ASSASSINS CREED SHADOWS: A GREAT STEP FORWARD

If you grew up on Assassin’s Creed like I did, then you know that from the start the community has been begging for ONE THING: a game set in feudal Japan. Well, folks, the wait is finally over. Assassin’s Creed: Shadows is here, and honestly, it was absolutely worth it. For context, I played a review copy on PS5, so huge thanks to Ubisoft for that. And just to be clear, they had no input on this review—these opinions are all my own.

STORY 

Let’s dive in. I’m going to keep it spoiler-free, but Shadows had me hooked right from the start. The story plays out like a film with two protagonists, and at first, I was a little hesitant—typically when you have more than one main character, one of them gets underdeveloped. But that’s not the case here. Both characters get their fair share of spotlight, and their development is top-notch.Yasuke’s story begins with him being brought to Japan as a slave. In a twist of fate, he earns his freedom and becomes the pupil of one of Japan’s most powerful men, training to become a samurai. Naoe, on the other hand, is a native Japanese woman whose story begins with a failed mission, leaving her seriously injured and seeking vengeance. The two characters' stories are told through flashbacks, which is a storytelling technique I really enjoyed. Instead of dragging through slower parts of the story, you’re thrown right into the action and uncover bits of the characters’ backstories as you go along. I won’t spoil anything, but trust me, there are some interesting surprises in the story that long-time fans of the series will love.

A question I got asked a lot by my community was whether you can play as Naoe or Yasuke for the entire game. The short answer is no. For the first 10 hours or so, you’ll only play as Naoe. But once Yasuke enters the picture, you can switch between the two freely, and trust me, it’s a refreshing change of pace. Each character has their own quests, but otherwise, it’s up to you who you want to play as.

GAMEPLAY 

Now, let’s get into the gameplay, and there’s a lot to unpack here. The short answer: I enjoy it a lot. Ubisoft didn’t try to reinvent the wheel—Shadows still feels very much like an *Assassin’s Creed* game, but with some fresh new ideas that really keep things interesting. First off, this is hands-down my favorite RPG-style Assassin’s Creed game. I couldn’t get into Odyssey or Valhalla because they felt too much like traditional RPGs, but Shadows strikes the perfect balance between RPG elements and classic Assassin’s Creed  gameplay. And thank the heavens—NO MORE OF THAT DANG EAGLE. Having two protagonists who play completely differently is a game-changer. It keeps the gameplay fresh. You know how in some games, you have those stealth missions that break up the action? In Shadows, it’s the opposite. If you’re sneaking around as Naoe and want to change things up, you can just switch to Yasuke, who’s a wrecking ball. It's fantastic how each character brings a different dynamic to the table. Combat is where this game shines. Both characters have a ton of variety, with unique weapons, finishers, and special moves that can be leveled up through skill trees. The skill tree system functions as you’d expect—you level up by completing missions and conquering outposts. However, the game introduces a few cool features that are worth mentioning. Naoe’s parkour and movement are incredible. She’s nimble, flipping off buildings, and can even go prone for more stealthy maneuvers. Yasuke, on the other hand, is a tank. He smashes through enemies, breaks down doors, and plows through smaller environmental obstacles. It’s a nice contrast between the two. World-building in Shadows is another standout. The game introduces a scout system, where instead of marking your map with points of interest, you send scouts to investigate areas. This system adds a sense of immersion and realism, and you can even help random townsfolk, who will either offer you treasure leads or become part of your scouting team. The world also goes through seasonal changes, affecting gameplay. Some areas get more grassy, while others get snowed over, which adds a nice touch of realism. Smaller details, like the ability to pet animals, also contribute to the charm. There’s also a base-building mechanic, where you gather materials to build your home base. This system adds a layer of depth to the game. Another feature I absolutely love is the ability to change gear appearances. You know how in most games, you get a cool-looking item that’s low-level, but you end up equipping something less stylish just because it has better stats? Not here. You can customize the appearance of most items to look like something you’ve found earlier in the game, which is a huge plus. For those who want more of a challenge, Shadows introduces smarter enemies. On higher difficulty levels, enemies become more aware, noticing you even on rooftops. It’s a simple but effective change that makes the game feel more immersive.

And let’s not forget how absolutely stunning Japan looks. The world is beautifully crafted, and it kept me coming back for more, getting lost in the environment.

PERFORMANCE

In terms of performance, I had no issues playing on the PS5. The game ran smoothly, and the only glitch I encountered was getting stuck in bushes or bamboo trees while riding a horse. Thankfully, Ubisoft sent out a patch for that. One of my favorite performance tests is using the PS Portal remote play, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that the game was smooth as butter. No lag, no delay—just a great experience.

MUSIC

A special shoutout goes to the music in Shadows. I’m not usually one to pay attention to the soundtrack in games, but the score in this game really stood out. There were moments, especially during Yasuke’s scenes, where I found myself wanting to get up and dance. It’s just that good.

CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM

Of course, no game is perfect. A couple of nitpicks:

1. The level-difference mechanic, where certain areas are locked behind levels, can break immersion for me. I understand why it’s there, but I don’t love the idea of being forced into missions that match my level, or else I’ll get one-shot.

2. The scout system is cool, but I did get lost a few times. After a while, I ended up just using the guided exploration feature again. It’s a neat mechanic, but it can get tedious.

3. Side quests and random events could use a little more variety. The main story is fantastic, but the side content didn’t grab me as much as I hoped.

FINAL THOUGHT

Overall, Assassin’s Creed: Shadows is a massive win. It breathes new life into a series that was starting to feel stale and is by far the best RPG-style Assassin’s Creed game Ubisoft has put out. Whether you're a returning fan like myself or a newcomer jumping in for the first time, I’m confident Shadows will go down as one of the best Assassin’s Creed games ever!