Games
Assassin's Creed Shadows finally takes the series to feudal Japan; a setting that fans have wanted for years, but the latest iteration of the series also improves in terms of gameplay and technology.
Since Ubisoft launched the stealth action game series Assassin's Creed in 2007, the subsequent editions have reinvented themselves time and again. With the Viking adventure, Assassin's Creed Valhalla, everything got bigger in 2020, but not necessarily better. Quantity before quality. The last installment in the series to date, Assassin's Creed Mirage, picked up on the origins of the series three years later. Now Assassin's Creed Shadows is the 14th main installment in the cult series. And it is more ambitious, more focused and more gripping than ever before. Shadows is the fresh start that the series needed.
01
Thrillingly staged samurai adventure
Assassin's Creed Shadows takes you back to feudal Japan in 1579, a late Sengoku period characterized by internal conflicts between around 200 territories with autonomous rulers and the growing influence of Western powers.
Shadows begins with the introduction of the first main character: Yasuke, a warrior of African heritage, who arrives in Japan as a slave to his European masters. There, warlord Oda Nobunaga becomes aware of him and takes the giant under his wing, where Yasuke completes his training as a samurai and from then on goes into battle as a one-man army for his Japanese commander.
It is also the same Nobunaga who invades the home of the second main character of Assassin's Creed Shadows, the young kunoichi Naoe, with his army and reduces it to rubble.
At the beginning of the adventure, Naoe is entrusted by her father with the task of protecting a mysterious box from the invading warriors of Nobunaga. But facing a superior force alone, the young assassin fails and has to watch as her father is murdered in cold blood by two members of the Shinbakufu Shogunate (the Onryo). In her quest for revenge, Naoe joins the Brotherhood, which once again plays a central role in the latest installment of the series.
The adventure only takes a few hours to lay the foundations for a gripping and profound background story that is far more captivating than the plots of the last Assassin's Creed games. But it's not just the greater focus on the story that makes it enjoyable: Shadows has also noticeably improved in terms of its staging. With cinematically realized cut scenes, a gripping soundtrack and a tense atmosphere, the open-world adventure exudes Hollywood flair.
02
Two very different play styles
With Yasuke and Naoe, Assassin's Creed Shadows features two playable main characters. In contrast to Assassin's Creed Syndicate, which was released in 2015, and the playable siblings Jacob and Evie Frye, the samurai and the shinobi play very differently.
Naoe and Yasuke have their own personal strengths and weaknesses. They have their own playing and fighting styles and individualized strategies and options. While Yasuke, as a samurai, is dedicated to honorable combat and goes into battle with a longsword, polearm or bow and arrow, Naoe focuses more on sneaking, traps or distraction and is therefore very reminiscent of Ezio, Altaiir or Ratonhnhaké:ton from previous spin-offs.
Naoe is the more agile heroine, acting quickly and quietly. However, with her thin armor and lower health, she is also more vulnerable. Yasuke, on the other hand, wears thick samurai armor and can take a lot more damage. However, the giant also moves much more clumsily and is even able to break through massive wooden gates.
It is precisely this fact that makes Shadows so special. Depending on which character you choose, the gameplay changes almost completely. As soon as the duo has teamed up after a few hours, you can switch freely between the heroes at any time.
This adds an extra layer of tactical depth to the game, because even when accepting a mission, you should weigh up which approach might make more sense. With a few exceptions, however, you can complete Assassin's Creed Shadows almost entirely with just one of the two characters.
Long-time fans of the series will be delighted to climb towers with the nimble Naoe and her grappling hook, scale the guard walls of a temple complex and distract enemies with smoke bombs, bells and other gadgets. Yasuke, on the other hand, impresses with brute maneuvers and great hit feedback. The samurai doesn't shy away even when he is confronted with superior enemy strength.
03
A believable, living game world
The publisher's open-world games have been criticized for one thing in particular in recent years: the "Ubisoft formula." The tasks were usually far too formulaic and repetitive, and the maps were far too overloaded with symbols. Assassin's Creed Shadows aims to change exactly that, and for the most part it works very well.
As is typical of the series, the lookout towers once again play a central role, at the top of which you uncover the map of the surrounding areas. However, unlike in the other sequels, these are no longer synchronized automatically. Instead, you now have to look around yourself to find interesting places and mark them manually on your map. What is hidden behind the ?-mark on the mountain 540m away? And what awaits you in the castle that can be seen at the far end of the valley?
This motivates you to immerse yourself in the picturesque game world of feudal Japan much more than ever before. Especially as the activities within that world are much more varied.
Sometimes you take out enemy camps, sometimes you test your mounted archery skills with Yasuke and sometimes you try to sneak up on wild animals unnoticed as Naoe in order to capture them on paper with a drawing in sumi-e style. And don't worry: the young shinobi is not necessarily blessed with artistic talent at the beginning.
However, the special activities of the two protagonists are particularly exciting. Yasuke, for example, finds katas within the world in which he executes predefined sword choreographies in a quick-time event (QTE). Naoe, on the other hand, tries her hand at meditations with kuji-ins to harmonize her body and mind.
Although these meditative experiences are also presented as simple QTEs, both activities result in playable flashbacks into the characters' past, in which you learn more about their backgrounds and motives. A clever and fun idea in equal measure.
Of course, the game world, which is divided into nine large provinces, is also populated by all kinds of life. Shadows skillfully stages the surprisingly profound side characters, while animal lovers can pet cats and dogs, marvel at Tanukis and many other creatures. However, both heroes no longer have a bird of prey at their side as a faithful companion, but your trusty steed will help you get from A to B faster.
04
Dynamic weather system
Assassin's Creed Shadows brings two more exciting new features. Firstly, there is the dynamic weather system with all four seasons, which not only changes the visual appearance of the game world, but also has far-reaching effects on the gameplay. However, the weather and seasons cannot be freely determined and do not progress dynamically. Rather, it depends on your respective mission and the time that has elapsed as to which conditions prevail.
When infiltrating a heavily guarded enemy castle in spring and summer, for example, you can use the nearby lake to get inside under cover. In winter, however, this option is not available to you, as the water is covered in a thick layer of ice. However, you also have to keep an eye on the icicles hanging from the buildings and temples, as these can sometimes fall down and cause damage or alert nearby sentries.
Even if the weather system is not quite as dynamic as we would have liked, this new feature provides a fresh feel to the game and has a positive effect on the atmosphere.
The dynamic day and night changes have a similar effect: the darkness in the dense forests of Japan is (due to the lack of torches) noticeably more threatening than it was in Valhalla or Odyssey. Within the villages, you are also able to quickly extinguish light sources such as lanterns or candles, which makes sneaking noticeably easier.
05
Base building
The second new feature also fits perfectly into the game. Very early on, you have the opportunity to build your own hideout with the help of the base-building mechanic. Sure: Assassin offices or warrior camps have already existed in other parts, but Shadows goes several steps further.
Different types of buildings can be freely placed in the construction area, provided you have the necessary resources. You can decorate your settlement and even attract various animals - including dogs, cats, monkeys, deer and foxes.
All this is far more than just a nice gimmick. In Shadows, the hideout serves as a retreat where you can not only replenish your resources and chat with allies, but you can also collect knowledge points here, which can be invested in new skills or secure various advantages that make the rest of the game easier.
Scouts can also be trained here. Some of them will support you directly as allies in battles, while others will pursue their own missions or scout out mission areas for you.
06
Sneak, fight, level up
From a gameplay perspective, Assassin's Creed Shadows fortunately remains true to its roots and presents itself as a motivating mix of successful stealth gameplay, adrenaline-fueled parkour elements and powerful battles.
Fans of the series will get their money's worth, especially in the skin of Naoe. The young shinobi jumps over tree trunks at lightning speed, swings over a branch with her grappling hook and climbs up a castle wall to get an overview of the surroundings from above. You can get rid of inattentive enemies silently with the help of assassinations or distract them with the skilful use of your tools.
However, open battles are much trickier with her than with Yasuke. He uses his arsenal to deal out powerful blows and can easily defend himself against two or three opponents. The combat system is very similar to that of its predecessors and has a lot of depth to offer with blocks, parries, dodge rolls and more.
Fortunately, Ubisoft has noticeably increased the level of difficulty for Shadows, as you are never an overpowered warrior like an Eivor in Valhalla. This is a great boost to the overall fun of the game. Of course, the encounters with the assassination targets are a particular highlight, but we won't go into any more detail in case of spoilers.
Assassin's Creed Shadows has also inherited the role-playing elements of its predecessors. New clothing and equipment make you stronger, while you develop both characters in six individual skill trees in different directions.
As a result, Assassin's Creed Shadows is an absolutely coherent overall package that should not only appeal to existing fans of the series, but also to newcomers. The cinematic staging and in-depth characters in particularly welcome.
