This dlc feels like an extended side-quest. The mission structure, gameplay and plot are very akin to what you already experienced in the main game. It even comes a brand new set of cultists to deal with, your mileage may vary depending on how much you enjoyed the main game. It’s a lot more of the same. It’s a shame when dlc’s don’t get to experiment with the gameplay and scenarios, this is an aspect where the Atlantis dlc greatly overshadows this one.

The writing is very hit or miss. I never bought any of the nonsense the order was preaching. It’s never been easier to choose violence in each encounter as it was the fastest way of shutting them up.

The core theme of this dlc is inheritance as this is the setup on how Kassandra’s legacy led to the order in Egypt. The romance with Natakas was so poorly built and rushed compared to other conquests in the game. The emotional core is Kassandra’s voice actress, she gives a performance unmatched by anyone else in the cast. It’s just such a shame that it’s hindered by Ubisoft’s lack-luster animations. The sense of urgency and emotional moments are also dragged down by the need to make everything follow the same formula. There is a mourning scene towards the end when Kassandra gets to say her last goodbyes. It could’ve ended there, but nope. You gotta go on a fetch quest around the map for 3 items, then you’re allowed to conclude your farewell. Ubisoft loves stepping on its own feet for the sakes of keeping structure

This DLC can simply just be described as disappointing.

So, this DLC doesn't change up gameplay much at all, except for a new weapon for your ship that is utterly useless and some armor sets, a couple are actually pretty cool. The main focus of this DLC is the story, and it also fills out missions on parts of the map that were otherwise unused in the main campaign.

I was actually enjoying the story of this DLC more than the base game at first. It was actually quite interesting, coherent, and has a lot of mystery going on. Darius is easily the coolest character not just in the DLC, but the entire game, and Neema is alright. But back on topic, about halfway through the story it all just started to fall apart, and it felt rushed. Ideas aren't explored nearly as deep as they should be, and when it all ends I was just thinking "that's it?"

Darius is seemingly the first assassin, is a total badass, and has the first ever hidden blade, he is the best part of this thing, yet we learn almost nothing about him throughout the DLC, and we don't even get the hidden blade after beating the DLC, which feels kinda insulting but I get it.

Another major problem is how disconnected it all feels from the rest of the story. I played this after beating the main game, where I saved all of my family members, killed the cult, and learned that I must protect the gates of Atlantis, yet seemingly none of this matters in the DLC. My character never ONCE tells his wife or father-in-law about the rest of his family, or about his duty with Atlantis, which is a total immersion breaker. Also, I already defeated the cult, yet they are present as enemies during the DLC, which makes no sense. It seems the story was majorly held back by making it accessible while you're going through the main game, I'd have preferred it to be locked until completion so it actually makes sense.

I'm rambling a bit too much, but overall this DLC is more of the same with a disconnected and disappointing story that could've been so much more.

If you wanna see my rankings as I go through the series, click here.

This DLC just really has an issue with the choice system that Odyssey's main game implemented: mainly that, the writers don't know how to tell a good, compelling story (like that which is present in Legacy of the First Blade, imo) through the choice-based narrative of Assassin's Creed: Odyssey. Not saying that they didn't tried, but the fact that most of the choices in First Blade don't have any affect on story outcomes (especially apparent with the controversial Episode 2 ending) really just kinda goes to show how unprepared Ubisoft is to push Assassin's Creed into new territory and commit to it.

Speaking of that Episode 2 ending, all I will say is that it's a really interseting story choice if it was
A) more built up into it, maybe throughout the main story (Pythagoras' ramblings don't count, he's an asshole and he's portrayed as such!) and
B) if Kassandra/Alexios (I played through this DLC as Kassandra) expressed more of a want to settle down.
If those elements were more apparent and more in place throughout the DLC and also the base game, this would have a much more deeper impact, especially with the choices that come afterwards.
However, that didn't happen, and also the game encourages player decision-making so those story beats fall remarkably and spectacularly flat. Nothing like saying the game doesn't actually care about you than just utterly disregarding your choice in the matter in the game that parades itself as you making your Odyssey. Jesus.

Besides that, the new Ancient menu is just a dumb rehash of the shitty Cultists kill menu - where half of the targets have no story beats and you just have to fetch things to find clues to kill targets. Really boring stuff that's aided by the few good story quests and themes that are brought up. Introducing the Order as not a sort of power-hungry Templar force (Like how the Cult was kinda portrayed as) but instead as a group that genuinely and utterly believes in peace through order, for the Greater Good, and hunting these Tainted Ones is legitamately such a fresh way to re-introduce the concepts we know and love/hate throughout the series. Good stuff there!

Overall, just kinda average DLC that is benefited by a lack of bloated quests (save for Episode 1, but the rest are good), a much more focused and stronger directed story, and really cool themes that play off ideas that are introduced in later games, even if I think those themes fall very flat by the time Episode 3 rolls around. Wish episode 3 had a longer sort of epilogue! and more regarding how Kassandra kinda deals with the end cutscene.

I will say also, the cutscene at the very end that shows of Aya very proudly made me say audibly "Fuck You" because c'mon Ubisoft, don't pretend like you weren't the ones pushing back against Aya as the main character because, in your own words, "Women don't sell!" Fuck you, Ubisoft.

I have to advise that this DLC forces you to have a relationship, but this is not the main problem here. Why were the other romance options for? Why would you make Kassandra/Alexios be in relationships with other people for in the end ending up having a set partner? I find the relationship from the DLC so forced and bland, it's awful.

Apart from that the story is fine and the ship's upgrade is nice, but the fact that they force a romance into the character you chose, it's a big no-no.

3/10
I'm not obliged to anything.

Legacy of the First Blade could've been wonderful, with its promise to delve into the origins of Darius the Persian. Unfortunately, what Legacy mostly is, is more of the same gameplay as Odyssey, but without the bonus of taking place in anywhere new. Instead we traipse over the same map doing the same gameplay, just this time with the Order of Ancients rather than the Cult of Kosmos. While there are some sweet story moments and a singularly heartbreaking connection to Origins on offer, it doesn't make up for the repetition. It's still high quality, but after so long in the base game, the lustre is wearing thin.

I do like a DLC for these big RPGs to take place in the same map with your progression and new items being usable in the main game. Legacy of the First Blade does just that focusing on the areas of the map that didn't have much activity in them in the main game. I do love Assassin's Creed Odyssey and this is a bit more of it but perhaps to a fault. The story really seems like it goes through the same beats of the main game in a more truncated fashion. I do understand a certain story development that people really didn't like. I don't think this DLC does anything special but I had a fine time with it.

Episodes 1-3 completed, each with 100% of trophies earned. Assassin's Creed Odyssey was among my favourite games of 2018, so I was always going to be well-inclined towards this first DLC pack - and indeed, I very much enjoyed my return to Kassandra's Ancient Greece. Following their strong support for Assassin's Creed Origins, Ubisoft are taking that one step further with Odyssey - the amount and quality of expansion content is very impressive, with sizeable new quests being introduced for free, even before considering this first expansion.

With each of the three episodes taking place within wholly within one region of the game world, Legacy of the First Blade develops the story from the base game in an interesting direction, which ultimately links up with the wider Assassin's Creed franchise in a very satisfying way. The new expansion quests are largely similar in style to the base game, but that similarity isn't really a bad thing as the quality was already high, and there are some interesting new combat possibilities introduced via new skills and weapons.