The embargo for Assassin’s Creed Shadows has just lifted! We are here to give you a small breakdown before the game launches in just two days!
A Long-Awaited Journey to Feudal Japan
The Assassin’s Creed franchise is one of the longest-running in gaming history. For over 20 years, players have explored historical settings. From Altaïr‘s adventures in the Holy Land to Basim‘s journey in Assassin’s Creed Mirage. Among the most requested locations by fans was Feudal Japan! And this is a dream that is now becoming a reality with Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
Set in the late Sengoku period, Assassin’s Creed Shadows introduces two protagonists, similar to Assassin’s Creed Syndicate. Players will take on the roles of Naoe, a skilled shinobi, and Yasuke, a legendary samurai who served under Oda Nobunaga.
Shadows keeps its promise as a unique addition to the franchise. It blends classic Assassin’s Creed elements with the best aspects of its modern open-world RPG design. Here is what makes this game stand out in our opinion.
A Story of Vengeance and Duty
Without going into spoilers, Assassin’s Creed Shadows follows Naoe, a young shinobi caught in a conflict involving mysterious masked figures. Her story revolves around revenge. This leads her to cross paths with Yasuke, a samurai thrust into battles he doesn’t understand.
The story will try to balance personal struggles with historical events. For longtime fans, there is good news: the modern-day storyline is making a stronger return. The game will feature new developments with Abstergo and the Animus. This was an aspect that had been somewhat sidelined in recent entries.
A Balance Between Classic Assassin’s Creed and Open-World RPG
One of the biggest criticisms of recent Assassin’s Creed titles was the overwhelming size of their worlds, which often felt empty. Shadows seems to fix this by offering a more compact yet heavily packed map! It is smaller than Valhalla, but more engaging than Origins.
Exploration is deeply rewarding, with lots of interactive elements, enemy encounters, and hideouts you can build. The world feels alive, with a strong focus on environmental storytelling.
Stealth or Combat? The Choice is Yours
As in Syndicate, you can switch between protagonists outside specific missions. Naoe specializes in stealth, using traditional shinobi techniques like silent assassinations and tools such as kunai, smoke bombs, and grappling hooks. Yasuke, on the other hand, is a more direct fight-focused character, relying on powerful strength and samurai swordplay.
A skill tree allows you to further customize playstyles, unlocking unique abilities for both characters. One potential downside is that enemy AI can sometimes be lazy, but on higher difficulties, they react more intelligently, making for a more challenging experience.
Parkour and Environmental Interaction
Movement and parkour have been refined, offering more natural climbs. For instance, if you sprint across a snow-covered rooftop, icicles might fall, alerting nearby guards. This level of environmental detail adds immersion, forcing you to be more mindful of your surroundings.
However, some players might find the inclusion of yellow markings guiding climbable paths a bit distracting, as it takes away some of the natural exploration.
Is This Just Another Ghost of Tsushima?
With Assassin’s Creed finally heading to Japan, comparisons to Ghost of Tsushima are inevitable. After all, Ghost of Tsushima itself was heavily inspired by Assassin’s Creed’s earlier games.
While there are undeniable similarities, Shadows manages to carve out its own identity. Its dual-protagonist approach, deeper stealth mechanics, and signature Assassin’s Creed elements, such as the Hidden Blade and the Animus, set it apart.
Ultimately, Assassin’s Creed Shadows feels like a positive new start for the series and a promising step forward for Ubisoft. Fans who have long awaited a Shinobi vs. Samurai Assassin’s Creed experience should be more than satisfied with this latest entry.
