In just two short months, gamers will finally have their hands on the next big instalment in the Assassin’s Creed franchise: Shadows.
This is a critical release for Ubisoft, and after four and a half hours with the game, Shadows is shaping up to be one of the best in the Assassin’s Creed series.
WATCH — HANDS ON WITH ASSASSIN’S CREED SHADOWS
Thanks to Ubisoft, I travelled to Sydney to sit down and finally play this hotly anticipated game. And while it’s not perfect, the gameplay was mostly smooth, the world looks incredible, the parkour and exploration exceeded my expectations and the combat is just as brutal as it is satisfying.
Prologue: A Tale Of Two Playable Characters
From the moment the game begins, the narrative had me hooked, introducing key characters and the world.
WATCH: Interview with Assassin’s Creed Shadows Level Design Director
In Assassin’s Creed Shadows you can play as either Yasuke, a samurai brute with heavy combat focus, and Naoe, a stealth shinobi who takes on the Creed.
Naoe’s father seemingly had connections to the Creed, but as for how Ubisoft has worked it into the story — we’ll have to wait and see.
Yasuke’s story fascinates me far more. His character brings some real history to the fold and it all plays out as written in the history books (or at least Wikipedia).
Interestingly, the character Yasuke has featured in a handful of other Japanese-themed titles; the warrior appeared as the Obsidian Samurai in 2017’s Nioh, as well as its 2020 sequel. Yasuke also appeared as a playable character in Samurai Warriors 5. So the idea of this historical figure making their way to the world of Assassin’s Creed is more than welcome.
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As for Yasuke’s connection to the Creed, he seemingly hasn’t delved into the world of assassins, though his sharp instincts are a highlight from the opening scenes.
The developers have thoughtfully crafted Yasuke’s story, offering a plausible narrative for how a man of color achieved prominence as a Japanese warrior.
Overall, the prologue served as an excellent introduction to the new characters. In fact, I’d go as far to say the prologue stands out as some of the best storytelling in Assassin’s Creed history.
That may seem like I’m laying it on thick, but the setting and the characters truly brings something fresh to the table.
Wielding the Blade
Naoe is quick, stealthy and deadly. I spent the majority of my playthrough as her. Exploring the world on foot and by horseback, visiting traditional shrines and climbing mountaintops — it was fantastic.
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Naoe uses the classic assassin’s hidden blade, in addition to a katana and a couple of other pretty cool weapons.
Both Yasuke and Naoe’s abilities have skill trees to enhance combat and the overall experience, adding new special moves and increased damage — just to name a few.
While the lighting wasn’t great during some night time scenes, I’m assured by Ubisoft it was just a bug in the preview. As for other bugs, I can’t say I experienced too many — or at least anything major. Overall, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is shaping up to be something grand and I can’t wait to play more.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC on March 20th.
