Assassin's Creed Shadows preview: a few steps in the right direction

Assassin’s Creed Shadows brings character swapping, 16th-century Japan setting, and interactive Animus Hub.

: Assassin's Creed Shadows takes players to 16th-century Japan, introducing a character-swapping mechanic and an ambitious Animus Hub. Players can alternate between Yasuke, a tank-like samurai, and Naoe, an agile shinobi, enhancing gameplay flexibility. The new Animus Hub connects Shadows with past titles and offers exclusive rewards. The game’s setting and novel features aim to rejuvenate the Assassin's Creed series.

Assassin's Creed Shadows ventures into 16th-century Japan, a highly anticipated setting, and introduces an innovative character-swapping feature within the game. Players can choose between Yasuke, a mighty warrior with brutal combat skills, and Naoe, a nimble assassin excelling in stealth and parkour. This character flexibility allows for diverse gameplay strategies, integrating traditional combat with stealth tactics.

The release of Shadows aligns with Ubisoft's broader strategy, including the Animus Hub, which establishes a cohesive platform for Assassin's Creed games, linking Shadows to previous entries. The Hub provides a comprehensive timeline for the series and is tailored to enhance the live-service aspect of the franchise, encouraging ongoing engagement through missions and exclusive rewards.

Game mechanics like the eagle vision for tagging opponents and environmental interactions, such as eliminating light sources to create hiding spots, offer fresh experiences. The streamlined map exploration reflects lessons learned from past games, and Shadows' story structure supports multiple playthroughs, inviting players to revisit the story with different approaches and language settings. Shadows is positioned to recover Ubisoft’s momentum, balancing legacy elements with new innovations.