Xbox Review | Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Set in feudal Japan, harness the unique strengths of a shinobi assassin and legendary samurai to bring peace to an otherwise chaotic world. Taking out assassination targets one by one while exploring an open-world setting and helping those in need, you’ll find yourself in a multitude of differing situations while having no restraints on where your gameplay will take you. In the latest instalment in the Assassin’s Creed series, Assassin’s Creed Shadows emphasises stealth as a key element as you make your way through enemy territories undetected while also allowing you to go in all guns blazing should you wish. As you follow the story of two protagonists, Naoe and Yasuke, your skills will be put to the test as you take on the powerful Shinbakufu and uncover the past and discover present-day events. Ubisoft takes us to Japan but the story and how it unfolds is for you to control. Please consider reading on to read my more in-depth opinions of Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

Things I Liked

• Main questline/s | Assassin’s Creed Shadows takes us on a journey which has one main path which also splits into the two sub-paths of Yasuke and Naoe to explore their backstories further, giving us multiple narrative directions and engaging scenarios to experience. Length-wise, the game has plenty to do but even if you’re just focusing on the main story, there is still around 40 hours worth of content on offer. I enjoyed finding out more about both characters as the story progressed and seeing how their stories interlocked with one another. It’s something I didn’t foresee but was pleasantly surprised when I realised what direction the developers had in mind. It also somewhat forces you to level up your character/s as the further you venture into the story, the higher the level of the areas you need to step foot into. One of the better Assassin’s Creed games in terms of story in my opinion.

• Stealth or loud approach | Within the Assassin’s Creed Series, there have always been elements of stealth and combat, usually being up to the player as to which approach they prefer or find more effective while other times being forced into one or the other. Assassin’s Creed Shadows has created a greater emphasis on stealth, and it’s made all the world of difference. I find Naoe is the way to go if you want a quiet approach while Yasuke should be your choice if you want to barge in the front door and start a fight. In the open world, you can play as either character at a moment’s notice but some missions will require you to pick one between the two. Who you choose to play is mainly down to preference; always think about your end goal and which approach would be more beneficial.

• Knowledge and mastery | As you progress through both main and optional quests, you will gain mastery points which can be spent improving Yasuke and Naoe’s unique skillsets. As each character uses different skill trees due to using different weapons and having separate playstyles, it’s up to the individual playing to decide what they value most. Even if you decide to spec into one skill tree, for example: Yasuke’s Tempo, and decide later on you prefer his Naginata, you can reset and respend your points without incurring a penalty. In addition to this, if you want to unlock more advanced skills, you will need to increase your knowledge level by completing more quests or in some instances, progress the main story further. I’ve always believed skill trees are an important feature as they unlock and enhance playstyles, allowing them to shine. Whether you prefer up close and personal combat or the stealthier approach, there are multiple routes you can try out and change.

• Accessibility options | Within the options of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, there are multiple accessibility options you can adjust/change to make your experience more tailored to you. The HUD adjustments allowed me to make my waypoint icons larger, which is always my preference so I don’t have to strain my eyes working out what symbol I’m travelling towards. I also enabled immersive mode as I tried the game with English voice actors but found it didn’t meet my expectations – having Japanese voiceovers with English subtitles was a huge improvement in my opinion. Canon mode allows you to choose between making dialogue choices or letting the game make these for you. I don’t know about you but I will always opt towards making my own choices. There are difficulty settings which allow you to change the stealth and combat difficulty should you wish. As in most larger games these days, you also have options with: Controller remapping, fidelity/performance (not available on Xbox Series S), colourblindness, aim assistance, screen shake, blood and dismemberment, motion blur and chromatic aberration.

• Hideout addition | An unexpected addition to Assassin’s Creed Shadows was the ability to have your own customisable hideout that incorporates important upgrades and unique design potential for those who enjoy personalising their base. The ability to choose from constructing different buildings within your base can grant you access to various upgrades, depending on what you value the most during your playthrough but require mass amounts of resources so you must choose wisely as it could be some time before you’re able to upgrade or build again. As for the personalisation aspect, I think it’s a fantastic addition and allows players to create their vision. From placing decorative pieces to attaching buildings, customising the wall panelling/roof tiles to adding unique collectable items to your rooms – the potential is incredible.

• Fluid combat | Whether you play as Yasuke or Naoe will determine what options you have when it comes to combat scenarios, including your weapon choices and active abilities. The parry system is easy to grasp although some elite enemies can be quick with their attacks so it’s paramount that you pay close attention to the indicators. It’s also important to successfully parry if you want to build your adrenaline charges to use your active abilities but these can also be charged by depleting enemies’ health, deflecting attacks and landing posture attacks. In all the time I spent in combat, I don’t recall having any noticeable issues and I found it challenging enough. I had to pay close attention to my surroundings, utilise my attacks, and learn when I should take or leave a fight – some of the elite enemies are not to be messed with if you haven’t levelled enough and I speak from experience! Overall, the combat felt precise and mechanically balanced for players of all skill levels to enjoy – especially with the option to change the combat and/or stealth difficulty.

• Exceptional audio | The audio quality in Assassin’s Creed Shadows is incredible – from the environment to the combat, voice acting to the music; the developers have done a phenomenal job. When free roaming around the various areas, the rustling of foliage and wind blowing is on an immersive level (headset highly recommended) – especially with the changes in seasons and weather conditions. The voice acting, Japanese only as it’s what I used for my playthrough, was brilliant and conveyed emotions very well (captions also helped determine which emotion was being portrayed). As for the combat, the weaponry sounds were clean and connected when anticipated. It heightened my senses around everything which created an immersive ambience, making Assassin’s Creed Shadows an enjoyable experience. 

• Open world exploration | The world of Assassin’s Creed Shadows gives you ample opportunities to explore and partake in different quests should you want to split up your gameplay and take in some of the sights and culture. There are level recommendations for each section of the map which gives a good indicator as to where you could be heading next. Exploring and participating in optional missions such as, but not limited to, Horseback Riding and Kata for Yasuke and Kuji Kiri and Hidden Trials for Naoe will earn you knowledge points for you to obtain higher skill tree options as previously mentioned. There are also collectables and secrets to be found so it’s important to keep an eye out! Gathering resources is also essential if you want to upgrade your hideout so clearing out enemy castles and strongholds is the go-to for this. In other words, the world is your oyster!

• Codex and Japanese background | The codex in Assassin’s Creed Shadows serves as an in-game encyclopaedia for those who want to know more about the culture, history, animals and different characters of Feudal Japan. Understanding the world and setting of the game can make all the difference and can heighten the overall experience. There are cultural discoveries that focus on art and history, valuables that can be found through various means to gain additional insights into the culture and collectables such as Jizo statues, Sumi-e paintings, and objects in legendary chests that expand the codex further. I appreciate the codex and all the effort that has gone into making it as informative as possible; I suggest giving it a little read to expand your knowledge.

Mixed & Disliked

• Inconsistent visuals | I’d first like to emphasise how much this is in the ‘Mixed’ section as there isn’t anything necessarily wrong with the visuals; they’re beautiful in fact! You can even see some of the captures I took of my gameplay in the gallery at the end of this review. Assassin’s Creed Shadows has beautiful environmental scenery and stunning architecture, uses a gorgeous array of colours and overall has high-quality graphics. My disappointment with the visuals comes with the expectations set out in the Prologue as the quality of those cutscenes were far better than those that came afterwards and it was an unpleasant shock. I expected AC Shadows to continue with the pixel-sharp cutscenes I was taken aback by but to be downgraded within an hour of playing the game was a real shame. I’d also like to add there is a photo mode that everyone should try – there are ample opportunities for gorgeous screenshots to be taken!

• Occasional issues | During my 50+ hours of gameplay, I was unfortunate enough to encounter a couple of issues which did affect my experience with the game. I had one bug with the visuals of a specific character where her eyebrows weren’t positioned correctly and looked more like blurry squares that were way too far up her forehead. The second one involved me being kicked back into an object by an enemy NPC which left me unable to recover as I was stuck indefinitely, forcing a reload from a previous autosave. Thirdly, when assassinating some NPCS, they rose from the dead as if they’d never felt the force of my blade until I assassinated them after they were made aware of my presence. Finally, the game did crash on me a couple of times which was quite frustrating, but luckily, only set me back five minutes or so at a time.

How long did I play the review before publishing? Approximately 50 Hours
How long to beat the story? Approximately 50-60 Hours
How many Achievements did I earn before publishing? 35/54 OR 540/1000G
How long to achieve 1000G | Approximately 60-80 Hours
You’ll love this game if you like these | Assassin’s Creed Series

Conclusion

Score: 85/100

As the most modern game in the series, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a welcomed addition. I enjoyed my time playing as both Naoe and Yasuke (although Naoe was my preference due to her stealthier approach) and taking in everything Feudal Japan had to offer. The interlocking stories were interesting, the open world had plenty of content to complete and combined combat/stealth was everything I wanted from Assassin’s Creed. It’s a real shame about the bugs I encountered and the inconsistent visuals but these didn’t deter me from enjoying the game and recommending it to others.