Assassin’s Creed Shadows Review: A Bold New Chapter in the Series

Dom
Mar 18
5 min read

Updated: 5 days ago

by Dom's Roundtable

Ubisoft has finally delivered what fans have been asking for, a full-fledged Assassin’s Creed game set in feudal Japan. Assassin’s Creed Shadows introduces a fresh dual-character system, an expansive open world, and a deep combat system that blends stealth and brutality. After spending over 60 hours with the game, I’m here to give you a fully honest, spoiler-free review, covering both the strengths and weaknesses of this ambitious new entry.

So, does Assassin’s Creed Shadows live up to the hype, or does it stumble under the weight of its own ambition? Let’s find out.

Two Playable Characters: A Risk That Pays Off?

One of the most significant changes in Assassin’s Creed Shadows is the introduction of two completely different playable characters: Naoe, the Shinobi, and Yasuke, the Samurai.

For the first part of the game (after the tutorial), you play exclusively as Naoe, and after roughly 8 to 16 hours, depending on how much side content you engage with, you unlock Yasuke. At this point, you can switch between them freely, choosing which approach best suits each situation.

Naoe is stealth-focused, excelling in parkour, silent assassinations, and agility. Her combat abilities feel like a return to classic Assassin’s Creed gameplay, where precision and patience are key. Her Eagle Vision is invaluable, highlighting enemies, loot, and objectives across a wide radius (even through walls!), allowing for careful planning before striking. Her movement is fluid and satisfying, making her an excellent choice for players who love stealth-based gameplay.

Yasuke, in stark contrast, is a brute-force warrior. He moves slower, lacks parkour skills, and doesn’t have the ability to perform traditional assassinations like Naoe (though he does have his own version of Brutal Assassinations, which are equally as satisfying). Instead, he smashes through doors, wields heavy weapons, and dominates enemies with sheer strength. His combat style is vastly different from Naoe’s, relying on guard breaks, powerful swings, and high damage output.

This dual-character system adds depth and strategy to the game.

While I personally love the variety, I can see how it might frustrate players who prefer a pure stealth experience. If you expect Yasuke to eventually gain the agility of a Shinobi, or have Naoe develop the raw power of a samurai, you’ll be disappointed. Each character has clear strengths and weaknesses, and the game forces you to adapt rather than turning them into all-powerful hybrids.

A Beautiful But Restrictive Open World

Ubisoft has crafted one of the most visually stunning worlds in the series, capturing the essence of feudal Japan with dense forests, towering castles, and vibrant seasonal changes. The level of detail in the environment is breathtaking, from the falling cherry blossoms in spring to the thick snowdrifts of winter. The developers claimed a few weeks ago that the world looks "stunning" even on the lowest graphics settings, and I'm inclined to agree.

However, despite its beauty, the open world can sometimes feel restrictive. Unlike previous Assassin’s Creed games, where players could climb almost anything, Shadows introduces more natural barriers. Steep mountains, thick forests, and uneven terrain often prevent free movement, meaning you’ll need to follow more paths rather than parkouring your way to any location.

This isn’t necessarily a bad design choice, but it does mean that exploration is more structured. If you’re an Assassin's Creed veteran, where previously you could climb nearly anything in sight, you might find this change frustrating.

Ubisoft has implemented a pathfinder system that helps guide you through difficult terrain, making navigation more intuitive once you adjust. And whilst you are exploring Castles and other key locations, your movement and parkour abilities are still entirely unrestricted! The world feels alive, with NPCs going about their daily routines, wildlife reacting to your presence, and dynamic weather effects that impact visibility and movement. It’s an immersive, well-crafted setting, even if it doesn’t offer complete traversal freedom.

Combat and Stealth: A Perfect Balance

At its core, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is all about combat and assassinations, and this game delivers some of the best combat in the series. Naoe’s gameplay is stealth-driven, emphasising silent takedowns, evasive manoeuvres, and quick getaways. She can access traditional assassin weapons, including Kunai, Shuriken, and the hidden blade. Her assassinations feel smoother and more satisfying than ever, with multiple execution animations depending on your angle, speed and elevation of your attack.

Yasuke, on the other hand, is a force of destruction. He wields massive weapons like the Naginata and Kanabo, capable of breaking enemy guards and sending foes flying. His combat style feels weighty and impactful, making every hit feel brutal. However, his lack of stealth and agility means that playing as him requires a more direct, aggressive approach, something that a diehard AC fan may not feel as comfortable with.

One of the biggest improvements in Shadows is how well combat and stealth coexist. The game very rarely forces you to play one way or another, allowing freedom in how you approach each mission. The AI is smarter than in previous games, making stealth more challenging (at least on harder difficulties), while enemy encounters feel varied and dynamic rather than repetitive due to the huge variety of enemy types in the game, from Bandits and Conscripts to Ronin and Samurai.

The Hideout and RPG Elements

One of the biggest new additions to Assassin’s Creed Shadows is the Hideout system. This isn’t just a safe zone. It’s a fully customisable base where you can upgrade your weapons, recruit allies, manage resources, customise every pixel of your base, and so much more! Upgrading your hideout unlocks new abilities, weapons, and crafting options, adding a deeper RPG layer to the experience.

The game introduces scouts, which can be sent out to gather resources, track targets, or smuggle supplies.

A key part of customisation comes from Engravings, which allows you to apply special effects to weapons and armour. Some Engravings boost your assassination damage at night, while others increase your melee attack power or boost the amount of affliction build-up you inflict. This system encourages experimentation, letting you tailor your build dramatically, allowing both characters to perfectly fit your playstyle.

A Few Minor Issues

While Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a phenomenal game, it isn’t without a few minor drawbacks.

Firstly, I encountered occasional bugs, including characters clipping through objects and brief AI glitches. None of these were game-breaking, but they were noticeable enough to mention. Ubisoft has assured players that a day-one patch will address many of these issues, but we’ll have to wait and see how effective those fixes are.

Another odd design choice is the lack of a way to fast-forward time. Given that certain gear and engraving effects only activate at night, it’s frustrating that you can’t manually adjust the time of day. If you want to make the most of night-time-based assassinations, you’ll have to wait in-game for time to pass, which feels like an unnecessary limitation. Though you can change the Seasons which is really cool, as they also play a bit role in many aspects of the game.

Final Verdict: Is Assassin’s Creed Shadows Worth It?

The dual-character system adds a fresh dynamic, allowing players to experience both traditional stealth and brutal samurai combat. The world is beautifully crafted, the combat is incredibly satisfying, and the addition of base-building and customization adds even more depth.

While the slightly restrictive traversal and minor bugs hold it back from absolute perfection, Shadows is still one of the best Assassin’s Creed games I have ever played.

If you love heavy RPG elements, open-world exploration, and immersive historical settings, this game is absolutely worth your time.

Would I recommend Assassin’s Creed Shadows? Without hesitation.