Assassin’s Creed Shadows Preview: Series Feels Refreshed in Japan

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Over the past week, I had an exciting opportunity to dive into Assassin’s Creed Shadows for close to four hours. Despite the game’s repeated delays, there’s no need for concern. The version I tried felt incredibly refined, and it promises to be the finest Assassin’s Creed title since Black Flag when it drops on May 20, 2025.

In contrast to previous Assassin’s Creed games that featured multiple protagonists, the pair in Shadows presents an unprecedented difference. One is Yasuke, a former slave transformed into a samurai, who can bust through doors with a powerful shoulder charge instead of just opening them. He’s a massive character, delivering heavy blows, but not particularly agile. Unlike other Assassin’s Creed games that emphasize stealth, this one offers a unique gaming experience because Yasuke doesn’t climb buildings easily or move around stealthily. Instead, it plays more like For Honor as you charge into battles, ready to confront any enemies head-on.

The character Naoe, the stealthy shinobi assassin among the main characters, is quite conventional in her methods. She excels at blending with tall vegetation, scaling structures effortlessly to strike from above, and executing swift and silent kills. However, it’s best to avoid direct confrontations whenever feasible as her basic attacks are not particularly powerful. Unlike Yasuke, she doesn’t rely on brute force to overcome every challenge. In the game created by Ubisoft, players have the freedom to select their preferred playstyle, as I was often given the choice between characters during missions, except for those more focused on cinematic storytelling in the opening sequences.

In this game, I predominantly played the character Yasuke to experience a more action-oriented take on Assassin’s Creed. The character has unique abilities that can be customized, and there’s an exciting move that momentarily turns the screen monochrome, reminiscent of old Akira Kurosawa samurai films, before delivering a powerful strike. Despite being strong, defensive moves like parrying are crucial to avoid getting overrun by multiple enemies, so maintaining proper distance is also essential for successful combat. I found myself adapting my strategy, switching to a bow and arrow in some tough situations, and even resorting to stealth when necessary, given the large samurai characters. The game offers various weapon types, but I stuck with a sword because it felt authentic for a samurai character.

During the demo’s finale, an assassination of Ukita Naoie, one of Japan’s Three Notorious Villains, occurred. Consequently, I primarily referred to her as Naoe since she seemed more suitable for the mission. This was reminiscent of the classic Assassin’s Creed experience, where I stealthily infiltrated a castle, eliminating guards discreetly, and leveraging the night’s shadows by extinguishing lights within. Although Yasuke was fun to play, it still retained all the elements necessary for an engaging stealth game.

Among all aspects of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, I found the immersion into its setting to be the most captivating. The game presents a breathtaking Japan, filled with stunning architecture, idyllic villages, and furry companions like dogs and cats that you can interact with. What made it even more enjoyable was encountering historical figures I’ve previously studied in real life, such as Oda Nobunaga recruiting Yasuke to fight alongside him. Ubisoft’s talent for crafting rich, immersive worlds is evident once again in this installment.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Preview: Final Verdict

Following an enticing initial gameplay period, I’m eagerly anticipating the array of experiences Assassin’s Creed Shadows promises to deliver. I thoroughly enjoyed my time switching between Naoe and Yasuke. The upcoming title seems intriguing as it presents a challenge in balancing stealth and power, rather than having characters who excel at both like Ezio or other protagonists. However, the skill tree system appears well-developed and promising. What truly captivates me, though, is the meticulously crafted Japanese setting, where Ubisoft has demonstrated exceptional attention to detail.

ComingSoon attended a Ubisoft virtual event for our Assassin’s Creed Shadows preview.

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2025-01-23 20:10