Assassin’s Creed Shadows Review: A Deep Dive into Feudal Japan

Atarita editors have meticulously reviewed Assassin’s Creed Shadows, pouring hours into objectively analyzing every detail. See our review policy to learn more about our process.

*Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ PC review copy was provided to Atarita by Ubisoft.*

After a quiet period, excluding the 2023 release of Mirage, the Assassin’s Creed series is back. Pre-release discussions were intense, creating a rollercoaster of expectations. But how does the final product fare? Welcome to our Assassin’s Creed Shadows review. After 50 hours of gameplay, we’re sharing our experiences, what to expect, and the game’s key innovations.

# Assassin’s Creed Shadows: More Than We Thought!

After the initial announcement and gameplay reveals, we predicted that the game could be “more than you think!” This was based on lowered expectations for the series and the positive impressions from early footage. Now, having played it extensively, we can confirm that Assassin’s Creed Shadows offers a lot more than expected. It’s a delicious blend of bold changes, small but meaningful innovations, and familiar Assassin’s Creed elements.

# Animus Narrative Integrated into the Experience

Remember how in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, characters entered the Animus to relive Eivor’s Viking-era adventures? The Animus, once a narrative tool presented through cinematics, is now directly integrated into the gameplay experience. From the moment you launch the game, you’re entering the Animus. The main menu is now the “Animus Hub.”

The Animus Hub allows you to launch other Assassin’s Creed games directly, similar to Call of Duty’s system. It features four sections:

* Memories: A timeline displaying other recent Assassin’s Creed games, launchable if installed.
* Projects: Regularly updated missions that reward “Keys” for completing in-game tasks. These Keys can also be found in the open world.
* Exchange: Redeem your Keys for in-game cosmetics and premium rewards.
* Vault: A repository for collected data files, videos, and series lore.

While this Animus integration is a welcome addition, removing it from the core narrative feels like a loss. The overarching Animus story added a unique flavor to the series. Though a mysterious character called “The Guide” offers cryptic explanations at the beginning, it’s not quite the same.

# Engaging Story, Weak Dialogues

Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ story starts fragmented, with Naoe’s narrative unfolding alongside Yasuke’s until their paths converge. Driven by revenge, the initial story suffers from cliché dialogues, making it difficult to connect with the characters or events. However, perseverance pays off; after about 15 hours, the story becomes engaging, allowing for emotional investment. Prior to that, skipping cutscenes wouldn’t have resulted in significant loss.

When the two characters unite, the narrative expands, fostering a connection with both. As you delve into their backgrounds, you begin to understand their motivations, shaping your decisions on which character to use for each mission. The dialogue quality likely suffered from juggling two separate storylines.

While containing compelling narratives and unique characteristics, Shadows suffers from weak dialogue.

Playing with the Japanese voice acting is highly recommended. The game even offers an “immersive mode” that locks the audio to Japanese. While the lack of Turkish subtitles makes following the story more challenging, the Japanese voice acting enhances the experience.

In summary, the narrative is inconsistent, excelling in some areas but faltering in others. The quality difference between dialogues and cinematic scenes is striking, likely stemming from the two-character dynamic. However, if you enjoyed the narratives of previous action RPG Assassin’s Creed games, you’ll likely find something to appreciate here.

# Two Distinct Characters, Double the Fun

Assassin’s Creed Shadows features two playable characters: Naoe and Yasuke. As Ubisoft stated, you can play almost the entire game with either character. We split our playtime, 35% with Yasuke and 65% with Naoe. The ability to tailor the experience with adjustable settings allows you to play the Assassin’s Creed game *you* want.

Naoe: The Swift and Deadly Shinobi

Naoe is the fastest, most agile, and deadliest assassin in the series. Her speed, combined with new mechanics, opens up diverse playstyles. The grappling hook and crawl mechanics live up to the hype, making every moment with Naoe enjoyable.

The game offers an accessibility option to ensure all assassinations are successful. While initially turned off, the inability to consistently eliminate enemies despite meticulous planning became frustrating. Turning this setting on allowed for seamless stealth and silent takedowns, significantly enhancing the fun.

This approach does have drawbacks. The level system encourages challenging yourself and leveling up before attempting assassinations. Bypassing this makes enemies more dangerous, turning capture into a near-instant death sentence. Therefore, the difficulty isn’t lowered, but rather refocused to fit your desired playstyle. The enemy AI and reactions are also commendable.

The “Naoe” calligraphy was captured with Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ photo mode.

Naoe’s grappling hook is a game-changer. It allows for faster vertical traversal and access to new areas, cleverly integrated into level design. Scaling castle walls or swinging across gaps becomes effortless. While Assassin’s Creed Mirage had a similar mechanic, the grappling hook offers more freedom and strategic options when approaching objectives.

Furthermore, the crawl mechanic available to both characters is well-executed. Seamlessly integrated into the dynamic weather system, it allows for stealthy movement through carefully designed environments. Ubisoft’s 20 years of Assassin’s Creed experience shines through in the parkour and level designs.

Yasuke: The Samurai Who Inspires Awe and Fear

Yasuke caters to players seeking a sword-clashing action RPG experience. He’s less agile than Naoe, but compensates with brute strength. Parkour is cumbersome, but he can still climb some walls. His design encourages aggressive play, charging into enemy territory and cutting down foes. He’s a power fantasy, feeling like an “easy mode” when your level matches the area. His melee combat is enjoyable, and weapon variety allows you to fight at your own pace.

Yasuke’s real name is Diogo.

Ignoring pre-release controversies, Yasuke’s backstory feels somewhat rushed. Like Basim’s sudden transformation in Mirage, Yasuke quickly becomes a samurai. While not as abrupt, the reasons for Oda Nobunaga’s trust are unclear. Our limited knowledge of Japanese history prevents us from knowing if Nobunaga’s characterization aligns with historical accuracy. Regardless, Yasuke’s transformation from a slave to a samurai is unconvincing.

That said, his story features exciting action sequences and emotional moments. Despite the rushed narrative, the emotional intensity of this section is commendable.

The reactions of surrounding characters to Yasuke are both hilarious and justified. Seeing him inspires fear followed by reverence. This consistent reaction adds a humorous touch. Since we didn’t play Yasuke as much, the humor didn’t wear thin. It’s great that the open-world characters react to his uniqueness. After all, seeing a tall, muscular, black man in samurai armor would be alarming for a 15th-century Japanese citizen.

Of course, high-ranking characters quickly recognize him as “Nobunaga’s giant.” Naoe remains more anonymous during story missions.

After completing a mission, you’re prompted to choose which character to continue with.

Finally, let’s discuss the character switching mechanics. You can play the majority of the game with your chosen character. Only specific missions (related to their backgrounds) require playing as a particular character. Main missions also feature sections where you switch to the other character for brief periods. Outside these sections, you’re never forced to play as either character. Both characters have distinct playstyles and excel at what they do.

Our only complaint is the awkwardness of cutscenes featuring both characters. For example, after traveling a long distance, the other character suddenly appears in the frame without any contextual setup. They arrive out of nowhere and disappear just as quickly. This aspect felt disjointed.

# A Vast Open World with Abundant Activities

Assassin’s Creed Shadows boasts a truly vast open world. Led by the team behind Odyssey, the game throws you into a massive map. However, due to the action RPG elements, freely exploring the entire map is restricted early on. While Naoe can sneak around, the penalties for being caught are significant. The level system acts as an invisible barrier, deterring you from certain areas.

Spies Simplify Target Acquisition but Diminish Exploration

The open world features a new “discovery system” with numerous activities. First, let’s discuss the spies available in the map interface. As in Valhalla, rescuing people in random encounters allows you to recruit them as spies or gather information about points of interest. After a brief, cryptic scene, potentially interesting locations are marked on the map. Spies also reveal the locations of mission targets, which are generally described vaguely. Spies act as tools to pinpoint these targets. You have a limited number of spies, which replenish with each season change.

Spies reveal the precise locations of mission objectives on the map.

While we enjoyed using spies, we prefer the immersive experience of following clues and searching for targets ourselves. Spies are a helpful option for those who prefer a more direct approach.

Mini-Games and Activities Abound, Offering Decent Variety

While we always crave unique side quests, the repetition of open-world activities is inevitable. In this Assassin’s Creed Shadows review, you may think we’re setting the bar low, but that’s not the case. The game’s map offers diverse activities, and repetition takes a while due to the map’s scale. We appreciate the variety.

Naoe can perform the Kuji-Kiri ritual to relive scenes from her past, while Yasuke can challenge fellow students of his master to become Japan’s champion. Outside of these character-specific activities, you can create sumi-e drawings of rare animals or scenes, adding them to your collection. These relaxing activities provide a welcome contrast to the intense combat.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Review

In addition to these mini-quests, you’ll find familiar activities like fort clearing and camp raiding, as seen in the previous trilogy (Origins-Odyssey-Valhalla). The enjoyable gameplay of both characters makes even these mundane tasks fun.

Ubisoft Excels at Open-World Design

While Ubisoft games face criticism, their open-world designs and attention to detail are undeniable. The new dynamic season system adds another layer of realism and immersion. You’ll see NPCs loving cats, chasing pets, or engaging in daily routines. Although interaction with these characters is minimal, this attention to detail enhances the world’s credibility.

Wildlife is also well-designed, with different animal populations in different regions. Deer are common in some areas, while monkeys are more prevalent in others. Winter has fewer animals, while spring features mothers with their young. These small details are satisfying and demonstrate thoughtfulness. Additionally, seeing children roaming cities and villages is a welcome addition. While children are often absent from games, Ubisoft manages to incorporate them effectively.

You need to wait for spring to photograph animals with their young for the sumi-e mini-games.

Season Transitions Enhance Core Gameplay

The game automatically cycles through the seasons, which directly affect stealth and travel options. This also triggers a soft reset: if you have a wanted level in a region, it resets; spy stocks replenish; and resource locations respawn. The map undergoes a soft reset, allowing you to revisit cleared areas.

While seasons affect stealth, the impact isn’t drastic. The benefits outweigh the drawbacks, and the challenges of winter or autumn don’t feel difficult enough. It would be enjoyable to anticipate the arrival of spring after enduring a harsh winter.

Small cutscenes accompany season transitions.

Overall, we’re pleased with the season changes and the diversity they offer. We just wish the challenges were greater. However, this isn’t a major issue, and those who enjoy it will appreciate it.

Base Building Similar to Valhalla

Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ base-building system resembles that of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. You can place a blacksmith to upgrade equipment, expand your spy base to recruit more spies, and enhance other passive aspects of gameplay. You can also send allies you acquire throughout the story to your base, and then summon them as skills during battle. However, it doesn’t build significantly upon Valhalla’s system. You spend resources to develop and build, and can also decorate it as you please. While not particularly engaging for us, Sims-loving assassins who want to design their own hideout will likely enjoy this feature.

Great Music, Underutilized

Ubisoft teases us with fantastic music at the beginning and in certain spots before putting us in the “forget what you just heard” mode. Some tracks reminded us of The Rogue Prince of Persia, while other areas felt like they could have greatly benefited from similar music.

The rare use of vocal tracks in boss battles dramatically elevates the atmosphere, but their scarcity left us wanting more. Utilizing these better could have enhanced the game’s impact, especially given the middling story dialogues.

Tic-Tak Technique!

We were beginning to think that Ubisoft’s Anvil game engine hadn’t aged well with Assassin’s Creed Mirage. But then the bold dynamic season system showed what the new version could offer. While playing Assassin’s Creed Shadows, it felt like Ubisoft took its largest technical step in recent years. Environments, models, textures, intense particle effects, and the landscapes they create all look fantastic.

Based on Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ system requirements, we expected our PC system to run the game at medium settings with 50-60 FPS. That’s precisely what happened. We were then able to achieve very high frame rates by using FSR and frame generation features.

# System Specifications

* AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
* AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT
* 32 GB DDR4 RAM (Dual Channel)
* NVMe SSD
* Windows 11 (64-bit)

Anvil is Ubisoft’s internal game engine.

With the help of FSR and Frame Generation, our average FPS hovered around 90. Despite concerns about artifacts when using AI-powered frame generation, we experienced virtually no negative visual effects. The game satisfied us both visually and in terms of performance. We didn’t encounter any major bugs with parkour mechanics, missions, or other gameplay elements. However, we did notice systematic issues, such as bodies disappearing quickly and alarms re-activating as soon as we turned our backs.

It’s important to note that the version we played may differ slightly from yours, as our review version didn’t include the Day1 update at the time of writing. Your version will include this update.

The Settings Menu Deserves Its Own Section

The settings menu allows you to customize your gaming experience in great detail, from graphics to gameplay to voice acting. Ubisoft has been generous with customization options, allowing you to build your own gaming experience. You can increase the difficulty and the danger in stealth, or choose whether you want to receive guidance while exploring the map. The settings are truly beautiful, detailed, and liberating enough to let everyone create the Assassin’s Creed game of their dreams. This deserves commendation.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Review

The settings also allow you to find the optimal settings for your PC system. The game seems very fair in terms of system requirements and provides a good idea of what you can sacrifice in order to increase your frame rate or vice versa. The level of detail we saw in both the gameplay and graphics quality settings is a model for other developers releasing their games on PC.

A Truly Long Game

It was previously announced that finishing the main story of the game would take 30 hours and completing the open-world events would take 80 hours. This is not correct. We finished the game’s main story in about 50 hours and left behind enough content that we could have played for another 50 hours or more. Even as you read this review, we may still be out there doing side quests.

In Short

In closing our Assassin’s Creed Shadows review, we can readily say that we really liked the game. The story-driven experience may not entirely satisfy players who want a pure Assassin’s Creed story due to setbacks and a disjointed sense of excitement caused by mediocre dialogues and interruptions in the narrative. The improvements in gameplay and the new open-world systems, however, are successful in creating an enjoyable game that can be played for hundreds of hours. Assassin’s Creed Shadows has become a great game that exceeds expectations. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did when you play it.

That’s all we have to say about Assassin’s Creed Shadows in this review. However, you can share any questions or concerns that you feel haven’t been answered in the comments section. We’ll do our best to help you by answering them to the best of our ability. Stay loving and gaming.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Review

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Review: More Than Meets the Eye?

Atarita reviews Assassin’s Creed Shadows! Our editors spend hours on each game review, objectively covering all the details you need to know. See our review policy to learn how we do it.

*Ubisoft provided Atarita with a PC review copy of Assassin’s Creed Shadows.*

After a quiet period for the series (excluding the smaller-scale Mirage in 2023), Assassin’s Creed is back. The lead-up to release was a rollercoaster of internet debates and speculation, culminating in a bittersweet, or perhaps not so sweet, conclusion. Welcome to our Assassin’s Creed Shadows review. Having played for roughly 50 hours, I’ll share my experience, what to expect, and the new features you’ll encounter.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Exceeding Expectations?

Following the initial reveal and trailers, I wrote an article suggesting Assassin’s Creed Shadows “might be more than you think!”. This stemmed from tempered expectations for the franchise and the positive impression the previews gave me. Now, having finally played it, I stand by that statement. Assassin’s Creed Shadows offers more than you might expect, featuring bold changes, notable improvements, and familiar elements blended into a satisfying experience.

The Animus Narrative is Now Part of the Gameplay

Remember how in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, our characters entered the Animus to explore the Viking Age and Eivor’s adventures? The Animus, previously a narrative device presented through cinematics, is now directly integrated into the gameplay. From the moment you launch the game, you’re inside the Animus. The main menu is replaced by the “Animus Hub.”

The Animus Hub allows you to access other Assassin’s Creed games directly, similar to Activision’s system for Call of Duty. Inside, you’ll find four sections. The “Memories” section features a timeline showcasing recent Assassin’s Creed titles, allowing you to launch them directly if installed. The “Projects” section tracks regularly updated missions, rewarding you with virtual assets (“Keys”) upon completion, also found in the open world. You can exchange these assets in the “Exchange” section for in-game cosmetics and premium rewards. Finally, the “Vault” stores all your collected data files, videos, and series lore.

This initiative is overdue for the Assassin’s Creed series. However, I dislike the removal of the Animus from the core narrative. The deeper explanation of why we’re playing as a samurai or shinobi is largely absent. While a mysterious character named “The Guide” connects through the Animus at the beginning and occasionally throughout the game, offering cryptic explanations, I miss the broader Animus narrative that provided a unique perspective on the in-game stories.

Strong Story and Motivation, Hampered by Weak Dialogue

Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ story initially presents a complex narrative. The game begins with Naoe’s story, continuing until the characters’ paths intersect. The cliché-ridden dialogue and revenge-driven motivations initially undermine the story’s impact. I struggled to connect with the characters or events, relying solely on the hope that things would improve. While there were some disappointments, around the 15-hour mark, I began to understand, interpret, and emotionally invest in the cutscenes. Had I skipped them until that point, I wouldn’t have missed much.

When the two characters finally unite in the narrative, and the story begins to unfold, I genuinely felt a connection to both. The subsequent sequences delving into their individual pasts provided valuable context, allowing me to understand their motivations and choose which character to play based on the mission. I believe this weakness in dialogue and writing stems from the presence of two distinct storylines. Writing compelling dialogue and handling the workload for two separate characters likely impacted the overall quality.

I initially played with Japanese voice acting, but soon found myself solely focused on reading subtitles. Switching to English voice acting highlighted the stark difference in quality, prompting an immediate return to Japanese. I recommend playing with Japanese voice acting if you’ve already purchased the game. The “immersive mode” option locks the game’s audio to Japanese at the start, preventing you from switching back. While the lack of Turkish subtitles is a missed opportunity, making it harder to follow the story even with Japanese audio, it’s still the preferred experience.

In summary, the game’s narrative resonated with me in parts but often felt weak. The quality difference between dialogue and cinematic cutscenes is significant. I suspect the dual-character dynamic contributes to this. Nevertheless, I’m not entirely negative about the story; if you enjoyed the narrative in previous action RPG Assassin’s Creed games, you’ll likely find something to appreciate here.

Enjoyable Dual-Character Gameplay with Distinct Styles

Assassin’s Creed Shadows features two protagonists: Naoe and Yasuke. As Ubisoft explained during promotion, you can choose to play most of the game with either character. I split my playtime with 35% spent as Yasuke and 65% as Naoe. While the split was even at the start, Naoe’s unlocked abilities allowed me to shift the balance as I desired. Customization options allowed me to create the Assassin’s Creed experience I truly wanted.

Naoe: A Deadly Shinobi Assassin

Naoe is the fastest, most agile, and deadliest assassin the series has seen. Beyond her speed, new mechanics open doors to various playstyles. The grappling hook and crawl mechanics are as enjoyable in-game as they looked in trailers. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute playing as Naoe. Let me explain how I played her.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows has a difficulty setting that guarantees successful assassinations. Although I initially kept this setting off for the first 10 hours, I grew frustrated with failing to assassinate enemies despite careful planning. I turned it on to capture the traditional Assassin’s Creed feel. This allowed me to execute stealthy plans, eliminate enemies unnoticed, and disappear like a cat. This small adjustment doubled or even tripled my enjoyment, feeling like a genuine public service. I continued playing like this throughout the game.

Of course, playing this way has disadvantages. The leveling system expects you to challenge yourself, increase your level, and attempt assassinations accordingly. Bypassing these steps made enemies more dangerous, and getting caught became unacceptable. A single arrow or sword strike could end the game. I wasn’t playing on easy mode; I simply shifted the difficulty to serve my preferred playstyle. This highlights how a small setting can create significant changes. I loved it. Additionally, I was impressed with the AI and enemy reactions.

Naoe’s grappling hook drastically changes the game. It allows for faster vertical traversal and access to new areas, generously reflected in the level design. We can now grapple up castle walls and swing to different locations. I enjoyed the swinging in Assassin’s Creed Mirage, but it relied on fixed vertical bars. The grappling hook offers greater freedom, increasing the number of decisions we can make when approaching and surveying mission areas. It’s a game-changer.

The crawl mechanic, available to both Naoe and Yasuke, is also well-implemented. Integrated into the dynamic seasonal system, it finds a unique place in level designs. Areas designed for crawling are carefully crafted when entering huts or moving stealthily within a mission area. Given Ubisoft’s 20 years of Assassin’s Creed experience, I expected nothing less regarding parkour and level design.

Yasuke: A Samurai Who Inspires Awe

Yasuke is ideal for players who want an action RPG experience with clashing swords. He’s not agile like Naoe; instead, he’s cumbersome and heavy. Parkour is challenging, but Yasuke can still climb some walls. However, it’s clear he wasn’t designed for stealth. This imposing samurai is designed to charge into mission areas, breaking down wooden castle gates with his shoulder and cutting down everyone inside. It’s a pure power fantasy, and it even functions as an “easy mode” when you’re on par with the level system. The melee combat is extremely satisfying, and the variety of weapons allows you to fight at your own pace.

Remaining distanced from the pre-release chaos (which I advise you to do as well), I’d say Yasuke’s backstory feels slightly rushed. Like Basim’s abrupt transition from thief to assassin in Mirage, Yasuke quickly becomes a samurai. While not as rushed as Basim’s transformation, I struggled to understand how he gained Oda Nobunaga’s trust so quickly. My knowledge of Japanese history is limited, so I’m unsure if Nobunaga’s characteristic openness to innovation is historically accurate. However, Yasuke’s journey from a slave traveling with missionaries to a samurai didn’t fully convince me.

Despite this, there are plenty of action-packed, adrenaline-pumping cutscenes and gameplay sequences. I appreciated the emotional intensity in this section of the narrative, even if it felt hurried.

While playing as Yasuke, I found both humor and validation in the reactions of those around me. People in cities initially gasp in fear upon seeing you, then bow in respect because you’re a samurai. This never changes throughout the game and rarely loses its comedic effect. I began to laugh every time someone was terrified. This didn’t last long because I didn’t play as Yasuke as much as Naoe, but I enjoyed the idea of NPCs reacting to his uniqueness. After all, seeing a tall, muscular, black man in samurai armor would be terrifying at first glance if I were a Japanese person living at that time.

Our reputation spreads quickly among high-ranking characters, so many of those we meet know that we are “Nobunaga’s giant.” While progressing through story missions with Naoe, we become more anonymous.

Now that I’ve discussed both characters, let me conclude this section by explaining how the character switching is integrated into the game. You can play the majority of the game with your chosen character. You’re only required to play as a specific character during certain missions (related to their backstories). In addition, there are sections within main missions where you must play as both characters, switching to the other for a short period. Aside from these short gameplay sequences, neither character is a necessity. Given their vastly different playstyles, I appreciate the option to remain loyal to one character throughout the game. They are both well-designed characters who excel at what they do and are enjoyable to play.

My only complaint is the awkwardness of the cutscenes where both main characters appear simultaneously. For example, when we travel a long distance to a mission, the other character enters the frame from the side without contextual explanation. The character arrives out of nowhere and disappears just as abruptly. I often found myself bewildered and uneasy, thinking, “Where did you come from, where did you go, Yasuke!” This was the only aspect of the dual-character integration that bothered me. It felt jarring.

Large Open World with Diverse Activities

Assassin’s Creed Shadows features a truly vast open world. Developed by the team behind Odyssey, the game throws you into a massive map. Given the action RPG elements, you can’t freely roam the entire map at the beginning, especially with Yasuke. While stealth is possible with Naoe, the consequences of being caught are significant, as mentioned earlier. The leveling system acted as an invisible wall, deterring me from certain areas.

Spies Make Finding Targets Easier, But Exploration is More Rewarding

The open world features a new “discovery system” with various activities. However, first, I must mention the spies accessible from the map interface. In the open world, you can rescue people in distress (like in Valhalla), and you can assign them as spies or ask them to point out locations in the open world. After a short cutscene where they nod without providing any context, points of interest allegedly linked to a backstory appear on the map. Assigning them as spies allows you to reveal your target’s location on the map system, which describes mission locations with vague descriptions like “The target is somewhere in this area.” Spies act as tools to pinpoint these locations. You have a limited number of spies, replenished with each changing season.

While I enjoyed using spies, I preferred following the vague descriptions and searching for my target by exploring the streets. I found it more immersive. However, spies are a good option for those who prefer not to struggle.

Numerous Mini-Games and Activities Offer Decent Variety for the Map Size

We always want each side quest to be different from the last, and I share that sentiment. However, realistically, it’s normal for open-world activities to become repetitive at some point. You might criticize me for setting low standards in this section of my Assassin’s Creed Shadows review, but that’s not the case. There are various activities on the map, and it takes a long time for them to become repetitive, given the map’s size. Therefore, I can confidently say I enjoyed the diversity.

As Naoe, you can perform the Kuji-Kiri ritual, returning to scenes from her past to relive them. As Yasuke, you can seek out and challenge our master’s other students, embarking on a journey to become Japan’s champion. Besides the characters’ specific open-world activities, you can create sumi-e drawings of rare animals or scenes you encounter, adding them to your collection. Approaching these activities stealthily can lead to heartwarming scenes, providing a refreshing break after the intense action. At least, that was my experience.

In addition to these mini-quest-like activities, the familiar camp clearing and fort raiding from the previous trilogy (Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla) are also present. The enjoyable gameplay makes even these mundane tasks fun.

Ubisoft Excels at What They Do Best in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

While many aspects of Ubisoft games are criticized, their open-world designs and attention to detail are undeniable. The new seasonal transition system brings the world’s liveliness and believability to a new level. While exploring the map, we can see NPCs who love cats, chase after escaping pets, or engage in everyday activities. They point out scenery to each other or are occupied with various tasks. Although our interaction with these characters is minimal, the attention to detail enhances the world’s believability.

Wildlife is also well-designed, with different animal populations increasing depending on the region. Deer are more common in some areas, while monkeys are more prominent in others. During winter, fewer animals appear, while in spring, we can see the animals with their young. These small details satisfied and delighted me. It’s good to see they were considered. Likewise, we can see children walking around in cities and villages. While children are often excluded from games for understandable reasons, Ubisoft has managed to incorporate them well.

Seasonal Transitions Are Well Integrated into the Core Gameplay Loop

The season automatically changes after a certain amount of time passes in the game. This change directly affects stealth and travel options on the map, as well as applying a soft reset. If you have a wanted level in an area, it will reset, your spy stock is renewed, and the resource-gathering locations for your base are refreshed, becoming available to visit again. The map receives a soft reset, and you can revisit cleared areas.

While seasonal transitions do affect stealth, their impact isn’t dramatic. At least, it doesn’t make life difficult enough. While we can crawl through tall grass in summer and spring, we still have plenty of stealth options after these disappear in winter. The benefits outweigh the drawbacks, which felt like it was hindering the satisfaction we should get from dealing with the challenges provided by winter or autumn. Being able to say, “I wish this winter would end so we could play in peace,” is part of an enjoyable game experience.

Overall, I am satisfied with the changing seasons and the variety they offer. I just wish they presented greater challenges, and I would have been as frustrated with the difficult conditions as I was with how much I loved the other seasons. However, I don’t think this is a huge problem, and those who want to enjoy it will likely like it.

Base-Building System Similar to Valhalla

Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ base-building system is similar to the one added to Assassin’s Creed Valhalla later on. You can place and upgrade blacksmiths to improve your equipment, expand your spy base to recruit more spies, and enhance these passive aspects that affect the gameplay. You can send the allies you gain throughout the story here, and you can actively call them to battle and use them like a skill. However, I can’t say that much has been added on top of what you saw in Valhalla. You spend resources to improve and build, and you can decorate it as you wish. It wasn’t content that interested me much, but I can say that the Sims-loving assassins who want to design their own hideouts will like it.

Great Music, But Its Impact Is Underutilized

Ubisoft teases us with great music at the beginning of the game and at certain points, then switches to “yes, you should forget what you heard now” mode. The music, which I loved in certain spots, made me think of the music in The Rogue Prince of Persia, and it dulled my mind, while in other spots, I really thought, “I wish there was similar music here too.”

In certain boss fights, the spoken-word music takes the atmosphere to an unusual peak, but its scarcity resulted in my eyes searching for it everywhere. I felt that the game’s impact could have been greatly enhanced if they had made much better use of this during certain key moments. In particular, it could have been used to mask the mediocrity of the story’s dialogue.

Tick-Tock Technique!

I had begun to think that Ubisoft’s Anvil game engine wasn’t aging very well with Assassin’s Creed Mirage. Then, with the bold dynamic season system, the new version began to generously show what it could offer. While playing Assassin’s Creed Shadows, I realized that I was seeing the longest stride Ubisoft has taken technically in recent years. The environment, models, textures, dense particle effects, and the vistas they create look pretty good.

Based on the Assassin’s Creed Shadows system requirements, I expected my computer system to run the game at medium settings in the 50-60 FPS range. That’s exactly what happened. Later, I was able to reach very high frame rates by taking advantage of FSR and frame generation features.

*My System Specs*
*AMD Ryzen 5 5600X*
*AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT*
*32 GB DDR4 RAM (Dual Channel)*
*NVMe SSD*
*Windows 11 (64-bit)*

*Anvil is the name of the in-house game engine used by Ubisoft.*

With the help of FSR and Frame Generation features, my average FPS value during my total game time was around 90. Although I was worried about artifacts forming while using the artificial intelligence-based frame generation technology, I can say that there was almost no negative visual impact. Technically, the game managed to satisfy me with both its visuals and its performance. During my experience, I did not encounter any significant bugs that stood out in parkour mechanics, missions, or any gameplay element. However, I can say that there were various systematic issues, such as the bodies on the ground disappearing very quickly and the alarms I disabled reactivating as soon as I turned my back.

While talking about the technical side, I need to mention that the version I played may be slightly different from yours in this respect. The review version I played did not include the Day1 update as of the date this article was prepared. The version you will be playing will include this update.

The Settings Menu Also Needs a Section

While discussing the technical aspects of the Assassin’s Creed Shadows review, we needed to open a section for the settings as well. The settings menu allows you to customize your game experience in a very detailed way. This covers a wide area from graphics settings to gameplay and voice acting. In this area, Ubisoft has been very generous in terms of customization options and allows you to build your own game experience. You can increase the difficulty level and also increase the danger in stealth, or you can choose whether you want to get guidance while exploring the map. The settings are so nice, detailed, and free that they allow you to create the Assassin’s Creed game of your dreams. Admirable.

The game allows you to find the optimum settings for your PC system on the technical side as well. The game, which seems very fair according to the system requirements charts, does not determine for itself what you can get by sacrificing frame rate or what you can achieve by sacrificing frame rate. It largely leaves it up to us. The level of detail I saw in the settings in both the gameplay and graphics quality areas is at a level that will set an example for other developers who release their games on PC.

Really Long Game

It was previously announced that finishing the main story of the game would take 30 hours and completing the open world events would take 80 hours. This is not correct. I finished the main story of the game in about 50 hours, and I left behind content that I could play for just as long or even longer. While you are reading this review, I may still be doing side quests somewhere.

Long Story Short

As we approach the end of the Assassin’s Creed Shadows review, let’s make a general summary. I can easily say that I liked the game very much. This game, with its declines and mediocre dialogue that disrupt the narrative and cause the excitement to be experienced intermittently, may not please players who want to experience a pure Assassin’s Creed story experience very much on this side. However, the innovations it provides in gameplay and the new open world systems manage to create an enjoyable game that can be played for hundreds of hours. Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been a great game that has exceeded expectations. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did when you play it.

That’s all I have to share with you in the Assassin’s Creed Shadows review. However, you can share the questions you think you have not received answers to and what you are wondering in the comments section. I will try my best to answer them and help you. Stay with love and games.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Review.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Review: A Samurai and Shinobi Adventure

Atarita delivers a detailed review of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, offering an objective perspective on the game’s features, gameplay, and overall experience. Our editors dedicate hours to each review, ensuring you get all the information you need. Learn more about our review policy.

*A PC review copy of Assassin’s Creed Shadows was provided to Atarita by Ubisoft.*

After a quiet period for the main series (excluding the interim title Mirage), Assassin’s Creed is back. Assassin’s Creed Shadows has generated a lot of discussion before its release, with ups and downs throughout the development process. After playing for around 50 hours, I’m sharing my experience, what you can expect, and the new features.

# “More Than We Thought!”

Following the initial announcements and trailers, I wrote an article speculating on what to expect from Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Feeling confident, I stated it could be “more than you think!” This stemmed from lowered expectations for the Assassin’s Creed series and the impact of what I saw. Now, having played it, I stand by that statement. Assassin’s Creed Shadows offers more than expected, a delightful mix of bold changes, small innovations, and familiar elements.

# Animus Narrative Integrated into the Experience

In Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, we saw characters enter the Animus to relive Eivor’s Viking adventures. Now, the Animus is directly part of the game experience. The main menu is now the “Animus Hub,” a virtual reality environment.

From the Animus Hub, you can access other Assassin’s Creed games. Within the Hub are four sections:

* Memories: A timeline showing other Assassin’s Creed games. You can launch installed games directly.
* Projects: Track regularly released missions and earn virtual assets (“Keys”) for completing them.
* Exchange: Convert Keys into in-game cosmetics and premium rewards.
* Vault: Stores data files, videos, and series lore.

While this initiative is welcome for the Assassin’s Creed series, the removal of the Animus from the main narrative is disappointing. We lack the comprehensive explanations for playing as a samurai or shinobi. A mysterious character called “The Guide” occasionally connects from the Animus to offer explanations, but the absence of the overarching Animus narrative is felt. This meta-storytelling gave the Assassin’s Creed series a unique flavor.

# Strong Story and Motivation Hampered by Weak Dialogue

The story of Assassin’s Creed Shadows begins disjointedly, focusing on Naoe’s story until the characters’ paths converge. The revenge-driven plot, shaped by cliché dialogue, suffers from the dialogue’s mediocrity. It was hard to connect with the characters or events. The motivation was simply to trust the process. Despite some low points, after around 15 hours, I began to understand and engage with the cutscenes. However, skipping them until that point wouldn’t have been a huge loss.

Once the two characters unite and the story expands, I felt connected to them. Sequences exploring their pasts helped understand their motivations and decide which character to use for specific missions. The weak dialogue is likely due to the game featuring two distinct stories. Writing dialogue for two characters increases the workload and affects quality.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows suffers from weak dialogue despite having potentially great stories and characters.

I initially played with Japanese voice acting, but found myself only reading subtitles. Switching to English revealed the superior quality of the Japanese dub. If you’ve already purchased the game, I recommend playing with Japanese voice acting. A “immersive mode” at the beginning locks the voice acting to Japanese. While a Turkish subtitle option would have made following the story easier, the Japanese audio is still the preferable choice.

The narrative has strong and weak points. If you enjoyed the story of previous action RPG Assassin’s Creed games, you’ll likely enjoy this one as well.

# Playing Two Distinct Characters is Engaging

Assassin’s Creed Shadows features two playable characters, Naoe and Yasuke. You can play most of the game as either character. I played Yasuke for 35% of my time and Naoe for 65%. This balance shifted as Naoe’s skills unlocked. Customizable settings let me play the Assassin’s Creed game I wanted.

# Naoe: A Deadly Shinobi Assassin

Naoe is an incredibly fast, agile, and deadly assassin. The new mechanics in Shadows unlock new gameplay styles. The grappling hook and crawl mechanics are as fun to use as they look in videos. I enjoyed every minute of playing as Naoe.

In the difficulty settings, there’s an option to guarantee assassinations. After playing for 10 hours with this option disabled, I grew frustrated with failing to assassinate enemies despite my perfect plans. To capture the traditional Assassin’s Creed feel, I enabled the setting. This allowed me to silently eliminate enemies and disappear like a cat. This small setting doubled, even tripled my enjoyment. I felt it provided a great service.

This approach has drawbacks. The level system encouraged me to challenge myself and level up before attempting assassinations. Bypassing these steps made enemies more dangerous and being caught no longer an option, as a single arrow or sword strike could end the story. The game wasn’t necessarily easier, I just shifted the challenge to align with my preferred playstyle. This highlights the impact of even a small setting. I also appreciated the AI and enemy reactions.

The grappling hook significantly changes the game. It allows for faster vertical movement and new travel options, generously incorporated into level designs. We can now scale castle walls with the hook and swing to other locations. The swing mechanic was enjoyable in Assassin’s Creed Mirage, but there, we swung from fixed bars. The grappling hook increases freedom and expands our options when approaching and surveying mission areas. It is a game-changing element.

The crawl mechanic, available to both Naoe and Yasuke, is also well-implemented. Seamlessly integrated with the dynamic season system, it is used effectively in level designs. Areas where we can crawl through huts or stealthily advance in a mission area are carefully designed. I expect nothing less from Ubisoft’s 20 years of Assassin’s Creed experience in parkour and level design.

# Yasuke: A Samurai Whose Presence Inspires Awe

Yasuke is ideal for players who want to play the game as a sword-clashing action RPG. He is not as agile as Naoe, but rather slow and heavy. Parkour is cumbersome, but he can climb some walls. His design makes it clear that he isn’t meant for stealth gameplay. This large samurai can break through wooden castle gates, storm into a mission area, and cut down everyone inside. It’s a power fantasy that functions as an “easy mode” in levels that match your level. His close combat is enjoyable, and the variety of weapons allows for combat at your own pace.

Leaving aside the chaotic pre-release discussions, Yasuke’s backstory feels rushed. Like Basim’s transition from thief to assassin in Mirage, Yasuke quickly becomes a samurai. Oda Nobunaga’s trust in him seems difficult to understand contextually. My knowledge of Japanese history is limited, so I don’t know if Nobunaga’s characteristics and openness to innovation are historically accurate. However, Yasuke’s transformation from a slave traveling with missionaries to a samurai felt unconvincing.

There are plenty of high-action, exciting cutscenes and gameplay sequences. Even if rushed, I enjoyed the emotional intensity of this part of the narrative.

The reactions of characters around Yasuke were both amusing and understandable. When people see you in cities, they gasp in fear and then bow before you because you are a samurai. This never changes, and retains its comedic ability. I started laughing every time someone was horrified. This didn’t last long as I didn’t play as Yasuke for as long as Naoe, but I liked the idea of characters in the open world reacting to his uniqueness. A tall, muscular, black man in samurai armor would be terrifying at first glance.

Most characters we meet know us as “Nobunaga’s giant.” Naoe is a more anonymous character in story missions.

You are asked which character you want to continue with in the open world after most missions.

The transition between characters is well-integrated into the game. You can play most of the game with your chosen character. You must play as certain characters during specific missions (related to their backgrounds). There are also sections in main missions where you must play as both characters, switching to the other character for a short time. Outside of short gameplay sequences, no character is a requirement. I enjoyed the option to stick to one character throughout the game, as both have very different playstyles.

The only complaint is the awkwardness of cutscenes where both characters appear. When we travel a long distance to a mission, the other character enters the frame without any contextual preparation. The character appears out of nowhere and disappears by the end of the cutscene. I often wondered, “Where did you come from, where did you go, Yasuke!” This was the only part of the character integration I disliked.

# A Vast Open World with Diverse Activities

Assassin’s Creed Shadows features a truly vast open world. The team behind Odyssey throws you into a huge map, and due to the action RPG elements, you can’t freely explore the entire map at the beginning. While stealthing with Naoe is possible, the consequences of getting caught are severe. The level system deterred me from certain areas.

# Finding Targets with Spies is Easier, But Exploring is More Rewarding

The open world features a new “discovery system” with diverse activities. The spies you can use on the map are worth mentioning. In the open world, like in Valhalla, you can assign people you save as spies. They can mark locations on the map for you. After a brief cutscene, points with claimed backstories appear on the map. Spies can be used to reveal the location of your target on the map system that superficially describes mission areas. Missions are often described as “The target is in this area, somewhere in that location,” without a specific point. Spies are tools you use to reveal that point. You have a limited number of spies that are replenished each season.

I enjoyed using spies, but I prefer following the descriptions and searching for my target on the streets. This is more immersive. However, having spies as an option is good for those who don’t want to bother with the search.

# Diverse Mini-Games and Activities

While we always want each side mission to be unique, open-world activities inevitably repeat themselves. You might be angry with me for setting low standards here, but that is not the case. The activities on the Shadows map are diverse, and the repetition takes a long time considering the size of the map. I liked the variety.

Naoe can perform the Kuji-Kiri ritual to return to scenes from her past, while Yasuke can find and challenge our master’s other students to become the champion of Japan. Outside of character-specific activities, we can draw rare animals or scenes with the Sumi-e method and keep them as collectibles. This activity, which requires sneaking, can be relaxing and add a bit of serenity after eliminating enemies with our hidden blade.

Besides the mini-quest activities, you have the usual castle clearing and camp raiding familiar from the previous trilogy (Origins – Odyssey – Valhalla). The enjoyable gameplay of the characters makes doing these ordinary things even more enjoyable.

# Ubisoft Excels at Open World Design

While Ubisoft’s games are often criticized, their open world designs and attention to detail cannot be debated. The new season transition system has taken the world’s liveliness and believability to new heights. We see NPCs loving cats, chasing pets, or going about their daily lives in cities. They show each other a view and watch it, or engage in different activities. While we have little interaction with these characters, the attention to detail increases the believability of the world.

Wildlife is also well-designed. We see different animal populations increase in different regions. Deer are more common in some areas, while monkeys are more prominent in others. In the winter, there are fewer animals, while in the spring, we can see their young. These small details satisfied and pleased me. Seeing these things considered is great. It is also possible to see children in cities and villages, like the young of all animals. Children are usually not included in games for valid reasons, but Ubisoft has managed to do it well.

# Seasonal Transitions Impact Gameplay

The season automatically changes after a certain amount of time. This change directly affects stealth and travel options on the map, as well as applying a soft reset. If you have a wanted level in a region, it is reset, spy stocks are replenished, and resource gathering locations for your base are reset, making them visitable again. The map simply receives a soft reset, and you can revisit cleared areas.

While seasonal transitions affect stealth, their impact isn’t dramatic. At least it doesn’t make life difficult enough. While we can crawl among tall grasses in the summer and spring, even after these disappear in the winter, we have many stealth options. The benefits outweigh the drawbacks, which feels like it hinders the enjoyment we should get from the challenges the winter or fall offer. Being able to say “I’ll be glad when this winter is over so we can play comfortably” is part of an enjoyable game experience.

I am generally satisfied with the changing seasons within the game and the variety it offers. I only wish it offered bigger challenges, and I was as uncomfortable with the harsh conditions as I loved the other seasons. This isn’t a big problem.

# Base Building Similar to Valhalla

Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ base-building system is similar to the system later included in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. You can place a blacksmith and level it up to upgrade your equipment to levels 20-40-60, expand your spy base to get more spies, and advance passive aspects that affect gameplay. You can send allies you acquire throughout the story here and actively call them into battles like a skill. There isn’t much added on top of what you saw in Valhalla. You can spend resources to develop and build, and decorate as you wish. It wasn’t content that particularly interested me, but I think Sims-loving assassins who want to design their hideouts as they want will like it.

# Great Music, Underutilized

Ubisoft charms us with great music at the beginning of the game and at certain points, then transitions to “you better forget what you heard now.” While some of the music, which I compared to the music from The Rogue Prince of Persia, numbed my mind, I also thought “I wish similar music came here.”

While vocal music unusually elevated the atmosphere in some boss fights, their scarcity made me look for them everywhere. I felt the game’s impact could have been greatly enhanced by using them more effectively in certain moments, especially to cover up the mediocrity of the story dialogues.

# Tik-Tak Technique!

I was starting to think that Ubisoft’s Anvil game engine wasn’t aging well with Assassin’s Creed Mirage. Then the dynamic season system started to show what the new version could generously offer. While playing Assassin’s Creed Shadows, I realized that I was seeing the longest step Ubisoft has taken technically in recent years. The environment, models, textures, and dense particle effects all look very good.

According to Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ system requirements, I expected my computer system to run the game at medium settings at 50-60 FPS. That’s what happened. I was then able to reach very high frame rates by taking advantage of FSR and frame generation features.

* System Specifications
* AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
* AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT
* 32 GB DDR4 RAM (Dual Channel)
* NVMe SSD
* Windows 11 (64-bit)

Anvil is the name of the in-house game engine used by Ubisoft.

With the help of FSR and Frame Generation features, my average FPS value was around 90 during my total playtime. While I was worried about the formation of some artifacts when using artificial intelligence to generate frames, I can say that there was almost no negative visual effect. The game managed to satisfy me both visually and in terms of performance. I didn’t encounter any noticeable major bugs in parkour mechanics, missions, or any gameplay element during my experience. However, I can say that there are various systematic problems, such as the very quick disappearance of corpses on the ground and the re-activation of alarms I neutralized as soon as I turned my back.

While talking about the technical side, I need to mention that the version I played may be a little different from yours in this respect. The review version I played did not include the Day1 update as of the date of this writing. The version you will play will include this update.

# Settings Menu Deserves Attention

While discussing the technical aspects of Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ review, it was necessary to open a heading for its settings. The settings menu allows you to customize your gaming experience in great detail. This covers a wide area from graphics settings to gameplay and voice acting. Ubisoft has been generous with customization options here, allowing you to build your own gaming experience. You can increase the difficulty level to increase the danger in stealth, or choose whether you want to receive guidance while exploring the map. The detailed and liberating settings are commendable and allow everyone to create the Assassin’s Creed game of their dreams.

The game also allows you to find optimum settings for your PC system on the technical side. The game, which seems very fair according to the system requirements graphics, does not determine what you can sacrifice to increase your frame rate or what you can achieve by sacrificing your frame rate. It largely leaves it up to us. The level of detail I saw in both the gameplay and graphics quality areas in the settings is also at a level that will be an example for other developers who release their games on PC.

# A Really Long Game

It was previously announced that completing the game’s main story would take 30 hours, and completing the open-world activities would take 80 hours. This is not correct. I completed the game’s main story in about 50 hours, and I left behind enough content that I could play for another 50 hours or more. While you are reading this review, I may still be doing side quests somewhere.

# In Short

As we come to the end of the Assassin’s Creed Shadows review, let’s make a general summary. I can easily say that I liked the game very much. With the dips and choppy excitement caused by the narrative and mediocre dialogues, this game may not satisfy players who want to experience a pure Assassin’s Creed story. However, the innovations in gameplay and new open-world systems succeed in creating an enjoyable game that can be played for hundreds of hours. Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a great game that exceeds expectations. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do when you play it.

That’s all I have to share with you in the Assassin’s Creed Shadows review. However, you can share any questions or concerns that you think you have not received an answer to in the comments section. I will try to help you by answering them as much as possible. Stay with love and gaming.