Assassin's Creed Shadows Review

Developer: Ubisoft Quebec

Platforms: Mac, PC, PS5, Xbox Series X (Reviewed)|S

Genre: Action, Adventure, RPG

Publisher: Ubisoft

Assassin’s Creed Shadows marks the latest chapter in the storied franchise, transporting players to the rich tapestry of Feudal Japan in 1579. The game revolves around dual protagonists Naoe and Yasuke, masterfully blending the series’ trademark world-building with an expansive Japanese landscape ripe for exploration.

The experience begins with a cinematic sequence that introduces both characters and their backstories while showcasing their distinct fighting styles. Initially, the narrative-driven approach eases players into this meticulously crafted world, clearly establishing each protagonist’s motivations. The storytelling weaves a cohesive tale populated by recurring NPCs who bring this captivating world to life.

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Visually, Shadows stuns with its painstakingly detailed environments. Each location feels alive with a dynamic mix of inhabitants, wildlife, and ever-changing seasonal conditions. These seasonal shifts significantly impact gameplay—you’ll trudge through the snow, navigate treacherous ice, and use heavy rainfall as cover during stealth missions. While these elements might seem inconsequential individually, collectively, they create a living, breathing world that feels genuine and immersive.

Xbox Series X

Performance Mode: Targets 60fps at 2160p (upscaled) with selective ray-tracing
Fidelity Mode: Runs at 30fps at 2160p (upscaled) with standard ray-tracing
Balanced Mode: Runs at 40fps at 2160p (upscaled) with standard ray-tracing

Xbox Series S

Single mode targeting 30fps at 1620p (upscaled) with selective ray-tracing

PlayStation 5

Performance Mode: Aims for 30fps at 2160p (upscaled) with selective ray-tracing
Fidelity Mode: Delivers 30fps at 2160p (upscaled) with standard ray-tracing
Balanced Mode: Offers 40fps at 2160p (upscaled) with standard ray-tracing

PlayStation 5 Pro

Performance Mode: Pushes for 60fps at 2160p (upscaled) with standard ray-tracing
Fidelity Mode: Maintains 30fps at 2160p (upscaled) with extended ray-tracing
Balanced Mode: Achieves 40fps at 2160p (upscaled) with extended ray-tracing

Ray-Tracing Tiers Explained

Selective: Global illumination for diffuse lighting, limited to hideout areas
Standard: Global illumination for diffuse lighting throughout the entire game
Extended: Global illumination for both diffuse lighting and surfaces across all game environments

Note: Balanced modes require a 120Hz display and HDMI 2.1 connection, effectively splitting the difference between performance and visual quality at 40fps.

Naoe embodies the classic stealthy shinobi archetype that long-time fans will recognize, excelling in parkour and silent assassinations. With six customizable skill trees, Naoe offers the traditional Assassin’s Creed experience I’ve come to love—scaling castle walls and eliminating targets with surgical precision.

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By contrast, Yasuke embraces the samurai tradition as a formidable tank that can power through encounters with brute force. Though lacking Naoe’s agility, Yasuke compensates with raw strength and an impressive arsenal. Both characters bring refreshingly different approaches to missions, encouraging multiple playthroughs with their unique abilities.

The controls strike a perfect balance between responsiveness and accessibility, offering a familiar experience for Assassin’s Creed veterans with a minimal learning curve. Navigating the expansive open world is generally smooth, though you’ll occasionally encounter minor environmental glitches where your character might get trapped in the landscape. These hiccups are rare enough not to detract from the overall experience.

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Horse riding presents the most noticeable movement challenges. When venturing off established paths through dense underbrush and forested areas, your mount sometimes struggles to navigate the terrain, occasionally becoming stuck or unresponsive. These moments of frustration are fortunately infrequent and primarily affect those who prefer exploring beyond the beaten trail.

The hideout system allows you to construct various buildings like dojos and forges to enhance your allies and upgrade weapons. This seemingly minor feature significantly impacts gameplay progression, letting you customize your base with your favourite animals and strengthening your characters’ capabilities.

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Within this sprawling world lies a wealth of activities to engage players for countless hours. Assassination contracts stand out as particular highlights, tasking you with eliminating targets through thoughtful detective work and exploration rather than mindless combat. As you uncover each clue, the thrill of the hunt intensifies toward its inevitable conclusion.

Castle liberation missions provide both tactical challenges and valuable rewards that directly enhance your character’s capabilities. The series’ trademark viewpoints return in spectacular fashion, rewarding your climbing prowess with breathtaking panoramas that showcase the game’s impressive scale and attention to detail.

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Resource gathering takes on greater significance as you collect materials to expand your hideout, creating a satisfying progression loop that connects exploration to tangible benefits. Intelligence-gathering missions deepen your understanding of both targets and the wider historical context, adding layers of meaning to your assassinations.

Perhaps most captivating are the numerous random encounters that punctuate your journey across the landscape. These unscripted moments- ranging from ambushes to opportunities for heroism—ensure that even routine travel between objectives remains engaging and unpredictable.

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Assassin’s Creed Shadows excels on multiple fronts, delivering an engaging experience enhanced by its dual protagonists, each with distinct skill trees and playstyles. The world-building shines throughout the enormous map filled with events, missions, side quests, and iconic viewpoints. Completing secondary objectives unlocks new weapons, upgrades, and skills, providing constant motivation to explore.

Feudal Japan comes alive with breathtaking visuals, while the inclusion of both dubbed and subtitled original audio creates a truly immersive cinematic experience. Naoe and Yasuke’s compelling narratives and contrasting gameplay approaches offer unprecedented variety within a single title. Their personal journeys drive a captivating story that perfectly complements the gameplay.

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This remarkable entry stands among the franchise’s finest, delivering an exceptionally enjoyable experience that breathes fresh life into the Assassin’s Creed legacy.

Overall: 9/10