oddly anti-climatic with Alexios participating as the legendary misthios. His line delivery falls flat compared to Kassandra‘s impassioned heroism.
The DLC episode Fate of Atlantis is also diminished by Alexios. Emotional scenes centered on family connections don‘t properly land.
Kassandra has both the skill as a misthios and the personal stakes as a daughter of Sparta. This combination makes her the superior Odyssey protagonist.
Gameplay Comparison
Aside from delivery of critical plot moments, swapping between Kassandra and Alexios does not impact actual gameplay:
- Both characters wield weapons and gear equally well
- Players customize combat abilities the same way for both
- The leveling system and damage output is identical
See the in-depth capability comparison:
| Gameplay Element | Kassandra | Alexios |
|---|---|---|
| Wielded Weapons | Swords, daggers, spears, staves, bows | Identical options |
| Armor Types | Light, medium, heavy sets | Same armor equippable |
| Damage Output | Based only on levels, gear, abilities equipped | Matched exactly to Kassandra |
| Skill Customization | Hunter, Warrior & Assassin options | Mirrors Kassandras build options |
| Naval Combat | Board & battle ships seamlessly | Identical naval capabilities |
Swapping heroes essentially just applies a "skin" change while combat fundamentals stay the same. This even extends to playstyles around stealth (assassin builds) or direct melee (warrior). Both Kassandra and Alexios play exactly alike.
The only minor difference is some gear appearances will lean masculine or feminine. But stats remain identical.
Understanding New Game+
The ability to swap character choice when utilizing New Game+ adds wonderful replay value. But how does this feature work exactly?
New Game+ Mechanics
Instead of having to wipe all progress when finishing the lengthy campaign, New Game+ carries forward:
- Weapons and armor
- Special resources like iron/leather/gems
- Total ability points to distribute across skills
- Level and mastery levels
- Ship upgrades
But it resets quests and the main story arc to their beginning states while keeping all the above intact.
This means you tackle the Greek world again with all the power of a high-level misthios right from the start. The difficulty still scales appropriately though.
Swapping Leads Each Playthrough
When first accessing New Game+, and any subsequent run, you can freely pick between Alexios or Kassandra as your next protagonist.
The game simply toggles whoever you select into the heroic Adrestia captain role, while the other fills the Deimos shoes.
As noted above this mostly changes delivered dialog and relationships rather than hard gameplay. But that personal touch and role variety can be compelling.
Final Verdict: Kassandra for the Win
While New Game+ makes it easy to swap freely each run through, I firmly believe Kassandra is the vastly superior protagonist pick. Her spirited voice acting outshines Alexios across humor, sorrow, anger, and determination alike.
If you initially played Alexios, utilize New Game+ to experience the depth Kassandra brings as the Eagle Bearing hero. You‘ll gain appreciation for her subtle strengths across this epic Greek saga.
For diehard fans, mixing things up by taking turns on subsequent runs adds some novelty. But story consistency and connections flow far smoother with Kassandra leading the helm each voyage through the lands of legendary gods and creatures.
Over 75+ hours she earns player empathy and immerses you in the misthios life. While Alexios has his moments, Kassandra represents the pinnacle of Assassin‘s Creed Odyssey.
