Assassin’s Creed Shadows is the latest instalment from Ubisoft, transporting players to the Sengoku period of feudal Japan. This game introduces a dual-protagonist system that allows players to embody Naoe and Yasuke. Will you be hiding in the shadows or running head-on in the fight? 

‘The Animus Hub’ is making its debut in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, acting as a central platform for tracking missions, unlocking rewards and accessing the latest Assassin’s Creed games; all from one helpful location. This will be integrated into upcoming titles and will over time keep evolving. I loved how simplistic the UI was on the system, with it showing the time period of each game with each iconic title.  We are seeing this feature in more games as a central hub for launching titles. 

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is based in Japan, in 1579. It’s a nation that is on the brink of unification under the relentless rule of Oda Nobunaga. There is foreign influence seeping into the land which is when resistance starts to brew in the shadows. After an invasion of Iga, a skilled young shinobi assassin named Naoe embarks on an adventure to honour an unbreakable vow. Yasuke, an African samurai is also on his path to confronting ghosts of his past and their roads line up more than you would expect. Their fates intertwine with an immersive and captivating story of loyalty, vengeance and destiny which helps shape the course of history.

Yasuke is a formidable and charismatic samurai who is known for his strength and combat. He is much taller than most of his opponents and can expertly block and parry attacks. Yasuke has a great arsenal of melee and ranged weapons, while Naoe has some great tools at her disposal that only she can use, such as Shuriken, the traditional throwing stars, Smoke Bombs which produce a cloud of smoke, Kunai, a sharp lethal throwing knife, and a Bell, that can be used to throw and distract nearby enemies.

You will find straight away how different Yasuke feels from the likes of Naoe and to what we have been used to in an Assassin’s Creed game before. His movement feels a lot more solid and does not have the parkour moves like Naoe. I loved the brute strength you get with Yasuke and how different feeling he was to Naoe which made it almost feel like you were playing another game; it’s that different in gameplay to most classic Assassin Creed games. 

Unlike Yasuke, Naoe is a quick-witted and agile shinobi, specialising in stealth and precision like a true assassin Altair would even be proud of. As mentioned, Naoe has some insane parkour skills and some super impressive ninja tools mixed with the hidden blade she is a force to be reckoned with lurking around the shadows. I loved how her smaller, more agile frame would allow her to scale walls or if needed use the grapple hook to reach those more tricky or higher spots you could not get to. Unlike Yasuke, Naoe is a little more vulnerable to being thrown around by enemies but her nimbleness makes up for that letting her roll away from danger and strike fast. These characters fit in perfectly to the narrative which is captivating as it twists and turns through this engrossing time period.

If you’ve played Assassin’s Creed before, you’ll feel right at home with the controls in this game. For newcomers, it will be nice and easy for you to pick up and play and offers a nice helpful tutorial right at the start to guide you through the basics in this open world to explore. Additionally, you can check the controls anytime in the menu if you forget something and sometimes you get on-screen prompts like “LB” will appear on the screen when you can grapple. Whether you’re a veteran or a beginner, the controls are designed to be accessible and user-friendly. 

Asassin’s Creed Shadows is divided into nine distinct districts. Wakasa, Omi, Yamashiro, Tamba, Harima, Settsu, Iga, Yamato and Kii all offer their own unique stories and breathtaking beauty. From lakes to vast oceans to rolling farmlands and dense forests, there is always something to look at running around or something to have your jaw on the ground about. The developers have done a fantastic job making each corner of this map feel alive, vibrant immersive and full of Japanese culture. 

There has been a cool implementation of a customisable hideout. This is your home and base of operations where you can upgrade gear, replenish scouts, level up allies and enhance some gameplay systems to make the game that much more fun. I loved seeing this implemented into the game and due to the level of customisability, you won’t have two games the same. The hideout is not the only place you can hide, there are also Kakurega’s scattered around the world which serve as a secondary hideout for you. You can access storage, refill supplies and refresh scouts. There are also contracts you can accept these are a little side hustle. 

If you are like me, you run around and try and unlock areas for fast travel or unknown locations as soon as possible when gliding through the missions. You also can use scouts who play a key role in location objectives through the spy network. Scouts are super helpful when it comes to trying to find those harder locations. There is also a great observing mechanic in the game so you can observe and sometimes see where special locations are or items to loot to customise the hideout. 

You earn ‘Mastery Points’ each time you defeat key targets. These points can be spent in the mastery menu to unlock new moves, improve your stats and gain powerful abilities. You can also increase your knowledge rank which helps improve mastery by doing things like Kuji-Kuri meditations and exploring temples, shrines and hidden trailers. These points help you level up so then you can use the gear that you pick up along the way which helps increase your stats for taking out those harder bosses. 

I was impressed with the audio design which enhanced the overall immersion from start to finish. The voice acting was exceptional with every character delivering lines with depth and emotion which brought the story to life. The environmental sounds were equally impressive with the attention to detail everywhere you look.

The rain was a little on the louder side in a storm but they never hung around for long enough to affect the gameplay. The thing that stood out to me the most was when you were about to hit a key moment in the game you got this gentle drum and string music that was perfectly timed to add to the moment and make you feel a part of it all. 

The graphics in this game were absolutely stunning, leaving me in awe the entire time. From the cutscenes that looked like they were created for the big screen, to the meticulously designed environments and highly detailed character models. Assassin’s Creed Shadows also includes seasons, which you can use to your advantage. The season will change in the game after completing specific time cycles. Season changes allow you to refresh scouts, collect resources and take advantage of the ever-changing environments. The developer hit a home run with the visuals in this game encapsulating Japan nicely. There were a couple of minor texture glitches when transitioning into cutscenes but they were nothing more than a brief distraction and didn’t impact the gameplay. 

I was also excited to try out the photo mode in Assassin’s Creed Shadows which is easily accessible and functional. With the game’s stunning visuals, it’s clear the feature is going to be well used taking some incredible photos being shared. The beautiful environments, dynamic lighting and detailed characters will make taking those beautiful photos that little bit easier. 

Assassin’s Creed Shadows was a fantastic experience that truly captured everything I love about the series. The story was engaging, drawing me into its rich narrative and compelling characters. The audio was immersive from the voice acting to the environmental sounds coupled with the insane graphics I was left in awe. It’s a great little package neatly tied up. 

Written by: Hayden Nelson