Will Assassin’s Creed: Shadows be Ubisoft’s last-ditch effort, as numerous video game analysts suggest? Indeed, over recent years, what was once celebrated as France’s premier gaming franchise has seen a significant decline both emotionally among players and financially, marked by unsold games and a stock price at its lowest in a decade. This situation has raised alarms, prompting Yves Guillemot and his teams to postpone the release of Assassin’s Creed: Shadows as many times as necessary. Initially slated for November 15, 2024, the game was rescheduled to February 14, 2025 – Valentine’s Day – in September last year. However, recent reports indicate another delay of six additional weeks, pushing its release to March 20, just days before Ubisoft’s fiscal year-end. This new date appears promising as press and YouTubers have been invited by Ubisoft to test Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, generating considerable buzz since the game’s announcement. I had the opportunity to play it on PC for more than four hours, examining Yasuke and Naoe’s gameplay and even getting lost in its open world… So, what are my initial impressions? Is Assassin’s Creed: Shadows set to rescue Ubisoft from its recent misfortunes? Clues follow…
SAMURAI OR GREAT WARRIOR?
I am taking the opportunity to address the controversy regarding Yasuke’s status as a samurai within the game, which has been removed from both the game itself and online descriptions, particularly in Japan. Indeed, at the beginning of the adventure, Yasuke is no longer referred to as a samurai but is instead described as a great warrior, as indicated by the subtitles. However, when listening to the Japanese voice actors, the word “samurai” can clearly be heard. What does this discrepancy signify? It appears that changes have been made in the text descriptions but not in the audio dubbing. Is it possible that it was too late and overly complex to re-record the voices within such a short timeframe? Was this an alteration made at the last minute, or has it been present since the start? We will need to wait for the full game release to determine if the term “samurai” concerning Yasuke has indeed been removed from Ubisoft’s official documentation.
For several weeks, Ubisoft has resumed communication regarding its upcoming title, Assassin’s Creed: Shadows. This communication has been detailed and well-managed, with regular updates focusing on various aspects of the game, including the combat system, parkour mechanics, gameplay differences between Yasuke and Naoe, and the setup of the open world, which includes changes that many players have been anticipating for years—a less directive gaming experience. This is indeed the initial impression one receives when exploring the open world of Assassin’s Creed: Shadows. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla already offered varying levels of guidance based on player preferences, and we saw with Avatar Frontiers of Pandora a clear intention to move away from its now-exhausting formula. In fact, I have been testing Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 for 15 days now, and it is evident that Ubisoft’s open worlds are at the complete opposite end of this spectrum. Here, there is literally zero guidance, leaving players to figure things out on their own.
TIME FOR CHANGE?
Let us revisit Assassin’s Creed Shadows, where Ubisoft has recognized the need to reduce excessive guidance given to players and place more trust in them. The game now features fewer icons and points of interest on the map; initially, it appears empty except for region names. As you progress through the world, new elements such as sub-regions, local landmarks, and narrative-related information will become visible. This means that simply zooming out to scan the entire map does not reveal all quests and activities upfront, with only nearby points of interest becoming apparent.This approach is a positive step indicating Ubisoft’s understanding that players should be allowed more freedom to explore the game as they see fit, rather than being led through every detail. The principle “less is more” applies aptly here in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. While Assassin’s Creed will not adopt the stringent gameplay style of Kingdom Come Deliverance, catering instead to a broader audience, it acknowledges that meticulousness can be off-putting for some players.Ubisoft recognizes that players must adapt to the game rather than vice versa, while still offering assistance through various options. For instance, there is a pathfinder feature already present in recent Assassin’s Creed games, which provides the quickest route to objectives and can be disabled via settings. Similarly, auto-tracking during NPC interactions can also be turned off. These features have been available in previous games and apply when using horses as well.As long as these options remain customizable without being mandatory, it represents a balanced approach that respects player autonomy while still providing necessary support.
With Yasuke and Naoe present, we questioned how character switching would work in the game, and it turns out that it is as straightforward as in Assassin’s Creed Syndicate: simply open the menu, navigate to the “Inventory” section, and hold the X or Square button to switch between Yasuke and Naoe. There will be a brief loading time with a transition through the Animus, noting that character switching is impossible during a mission or quest; you must complete the task with the current character. Beyond this mechanic of alternating between Yasuke and Naoe, the character switch will have genuine significance. Unlike Syndicate, there is a true stylistic and gameplay distinction between Yasuke and Naoe. As noted, Yasuke is a tank character—not only is he physically large but his imposing frame and samurai armor allow him to absorb enemy attacks well. In large battles, especially when outnumbered, it becomes evident that Yasuke performs better than Naoe. While our kunoichi can handle multiple enemies simultaneously, she loses health more easily compared to Yasuke, necessitating the player to adopt a different tactical approach and play with greater subtlety. This is precisely the goal of this maneuver and perhaps one of the game’s significant achievements: offering two radically different gameplay styles that change the approach to missions based on the character chosen. I am unsure if the entire game can be played with a single character without switching or if certain moments will require both characters, but infiltrating a castle with Yasuke, who moves slowly and cannot climb walls or rooftops, may present challenges quickly. This is where Naoe truly excels, showcasing her agility, flexibility, highly stylized animations that make her movements feel like controlling a kunoichi straight out of an anime, and her grappling hook to latch onto various surfaces and even draw enemies towards her.
TWO GAMEPLAYS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE
Another talent of Naoe is her ability to infiltrate, allowing her to surprise enemies from behind using not just conventional movements but also the stealth mechanic that made the Splinter Cell series successful—playing with darkness. It is advisable to neutralize any light sources that could compromise your presence, so you can extinguish candles, destroy hanging lamps, and evade spotlights. Being illuminated poses a risk for Naoe, who prefers clinging to beams or hiding in chests, waiting for the right moment to assassinate silently. As a female ninja, she has all the tools necessary for her role, including secondary weapons such as the Kusarigama, shurikens, smoke bombs, and kunais, which are useful for neutralizing enemies at a distance.
For the remaining maneuvers, players must engage with parries and dodges, recognizing that certain enemy attacks can only be dodged rather than parried. This is easily identifiable by a red spark preceding the enemy’s strike. Conversely, blue sparks signify a successful parry but also indicate that multiple subsequent strikes will follow, requiring continuous parrying until all are accounted for. This mechanism facilitates intricate combat sequences while incorporating a timing aspect to counterattacks. Specifically, as Naoe moves with grace and fluidity, Yasuke relies solely on sidestepping or retreating to evade attacks due to the disparity in size and speed between the two characters, which adds an engaging dynamic when switching control between them.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows features two distinct gameplay styles through characters Yasuke and Naoe. Yasuke is a tank-like character characterized by his large physical presence and heavy samurai armor, making him well-suited for absorbing damage in large-scale battles against multiple enemies due to his size and defensive capabilities. In contrast, Naoe is an agile kunoichi with stealth abilities that include using shadows, disabling lights, and employing secondary weapons such as the Kusarigama, shuriken, smoke bombs, and kunai for effective combat without direct confrontation.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows features two distinct gameplay styles through its protagonists, Yasuke and Naoe. Yasuke, a large, heavily armored samurai, is designed for absorbing damage with his robust build and defensive capabilities. He moves slower but compensates with powerful attacks that can breach enemy defenses. In contrast, Naoe is an agile female ninja who relies on speed and precision to eliminate enemies silently. She possesses the ability to climb walls, use a grappling hook, and wield ninja weapons such as shurikens and kunais for ranged attacks.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is set to release on March 20, 2025, following a delay from its initial November 2024 date due to Ubisoft’s financial concerns and player feedback. The game features two distinct playable characters, Yasuke and Naoe, each with unique gameplay styles catering to different play preferences. Yasuke is portrayed as a tank-like character built for absorbing damage in large-scale battles, designed to handle multiple enemies effectively through defensive capabilities and powerful attacks. In contrast, Naoe is an agile kunoichi who excels in stealth combat, equipped with tools such as a grappling hook, shurikens, smoke bombs, and kunais. She can navigate the environment using walls and rooftops, employ shadow play to avoid lights, and uses parries and dodges for combat, introducing a timing mechanic that rewards skillful player execution. The game aims to offer less on-screen guidance compared to previous Ubisoft open worlds, encouraging exploration and tactical decision-making. Players have the option to switch between Yasuke and Naoe at designated menu points, each character requiring different strategic approaches, thereby providing a varied gaming experience within a single title.
