These impressions will be spoiler free
After years of speculation and multiple delays, The Assassin’s Creed franchise finally made it to Japan. With the stealth gameplay and assassination combat style, it only made sense to incorporate ninjas and samurai into the Assassin’s Creed world.
In Assassin’s Creed Shadows, you play as a dual protagonist, the Shinobi assassin, Naoe, and the legendary African samurai, Yasuke. This is the first time gamers will experience two very different play styles in an Assassin’s Creed game. When I play as Naoe, it takes me back to the days of playing the Tenchu games. Ubisoft has proven to be an expert when it comes to stealth gameplay over the years. The addition of the various ninja tools fits perfectly, and combat is incredibly smooth. Yasuke has his own set of tools and weapons, but his combat style is built around power. While he has a certain amount of stealth, Yasuke’s movements feel a lot heavier, and he can’t scale the environment in the same ways.
When it comes to experiencing the story of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Ubisoft has introduced a ‘Canon Mode’ that makes all story choices for the player. Your choices come into play when it comes to recruiting allies and romancing certain characters. Ubisoft decided to add canon mode to hopefully satisfy those who want a more streamlined experience. When I play larger titles with a lot to discover, I tend to get pulled away from the main objectives of the story so this is a welcomed addition. It has been really helpful in saving time when it comes to reviewing as well.
A cool addition to gameplay is the ally abilities you are able to unlock. As you explore the game world and complete missions, you encounter various individuals that you can recruit to your team. Some are recruited as scouts that assist you in discovering items and information in the game world. Others allow you to upgrade your hideout and equipment and combat abilities. This opens up how you are able to approach different encounters. If you discover gear or weapons that you really enjoy, you don’t have to discard them when you find something stronger that doesn’t fit your play style. The right allies give you the ability to improve your favorite pieces of gear.
The gameplay of Assassin’s Creed has really evolved over the years, and I think they have taken some positive inspiration from other franchises both within Ubisoft and externally. Infiltrating different camps and castles reminds me of playing the Ghost Recon games along with some inspiration from titles like Hitman. I think that the normal difficulty is challenging yet forgiving enough for most players and there is an opportunity for high-level play as well.
The Japanese setting of Assassin’s Creed Shadows may rival Origins as my favorite so far. The lush forests are dense and beautiful, and the towns are full of detail and full of unique characters. In combination with the new immersive mode, you really feel like you are in feudal Japan. Immersive mode is a little different in Assassin’s Creed versus games like Ghost Recon. In Shadows, each character speaks their native language which is then translated with subtitles. It makes me feel like I am in an old Samurai/Ninja film at times.
It looks like Ubisoft is taking a page from the Call of Duty book and improving it when it comes to their new game launcher. Gamers are now able to jump into any modern Assassin’s Creed game from The Animus Hub as long as it is installed on your machine. In addition, you will be able to access memories from the various games and complete ‘projects’ or regularly released missions via this hub. Think of this as an overall gallery or store for all things modern Assassin’s Creed.
For many, Assassin’s Creed Shadows will be a familiar experience with a new coat of paint. Most people already know the overall structure of the game. You will be dropped into a large game world with a ton of locations and side missions to discover. Some may be getting tired of this formula, but I don’t think that you can say this is a bad game. Naoe and Yasuke are very interesting characters and making my way through their stories has been an enjoyable ride. Throw a new exciting setting on top of great gameplay mechanics and you have a game that any action or stealth game player should enjoy. Character models and animations look great and the varied seasons and weather conditions make the game world look just as good. Ubisoft is often criticized for the amount of content in their most recent games, but I think everything is managed well here. I plan to spend time searching for resources to upgrade and customize my base while recruiting new scouts and companions. Others may prefer to skip all side quests and mainline the story. I am glad that we have these choices as gamers.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is available now on all platforms. You can grab your copy HERE.
This content was also posted on Trunrd.com
