Ubisoft has a lot riding on “Assassin’s Creed Shadows” as the company faces an uncertain future after several flops and misfires. The first-person competitive shooter “XDefiant” and the open-world sailing adventure “Skull and Bones” failed to take off while “Star Wars Outlaws” didn’t sell as well as predicted.
The publisher’s best chance for a massive hit lies in its flagship franchise, which has all the hallmarks of a blockbuster. “Assassin’s Creed Shadows” takes the series, where fans have always wanted it to go — Japan. In this case, players enter the Sengoku period, in which Oda Nobunaga ruthlessly consolidated power. It’s a time when samurais and shinobi roam the battlefield and firearms have begun to emerge. It’s an era that seems tailor-made for the series.
TWO PROTAGONISTS ANS TWO STYLES
Amid this tumultuous era, two warriors cross paths. The first is Yasuke, a black samurai whom Oda takes under his wing. As his retainer, Yasuke becomes a feared swordsman on the battlefield. The second is Naoe, a kunoichi from Iga who has the hallmarks of past “Assassin’s Creed” protagonists. She wields the hidden blade and has a second sense that lets her detect adversaries and other important items.
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They represent two ways of fighting in this era of Japan, but they also embody two different versions of “Assassin’s Creed” that have evolved over nearly 18 years. Naoe is the classic take on the series. She’s weaker compared to Yasuke and relies on stealth to eliminate her foes. She pounces on enemies from above or ambushes them after luring them into the bushes. She’ll be overwhelmed when crowded but can fight in a pinch until she breaks a line of sight and hides.
On the other hand, Yasuke represents the more recent “Assassin’s Creed” games starting with “Origins.” He’s the heavy hitter that powers through enemies like a bull raging down the streets of Pamplona. He shows off “Shadows’” new combat system that relies on parries and dodges to create openings along with posture-breaking attacks that take longer to pull off. It’s more like Ubisoft trying to pull off an “Arkham”-style combat system with more of a focus on reading and reacting than fluidity.
“Assassin’s Creed Shadows” has dozens of weapon and armor pieces to manage. (Ubisoft)
A MELDING OF DUAL WORLDS
Players control these divergent protagonists as Ubisoft tries to synthesize these two branches of the “Assassin’s Creed” series. In the process, they’re trying to take the best of both worlds to forge a new way forward and “Shadows” shows off the best and worst of that endeavor.
At its best, the adventure offers novel quests and scenarios that don’t always ask players to go from point A to point B to stick a knife in someone. The mission craft is more creative, asking Naoe to play detective in spots while other times asking players to dig deeper when given an assassination mission. At times, players will get to strategically choose which character to use.
They both play so differently that it slashes the gameplay fatigue in an epic that will take dozens of hours. Naoe feels swift and can easily access higher areas with her grappling hook. Meanwhile, Yasuke doesn’t parkour as well and can’t reach all rooftops but handles combat-heavy areas like the Terminator in a police station. The two styles complement each other well.
They even become important when combined with the dynamic season and weather systems. If it’s raining at night, that’s the perfect time to use Naoe, who excels in stealth with the rain muffling her movements and the darkness concealing her whereabouts. In the daytime, Yasuke’s direct approach is best just as long as the goal is within reach.
At its worst, “Shadows” suffers from too much sprawl. The main developer, Ubisoft Quebec, crams the campaign with a ridiculous amount of side quests and dynamic encounters. Players will encounter missions that spawn more tasks or they’ll encounter tired collection quests. The rewards are sometimes worth it, but they just seem like busy work, and something that doesn’t serve the larger narrative and sucks the main campaign’s momentum.
Another element that “Shadows” brings back is the option for players to build their own village, but in this case, it’s a hideout for the burgeoning secret organization, the Kakushiba Ikki. It’s another resource sink in a game that will engross more time. Players can let their creativity shine through in the layout and decor while the hideout buildings also serve to upgrade gear and other gameplay elements.
Inevitably, “Assassin’s Creed” will draw comparisons to other open-world adventures set in Japan such as “Rise of the Ronin” and “Ghost of Tsushima.” “Shadows” doesn’t have the combat chops of the former nor does it have the elegance and artistry of later.
The adventures of Naoe and Yasuke are steeped in more melodrama and politics of that age. It’s grittier and at times bloviating, but it’s still quintessentially
“Assassin’s Creed” as the series continues to search for the right balance between delivering a tight and direct adventure and rambling and substantial epic.
