It’s been no secret in the gaming space that Ubisoft have been in a bit of a rough patch for some time, and, of late, were looking for a sale. There was a lot riding on the publisher’s next title. Assassin’s Creed Shadows needed to be a smash after a run of games that just didn’t hit with the mass gaming public.
The publisher finally would give fans what they have been crying out for for more than a decade – an Assassin’s Creed set in Japan. Or, more accurately, set in 16th-century Japan towards the end of the Sengoku period. And so, Assassin’s Creed Shadows takes the series to the time of samurai and shinobi.
In Its Silent Stride
Right off the bat, Assassin’s Creed Shadows stands strong despite all the pressures to deliver. The game builds on the strengths of the series, while adding in a few new elements along the way. The first big thing to note is the return to the massive open-world Creed style of game. Assassin’s Creed Shadows is more like Valhalla than Mirage.
Secondly, the game is told through dual leads. One is Fujibayashi Naoe, a kunoichi, basically a female shinobi. The other is Yasuke, an African samurai inspired by a historical figure of the same name. The latter is particularly noteworthy as it marks the first main character to be overtly based on a real person.
Read More: Valhalla Angs – Looking back at Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Each plays differently and has their own style and skill in terms of movement and combat. They are also treated differently by the various NPCs of the gameworld.
Based Creed
Assassin’s Creed Shadows takes place during a civil war at the end of the Sengoku period. An era when Oda Nobunaga armies are sweeping across the land. It’s the standard Creed route of basing its grand intrigue around some real-life event. And it works very well with Shadows.
Naoe and Yasuke are compelling, charming and most important endearing protagonists with their own drives and focuses. Where the tale falls short, oddly, is in the overall presentation. From questionable cuts during cut scenes, dodgy accents that feel out of place and time, to some clunky writing. For every outstanding moment where it nails it, there are dozens where it stumbles, and feels ham fisted.
DIY Stealth
Assassin’s Creed Shadows features a massive world with countless things to do and see. I spent hours just picking off icons in the starting area, forgetting why I was actually playing the game.
Another notable change is how Naoe and Yasuke now have to do a lot of the legwork themselves. You no longer have a winged buddy who will scout out areas for you. Instead, you have to manually do it at the top of the towers. Same for scouting out enemies, you have manoeuvre to a vantage point and then manually spot them all.
Read More: New Ubisoft Subsidiary to Handle Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry and R6 Brands
It’s an interesting move that definitely makes you feel more part of the action than before. It also adds a real satisfaction to exploration. If you find something cool or valuable, it feels like you really found it.
Ambling Alacrity
Naoe uses the new parkour system. Instead of climbing everything and everywhere, you can now only climb on certain objects and surfaces. You really have to understand where you want to go, and plan how to get there. Add to this the fact that Naoe is the nimblest character in the series to date, and parkour has never felt so in-depth and satisfying. The provision of a grappling hook only adds to the thrill of the movement system.
The game also has a renewed focus on stealth, thanks, in part, to an expanded move set, which now allows you to go prone and crawl. These are small additions but breathes life into stealth. They also open up a host of new options to best use the shadows, somewhere where Naoe truly excels.
Read More: Assassin’s Creed Mirage review – Navigating the Shadows
This also bleeds into her tools and arsenal of evermore deadly weapons, which lets you fully embrace the series’ stealth roots once again. As you hang above enemies, destroy light sources or hide in a pond with a bamboo breathing pipe.
Demand and Deliberateness
Yasuke, on the other hand, is the brawler of the pair. He is weightier and harder hitting, and parkour isn’t really his thing. He is more about sneaking around corners and busting skulls – the total opposite to Naoe’s light-footed shadow dancing. Yasuke is bold, brave and brash, and not afraid to pick a fight. His main currency is blocking and parrying, and in time, these make for some breathtaking results with his samurai sword.
Both have a skill tree that you can unlock as you see fit meaning you can tailor their progression to suit your style. To their credit, Ubi have implemented a more condensed yet meaningful tree than those seen in past games. Each upgrade can be felt in its impact on gameplay.
Read More: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (Xbox Series X) review – Only Flashes of Next-Gen
There is also the return of the gear system seen in elder titles with its RPG undercurrent. Gear does feel more important than in previous titles. Upgrades play a bigger part than in past games, so you don’t have to bin your weapons every two minutes when you find one with a bigger number.
Gear also comes packed with perks that add value to using each piece. These perks are shockingly useful; from dealing extra damage, to letting you use your abilities more often. It’s a welcome change that adds real value to developing your gear, something that past games were lacking.
Out of the Shadows
The game world itself is stunning at times, featuring everything from little villages, to bustling cities, as well as forests and lush meadows and everything in-between. Each location feels grounded, alive and steeped in atmosphere. This is also helped by the game having a dynamic season system, which sees the world changing between sun-kissed lands to snow-covered vistas.
And this is more than a visual change. You’ll spot enemies by the fog in their breath, and they will also spot your footprints in the snow. Spring brings new blooms which make for nice places to hide. It’s all some immersive and well-thought out.
Read More: Skull and Bones review – Ghost Ship Not Worth Following to Port
Similar to Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Shadows features a player base. You can build and grow this home as you explore and work your way through the game. Any allies you meet along the way will also stay at your base. You can unlock a few extra upgrades and buffs around your base that will help you out during your adventures. Plus, it’s fully customisable so you can lose hours making it your perfect haunt.
There are also loads of side activities to get lost in beyond building your dream base. Activities like clearing castles offer huge rewards in exchange for a hefty combat challenge. There are also tonnes of collectables to hunt and track down too. There is always something to do, see or find.
Stunning Jank
Visually, the world is stunning at times, and janky in others, a dichotomy that’s now a standard staple of Assassin’s Creed. Soundwise, the soundtrack sets the tone and mood well. Voice acting is stellar for the main cast, but hit-and-miss for everyone else.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows isn’t just the most important game in the series’ history, but in Ubisoft’s history. A true ‘make or break’ title, it manages to be one of the best in the series to date. It’s not a mass reinvention and the tale is a forgettable, but it does deliver a fun and enjoyable samurai and ninja game with an engaging world to get lost in.
And on the business front, it looks to have ‘saved’ Ubi. Shortly after the game launched, news broke that Ubisoft will create a dedicated subsidiary based on its Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six brands. And Chinese firm Tencent investing £1.16bn for a minority stake in the new subsidiary.
- Assassin’s Creed Shadows review – Ghosts of Kansai
- NACON Revolution X Unlimited Controller Launched with LCD Display and FPS Mode
- Mullet MadJack review – Early GotY Contender
Find TechStomper’s games reviews on OpenCritic.com