Assassin's Creed Shadows Review: A Refined Japan Adventure That Holds Its Ground

Assassin's Creed Shadows Review: A Refined Japan Adventure That Holds Its Ground

It’s surprising that after nearly two decades and numerous titles, the Assassin’s Creed series has only now ventured into feudal Japan. Assassin’s Creed Shadows makes the most of its long-awaited setting, starring a pair of compelling protagonists—a shinobi and a samurai—whose dynamic and well-written relationship make exploring vast castles and engaging in brutal combat both enjoyable and exciting. While the game mostly sticks to refining and tweaking existing systems, like cleaner maps and more streamlined skill trees, it also builds on the successful elements from Assassin's Creed Mirage (2023), especially the focused and tougher combat, as well as the better-paced main quests. While not without its flaws and missed opportunities, Shadows has me feeling more confident than ever that Assassin’s Creed is here to stay.

The story in Shadows often treads familiar ground, full of clichés typical of narratives set in feudal Japan: wandering warriors seeking honor, corrupt rulers enabling exploitation, and bandits instilling fear in the countryside. If you're a fan of works like James Clavell’s Shogun or Akira Kurosawa’s films, you’ll likely recognize many of the themes. However, despite its predictability, the intertwining plots maintain a level of intrigue, akin to the approach seen in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. Though the writing may not consistently surprise, it does offer some moments of reflection and intrigue, and the series’ trademark conspiracy fits well within the Sengoku period backdrop, like a hidden blade ready for action.

The two central characters, Yasuke and Naoe, shine throughout. Naoe, a last surviving shinobi from the Iga clan, carries a tragic past, while Yasuke is a tireless champion for justice. The two forge a solid partnership, often balancing each other with different perspectives. Though they might not win popularity contests against iconic characters like Ezio or Edward, their dynamic is central to the game’s emotional core. Together, they light up the otherwise dark tale of vengeance.

The pacing of the story echoes that of Valhalla, with each of the nine regions serving as a self-contained chapter. However, Shadows improves upon its predecessor by ensuring that characters and story elements remain relevant across regions. The pacing feels quicker and less bogged down by filler, making it easier to jump in and enjoy the narrative in manageable chunks, much like reading a good book.

Many of the missions in Shadows are initiated from an objective board, a more complex version of the system introduced in Assassin’s Creed Mirage. This setup fits the game’s theme of uncovering members of a secret society causing chaos across Japan. While this system is more efficient than the traditional quest lists, it sacrifices some of the magic of exploration. More than once, I stumbled across a villain in the wild, only to discover they were part of a group I hadn’t yet realized was relevant. But I’d take this tradeoff for the ease of task organization.

The quest system provides clues to help narrow down objectives, encouraging players to study the map and use educated guesses to track targets. Unlike previous games, Shadows makes you work for your objectives, rather than simply providing glowing indicators. Scouts, a feature you can develop at your hideout, assist by highlighting unidentified objectives, but they come with the risk of depleting your limited scout resources, especially in the early game.

The game’s map design takes a more restrained approach, with sparse point-of-interest icons that entice you to explore the landscape on your own. It’s a refreshing departure from the overwhelming array of markers that often clutter the maps in past games. This design choice made me feel more compelled to explore naturally, rather than compulsively checking off every task in sight.

Overall, Assassin’s Creed Shadows may not reinvent the wheel, but it effectively refines what works, offering a fresh take on the stealth-action genre while staying true to the essence of what makes the series great. With its engaging characters, refined mechanics, and an atmospheric setting, Shadows shows promise for the future of the franchise.

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