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How Assassin's Creed Shadows brings new life to the series
Assassin’s Creed Shadows takes a page out of the Syndicate handbook to breathe some much-needed fresh air into this long-running franchise.
If you've been following the progress of Assassin's Creed Shadows and enjoy the approach of having two main characters, it might interest you to know that this concept was actually used nine years ago in Assassin's Creed Syndicate. Syndicate should be recognised for its innovation at the time, but Shadows is now cleverly using this feature as a way to bring fresh excitement back to the series.
However, if you were to play Assassin's Creed Syndicate today, you would unfortunately find that, like many other games in the franchise, it hasn't aged well. The controls are clunky, the parkour mechanics aren't smooth, and both the combat and stealth gameplay can become repetitive quickly. Nevertheless, looking back without the knowledge of how the franchise eventually evolved, Syndicate should be respected as a standalone game for how it influenced and potentially even saved the future of Assassin's Creed.
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Assassin's Creed Syndicate: Dual protagonists before their time
Jacob and Evie were the original dual leads, and they did it with style
© Ubisoft
The game Assassin's Creed Syndicate introduced the concept of having two main characters, Jacob and Evie, known as the Frye Twins. They were both powerful and likable characters. This game, despite being an older release in the series, still influenced the more recent games.
Shadows is positioning itself as one of the most significant Assassin's Creed games to date
Syndicate took a risk by moving away from the traditional approach of having only one main character. It followed the controversial game Unity, but received widespread praise for its well-developed characters and innovative storytelling in the Assassin's Creed universe. While it may not come to mind immediately when thinking about the series, Syndicate is becoming relevant again because it set the stage for the success of a future game called Shadows.
Shadows builds upon the dual protagonist formula established in Syndicate and also includes the highly requested setting of Feudal Japan. By incorporating features from previous games and improving upon them, Shadows is positioning itself as one of the most significant Assassin's Creed games to date. This bold approach showcases both the progress the series has made and the promising future it holds.
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How Assassin’s Creed Shadows learns from the best
Despite the Frye Twins' wit and charm, there’s room to improve
© Ubisoft
Syndicate was one of the first Assassin's Creed games to skip the slow start and immediately jump into missions with Jacob and Evie after a short introductory cutscene. This signified a change in direction from previous instalments, where there was more handholding and focus on the "real-world" elements of the storyline. This change was most likely prompted by the need to introduce players to two main characters instead of just one, but it was well-received and continues to be used in future games.
Assassin's Creed Shadows appears to take player agency even further, allowing players to choose who they want to play as and when. In Syndicate, while it was possible to switch between the Frye Twins, you were often restricted to a specific character during missions or had to switch between them at certain points in the story. Removing this restriction is a natural progression for Shadows, but it requires courage to give players this level of control.
Assassin's Creed Shadows will remove the training wheels that Syndicate had throughout the entire game. Players will be able to freely switch between Yasuke and Naoe and make tough decisions on how to approach missions with their chosen warrior. There's still a core story to follow, but outside of those moments, Shadows allows players to explore the Japanese setting and create their own stories within it.
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Assassin’s Creed Shadows' legacy: How will it be viewed in years to come
If done right, the impact of Shadows will be felt for years to come
© Ubisoft
Assassin's Creed Syndicate successfully achieved a delicate balance that has proven difficult to replicate. This balance involved having two main characters whose stories intersected throughout the game, yet only allowing players to control one character at a time during each playthrough. This created a unique dynamic compared to other games in the series, like Odyssey, which also had two lead characters but only allowed players to control one of them.
Assassin's Creed Shadows aims to restore credibility to the franchise
Assassin's Creed Shadows aims to restore credibility to the franchise following criticism that it had become too formulaic and predictable, following a typical Ubisoft open-world blueprint. By introducing the dual protagonist feature, Shadows is taking a risk that seems to be generating excitement among players who are eager to see how it evolves from its introduction in Syndicate.
In addition to the dual protagonist concept, Shadows introduces two other noteworthy features that could shape the future of the Assassin's Creed series. The first is the light and dark system, which draws inspiration from Splinter Cell's stealth mechanics. This system allows players to strategically use shadows to conceal their characters while being exposed in the light. Players can manipulate light sources to create traps or opportunities for their characters, such as shooting down a lantern to create a shadowy trap for enemies.
The second feature is the customisable hideouts, which is a modern take on the base system seen in earlier games like Assassin's Creed 2. Players have been longing for this feature for years, and its implementation in Shadows is highly anticipated and welcomed.
Only time will tell how these features will be viewed in the coming years and if future games in the series will adopt them as the new standard. However, there is a sense of confidence surrounding Shadows, suggesting that it has the potential to be a defining entry in the beloved Assassin's Creed series. The game is set to be released on February 14, 2025, following a short delay from November 2024.
