E3 2018: Assassin's Creed Odyssey Brings Ship Combat Back

Ubisoft gave the world its first official look at Assassin's Creed Odyssey during its E3 2018 press conference. This year's installment looks to shake the series up with a number of new features and mechanics, but it also brings back a fan-favorite element: ship combat.

Just as in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, naval battles will play an integral role in Assassin's Creed Odyssey. As the game is set in Ancient Greece, players will be able to navigate the sea in a trireme warship and take on pirates and other threats patrolling the waters. Players will also be able to customize their ships and recruit allies and enemies into their crew, who'll bolster the team with their perks and abilities.

We got a chance to try out Assassin's Creed Odyssey's naval battles at E3. In the video above, you can see us use different tactics to take on several enemy ships, from ramming into them to setting them on fire with a hail of flaming arrows. Ubisoft says players will also be able to dive underwater and discover submerged ruins and even battle sharks, though we didn't get a chance to try this for ourselves.

Naval battles are just one of the several components that set Assassin's Creed Odyssey apart from previous installments. This time around, players will be able to select either a male or female character. The game also features branching dialogue options, which will alter the course of the story depending on your choices. Among other things, your dialogue choices will allow you to pursue romance options.

Assassin's Creed Odyssey releases for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on October 5. The game will be released in several different versions; the premium Gold and Ultimate editions grant players early access to the game on October 2.