From the moment we heard that the Assassin’s Creed series was heading to feudal Japan, we knew it was entering a minefield. Many games have already delivered fantastic experiences in this era, like *Ghost of Tsushima* and *Nioh*, among others. The real challenge for Ubisoft was to make *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* stand out from the other games that explored feudal Japan.
After more than 60 hours of gameplay, we completed the entire story and experienced a large portion of the side content. Now it’s time to judge the game realistically: Did it bring the series back on track? Did it deliver an experience worth our time? Let’s find out.

The Story (No Spoilers): A Cinematic Political Struggle

The game takes us to Japan in 1579, specifically during the Sengoku period, which was filled with bloody conflicts between clans and cities. Here, the leader “Oda Nobunaga” tries to unify Japan by any means necessary, even if it means massacres and eliminating his opponents.
In the midst of this chaos, the game introduces two main protagonists:
• Yasuke: An African-born warrior who was once a slave and was freed by Oda Nobunaga, beginning his journey as a samurai.
• Naoe: A ninja from the Iga province who uses classic shinobi techniques in combat and stealth.
The story starts very strong, possibly the strongest since *Black Flag*, but over time, it becomes overly complicated, turning from an engaging tale into a sprawling political conflict, similar to the series *Shogun*, but without a proper balance between drama and action. The story spans about 50 hours, and it could easily have been shortened to 20 hours without losing its value.

Gameplay: Varied but Repetitive

The game offers a gameplay formula similar to recent entries like *Valhalla* and *Odyssey*, but with some key differences. Having two protagonists adds real variety, as each has a distinct playstyle:
• Naoe: Her style relies on stealth, assassinations, and quick movement.
• Yasuke: Direct, brutal combat using a katana and traditional samurai techniques.
The game uses an “objective board” system, where you set your goals and carry out assassinations, but unfortunately, this design has become repetitive and lacks creativity. Most missions revolve around infiltrating a castle, assassinating a target, or engaging in direct combat. After 30 hours of gameplay, you’ll feel like you’re repeating the same actions without real innovation.
As for parkour, it’s improved compared to *Valhalla*, but it’s still far from the level of *Unity*. Naoe has excellent agility and uses a grappling hook to navigate, but its uses are limited compared to games like *Syndicate*.

When I first heard the game would focus more on stealth, I was excited about the idea of a lighting system similar to *Splinter Cell*, where being in the dark makes you nearly invisible, and moving closer to light sources makes you more visible. The idea sounds great in theory, but in practice, it doesn’t make much of a difference. I could stand on rooftops even when my visibility meter was full, and no one would see me! It’s clear the game still relies on the same line-of-sight system from previous entries.
The main stealth character here is Naoe, a true ninja who can sneak, use a grappling hook to reach high places, and enter tight spaces. Compared to Yasuke, the other combat-focused character, Naoe opens up new paths in the game world, but honestly, the difference isn’t huge. Most of the mechanics she uses have been seen before in previous games.

Even the tools Naoe uses don’t add much variety. She has kunai for quick kills, smoke bombs for escapes, and a bell to distract enemies. These are the same old ideas, and nothing feels like the game is taking stealth to a new level.
We still have the same issues from previous games, like parkour sometimes being clunky, where you get stuck in a spot and can’t escape quickly during a chase. Also, the Hidden Blade might not kill stronger enemies in one hit, which reduces the importance of planning, as you’ll need to level up your skills with XP to take them down instantly.
What frustrated me the most was playing in full stealth mode, only to suddenly be forced into a direct boss fight! Why? If I chose to be a ninja, I should have the option to assassinate the boss my way, not be forced into sword combat! Even if the game lets you switch to Yasuke before the fight, it’s not a solution, as it makes my choice of stealth feel meaningless.

Graphics and Sound: Visual Splendor and a Stellar Audio Experience

The visuals are undoubtedly the game’s strongest point. Feudal Japan is presented in the most beautiful way possible, with intricate details in cities, forests, and varied landscapes. The changing seasons add incredible visual diversity, and the cinematic scenes are packed with details and excellent facial animations.
As for the sound, the music is a perfect blend of traditional Japanese melodies and the iconic themes of the series. The voice acting is superb, especially the interactions between Yasuke and Naoe, which made their relationship feel deep and impactful to the story.
Final Verdict
*Assassin’s Creed Shadows* is a massive game that offers an enjoyable experience for fans of the series, but with noticeable repetition in missions and unnecessary stretching of the story. In terms of graphics and sound, it’s one of Ubisoft’s strongest games, but in terms of gameplay, there’s nothing groundbreaking.

Final Rating

8/10

If you enjoy the modern entries in the series, you’ll find fun here, but if you’re expecting a memorable experience like the *Ezio* trilogy or *Black Flag*, this might not be the game to bring the series back to its former glory.

Pros

• A rich and detailed Japanese world
• Two playable characters with different playstyles
• The best stealth in the series
• Weather elements and their impact on gameplay
• A new combat system combining speed and tactics
• Diverse skill trees for each character

Cons

• The ending and its connection to the series
• Disappointing enemy AI
• Repetitive mission design
• Balance issues between the two main characters
• The story’s focus isn’t deep enough