Assassin's Creed Odyssey: Alexios or Kassandra - which should you pick, and what's the difference?

So, you're starting out your Assassin's Creed Odyssey story. You've got the game installed on your console or PC - and now you're faced with a difficult choice: Alexios or Kassandra? Which should you choose? Well, for avoidance of doubt, here's what you need to know about the pair...

The important thing to know is this: functionally, the two playable protagonists are identical.

Here's the other important thing: unlike, say, when you choose a horse in Assassin's Creed Odyssey, or pick a character to romance, once you've made the choice between Kassandra and Alexios, that's it. There's no way to switch over short of starting a new save file.

So, what's different between the two? Not much. Here's a few small notes:

• The pair can wear the same armor and outfits with one exception we've found: Kassandra gets the Amazon Legendary Armor set while Alexios gets the Achilles Legendary Armor set. These sets are identical in terms of function, but have a unique look for each of the two. Every other armor set is essentially used by both.

• Their character abilities are the same. In terms of skills, base stats and how they play, the duo are identical. 

• The story plays out the same way. You'll have access to the same endings, the same quests and the same story lines with both characters. Even the romances are available with the same characters. There are subtle differences in how these stories play out, but nothing to write home about.

• In the official novel, Kassandra is the 'canon' protagonist. If it makes any difference to you, the official Assasin's Creed Odyssey tie-in novel features Kassandra as the lead. Sorry, Alexios.

Ultimately, however, it's all up to you. You're not going to be punished for playing one way or the other, so just pick whichever of Alexios and Kassandra makes the most sense to you and appeals most to you. Simple, ey?