Subscribe
Follow Us
In this Assassin's Creed: Shadows Review, we looked at Ubisoft's latest adventure in their action-adventure series. Assassin's Creed Shadows takes place in feudal Japan in 1579, and offers the chance to play as two characters, instead of one. Naoe plays more like your traditional assassin, while Yasuke the Samurai brings something new to the mix. But is it worth your time and money to explore the world of AC Shadows? Let's find out as we take a look!
Assassin's Creed Shadows Review – What is Assassin's Creed Shadows
Assassin's Creed Shadows is an action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Quebec and published by Ubisoft. It is the fourteenth major installment series, coming after Mirage, which released in 2023. The game's story continues the focus on the on-going battle between the Assassin Brotherhood and the Templar Order.
The Assassin's Creed series emphasizes using stealth tactics to defeat targets. Players are able to explore an open-world full of activities, missions, collectibles, and more. Shadows retains the core gameplay elements, but adds new features and mechanics to keep things fresh. The biggest addition to Shadows is the inclusion of a non-assassin character named Yasuke. Players can control both Naoe and Yasuke throughout the story, using their skills to navigate maps, defeat enemies, complete side quests, and progress through the story.
The game is available for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Mac.
Gameplay – Assassin's Creed Shadows Review
At its core, Assassin's Creed Shadows is very similar to other main line entries in the series. You can explore a big map full of many regions, complete side quests, earn new weapons, and much more. While your overarching goal is to complete the story, you're free to tackle the game in any order you like. So we'll get to the story in just a bit.
When you first start the game, you won't be an assassin, but rather, Yasuke. This slave-turned Samurai doesn't need to hide around. Instead, he towers over enemies and slices them down with tremendous strength. But after a brief introduction, you play as the game's assassin-character, Naoe.
Naoe plays like your traditional AC character. She can climb, clamber, and jump to just about anywhere. Furthermore, she can use different tools at her disposal to keep her hidden, help her hide, or defeat enemies from afar. Experienced players of the series will feel comfortable with her right out the gate.
But I feel new players to the series will get used to her movement almost instantly. She moves quickly, and climbing feels easy with her. I also give credit to the game's setting, because its easy to climb houses, temples, and towers alike, especially thanks to her grapple hook. But the game also offers Hidden Trails throughout the map. These mini-parkour missions offer experienced players something more challenging yet rewarding at the same time.
What's nice about Naoe is that it feels like the developers wanted to return to the series' core fundamentals. She feels fast, her movement is fluid, and exploring with her feels like a breeze. I appreciate the game giving you a grapple hook early on, making exploration easy.
Like previous AC games, you can also ride a mount to expedite the traveling process. I know it's nothing new, but I can't state enough how convenient it is to have an auto-travel button. This just lets your horse do the riding if you're just trying to explore the map. But you'll make many stops along the way, because the game's map offers tons of activities.
The map of Assassin's Creed Shadows is still massive, but not as big as Origins, Black Flag, or Valhalla. It still ranks among the bigger maps in the series, and we think the smaller size makes it easier to approach. There's a little more emphasis on quality over quantity over here, and Shadows got the map size just right.
Hardcore players will likely spend dozens of hours exploring the open world and looking through every crevice. But casual players can just take in as much as they want before completing the story. With Naoe's speed along with her mount, exploring the map is actually enjoyable.
Yasuke, on the other hand, is a double-edged sword. He's amazing at combat, and probably the strongest protagonist the series has ever seen. As Naoe, you need to utilize stealth to defeat large groups of enemies. But Yasuke can just burst into a room and beat the life out of anybody.
Yasuke feels great to play as when you're sick and tired of hiding. With such a big map to explore, you sometimes just want to do it the plain and simple way. As Naoe, you may need to hide or take another route to avoid enemies. But you still need to avoid ranged projectiles. Yasuke flips the script, and you can take down groups of enemies in just moments.
However, he struggles when it comes to movement, making it difficult to traverse the world with him. And with such a large map full of buildings and high points, playing as Yasuke can feel limiting at times. I do like using him in combat, but I've also become so used to Naoe by the time I started playing as him. If I had to choose, I'd rather be the assassin in most situations. I can sacrifice the combat skills if it means better movement.
Furthermore, while playing as Yasuke is fun, I often felt like the combat doesn't match that of Ghost of Tsushima. That doesn't mean the swordplay is bad. But Yasuke feels limited compared to Jin Sakai. His combat does not feel as unique or as fluid, which makes him less fun to play with.
But all that said, I actually appreciate the idea of having a non-assassin character. I feel like the intention here was to give fans:
- A classic AC experience similar to older titles (Naoe)
- Something new that we've seen from newer entries (Yasuke)
By having Yasuke, players have more freedom in deciding how they want to approach each situation. So just because I don't think it works perfectly here, I don't want to see the idea abandoned. And I did enjoy his story, making it worth the time I spent acclimating to his play-style.
Regardless of which character you choose, you'll have an entire map to explore, full of quests and activities.
Like previous AC games, you'll be climbing up ViewPoints and entering restricted areas full of guards. But thanks to Yasuke, you have a different means of approach. In the open world, you'll meet all sorts of characters with their own quests. And of course, you can visit different vendors.
Throughout your experience you'll need to level up to tackle some of Iga's tougher territories. You'll need to increase your Mastery level by completing missions and side quests, defeating the enemies, and other interactions.
But what I like about Shadows is its Knowledge Point system. Throughout the map you'll discover these little orange dots. In each area is a little objective which upon completion, you earn a knowledge point. These help you unlock new skills, and there's all types of ways to earn them. From collecting scrolls to praying at shrines to more involved tasks like Hidden Trails, Knowledge Points add another dimension to how you level up.
I liked this system because it made more use of the map. You're actually rewarded for exploring, and it doesn't require you to repeat the same tasks in order to progress. Overall, I could definitely see this mechanic returning in future installments.
But one new feature that completely blew my mind was the Base Builder. Early in Shadows, you start your first hideout, which you can grow and customize over the course of the game. You can build things like Forges and Stables, add people and animals, build roads and add lights, and make an entirely new town.
At first I felt overwhelmed. But overtime I just slowly added piece by piece to build a solid little town. But we've seen some awesome creations from the game's community of players. It's completely optional, meaning you do not need to do much with it if you want to just focus on the story.
There's lots of other activities in Shadows, like the Kuji-Kiri, which only Naoe can access. These flashback missions provide a little more depth on her character, but we'll cover that soon. But you can search for Animus Anomalies, do some with Kata with Yasuke, take some horse archery courses, and so much more. The ones I just listed were among the most memorable.
There's plenty of other small things to do, even things as microscopic as petting cats and dogs. I think it's safe to say you won't be bored.
Overall, I really enjoyed the gameplay experience Assassin's Creed Shadows offered. The dual-character system is awesome, even if I felt it didn't work perfectly at times. And having plenty to do within the map gives you a real sense of progression when completing an entire region. But how does the plot compare to the gameplay?
Story – Assassin's Creed Shadows Review
The Story of Assassin's Creed is set near the end of the Sengoku Period in feudal Japan. It seems like everyone wants to jump in on the feudal Japan scene. We've had games like Ghost of Tsushima and its upcoming sequel, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and Nioh, as well as TV shows like Shogun. Considering the success of those games and series, it made sense for Ubisoft to dip into this setting as well.
And to my pleasant surprise, they nailed the setting and story.
Typically, I play an Assassin's Creed Game for its gameplay. But I must say, the plot of Shadows genuinely had me interested. Naoe and Yasuke both have their own stories, but they intertwine throughout the campaign.
Naoe's story is a classic tale of revenge that feels fun to progress through and watch. Without spoiling the plot, you essentially need to search for a group of targets and execute them. Overall, you follow the young Shinobi's Quest to recover a precious box and defend the Iga Clan. I know that, at the time of writing, the game has been out for some time. However, I'd still prefer not to spoil more than that.
That's because exploring the World of Shadows definitely takes time. As we mentioned before, the map definitely feels smaller, but still massive enough to offer a long experience. So not every player has reached the end, even at this point.
Assassin's Creed Shadows' Story feels like a return to form the series… at least when you play as Naoe. She's the first protagonist in a long time that truly feels like an Assassin. From Vikings to Sages, the series had kind of dabbled away from its roots. Even older titles like Black Flag explored other “career” opportunities for your player. And while I did like Valhalla, Black Flag, and Oddysey, it felt like the series was moving away from its identity.
But having Yasuke also means that Ubisoft was able to cater to fans who enjoyed being someone different. From slave-to-samurai, Yasuke makes for an interesting character that plays differently from what the series usually offers.
One thing I didn't mention in Gameplay that felt appropriate here was the Quest System. This menu shows you shows you what quests you need to complete, and which categories they lie under. I liked how every time I defeated a target, the screen would update, giving me a sense of progress. I enjoyed completing one set of quests while watching new ones throughout the story.
And there's tons of side quests and interactions that fill the gap in between story missions. My favorite was a story about an abandoned dog, who Naoe decides to help. But there's tons of other stories, even minuscule ones like giving a man money to help him repair his wagon.
The variety of quests is great, and what makes it better is the option to weave your own path with dialogue choices. You can play in Canon Mode if you want, which makes the decisions for you. But I recommend making your own decisions on your first run. It gives you a little more control over the narrative, which I really enjoyed.
The Animus Machine has shown lots of stories, and Assassin's Creed Shadows feels like one of the best so far. I think between Naoe and Yasuke's experiences, as well as the happenings within the world of Shadows, I found myself really invested in the plot, much more so than recent installments.
Overall, Shadows' epic story matches its addictive and rewarding gameplay. If you're looking for an AC game with a good story, look no further.
Graphics – Assassin's Creed Shadows Review
Graphically, Assassin's Creed Shadows is a visually impressive game. Exploring through the map's many regions is both breathtaking, and even relaxing when nobody is trying to kill you. From the mountaintops, to the ravines, to small towns and larger settlements, Ubisoft has once again created another beautiful map.
And what's nice about Shadows is the changing of Seasons. You can either manually change it, or as time passes by, it changes on its own. With a big map like Shadows, it helps to change the scenery once in awhile. I also found it cool to re-visit old locations just to see how it changed as time went by.
The wind effects make for some pleasing traveling sequences. Whether I was on horseback, on foot, or crawling through enemy lines, I felt pretty relaxed just roaming around. Of course, that doesn't last long when you see some guy with a spear coming your way.
The graphics of the Assassin's Creed series has always been one of its biggest strong suits. Shadows is no exception, and it takes advantage of its setting to produce a visually pleasing experience. Climbing up a viewpoint feels more rewarding than ever as you search across Japan.
I recommend playing on Performance Mode, because the visuals are good enough to sacrifice some quality in favor of frame rate. But if you own a high-end PC, or if you just really like graphics, check out Quality Mode. Either way, I think players will be satisfied with the game's looks once again this year.
Overall, Shadows looks just as good as it plays, and the game's Photo Mode shows the developers were really proud of what they cooked up this time.
Audio / Music / Sound Design – Assassin's Creed Shadows Review
In terms of Audio, Assassin's Creed does everything well… mostly. Everything from peaceful horse rides to deadly combat, all sound perfectly fine.
But all that said, I do have to mention the english voice acting, which is pretty rough. Naoe's VA sounds like she's reading from a script, and so do many of the other characters. Not every character sounds bad, like Nagato or Nobunaga, but for the most part, characters sound off.
I look at a game like S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Call of Chernobyl, where the voice the english voice acting sounds both awesome and genuine to the language. In AC Shadows, the accents sound accurate, but there's no passion in line delivery. The game does offer an immersion mode, in which characters speak their native languages (Japanese or Portuguese). While I appreciate the option, sometimes I don't feel like reading subtitles if there's an english option available.
But when it comes to everything else, the game sounds good. The soundtrack fits the setting, especially when you engage in combat. The game's OST helps to immerse you in the setting, and sometimes it's just nice to listen to wildlife or people talking in the towns.
Overall, Shadows does everything right in sound design except for in one crucial area. That said, in time I kind of just got over it. And the inclusion of an Immersion Mode at least provides variety.
Review Verdict: Is Assassin's Creed Shadows Worth Your Time & Money?
Assassin's Creed Shadows feels like a breath of fresh air to the series. It offers a fun gameplay experience that feels closer to the series' roots, a smaller map but brimming with things to do, and a story that was surprisingly good. There's a reason why this game surpassed three million players in its first week. The Assassin's Creed series is still strong, and it's here to stay.
Shadows hits the mark on its fundamentals while also providing something new. Naoe's gameplay sections feel reminiscent of older titles, but with the improvements and updates we've come to expect along the way.
Yasuke, on the other hand, adds something new for players to try. And while I did have my issues with his mechanics, I found the character to be very enjoyable and compelling. I also see many players opposite of me who will very much love bashing through waves of enemies with the samurai.
I'd say the only major gripes I had with my experience was Yasuke's limited movement, as well as the english voice-acting. But these issues paled in comparison to the fun I had. From Base Building, to completing quests, to open world interactions, Shadows made me feel like there was so much to do.
But unlike some previous entries, the game's map size makes it a bit more accessible for newcomers. I still spent hours roaming the vast, open world. But I also felt like the size was appropriate enough for the amount of content within. It was a perfect balance of quality and quantity.
If you love the Assassin's Creed Series, you'll feel right at home with Shadows. And if you're new, Ubisoft did a lot of things to make your experience just as smooth. Shadows reinvigorated my interest in the series, and I can't wait to see what's next for our two protagonists ahead.
Assassin's Creed Shadows Review Score: 9/10
Editor’s Note: ClutchPoints received a PS5 review copy to allow us to cover this game. These copies did not, in any way, affect this Assassin's Creed Review’s final score and verdict.
For more gaming news, visit ClutchPoints. Furthermore, subscribe to our gaming newsletter for more weekly info.
