Assassin's Creed Shadows Devs Discuss the 'Level Design' of…

Japan is filled with beautiful castles from the towering majesty of Osaka Castle to the eye-catching white walls of Himeji. Naturally, Assassin's Creed Shadows incorporates those scenic castles into its world, particularly as locations that Yasuke and Naoe must infiltrate. When designing these castles, the Assassin's Creed Shadows team drew inspiration from Japan's many real-world examples, taking note of the sturdy defenses, numerous traps, and cleverly hidden areas designed with invaders in mind.

The Best War Games spoke to Assassin's Creed Shadows art director Thierry Dansereau and associate game director Simon Lemay-Comtois about Assassin's Creed Shadows' castles, and they discussed the team's research trip to Japan, where they visited real-world castles and used them for guidance . Dansereau explained that in-game castles feature "maze-like architecture" to present a fun challenge for players infiltrating as Yasuke or Naoe as they seek to defeat the guards and high-ranking enemies within.

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By Suzail Ahmad

Japanese Castles Are Like Real World Video Game Levels

When researching Japanese castles, the team was thrilled—but also challenged—by the fact that they featured real-world "level design," specifically structured to keep intruders out and to give defenders as many advantages as possible. This was thoroughly recreated in Ubisoft's latest stealth game ; players must make careful decisions when Assassin's Creed Shadows protagonist Yasuke or Naoe approach a castle if they hope to penetrate its defenses and reach their targets. Lemay-Comtois described the elements of a Japanese castle's "level design":

"Many [castles] were quite literally—for lack of a better term—“level-designed” to mislead would-be invaders, with natural choke points and dead-ends where archers could rain down fury on troops below. This also applied to lone attackers too, with the use of hidden chambers where samurai could hide in wait in case a particular audience went south, as well as the use of nightingale floors—a purpose-built creaking floor that would alert anyone within earshot if an unwanted presence was moving closer."

These defenses are incorporated into Assassin's Creed Shadows, making castle infiltration a tricky task for players. Players must utilize the game's dual protagonists to determine how best to approach each of the game's castles. For example, only Naoe is equipped with a grappling hook, allowing her to scale some castle walls that Yasuke cannot. Meanwhile, the heavier and less stealthy Yasuke must be more careful when encountering potential traps such as the nightingale floors.

Castles Played Key Roles In Feudal Japanese Society

With Assassin's Creed Shadows, the development team wanted an accurate depiction of late Sengoku period Japan. Castles often formed the centerpiece of society, serving as not just the homes of nobles and important officials, but also key defensive strongholds that played a pivotal role in battles. Assassin's Creed Shadows features many castles designed based on the team's real-world research, with Dansereau explaining the value of the team's onsite experience in Japan:

"Being able to be on site and visit the many castles really helped us to understand their size, the way they were made, the material used, and how they aged through time. Also, having a better understanding of the...urban type of layouts helped us to create a credible interpretation of feudal Japan."

Castles appear in the main story of Assassin's Creed Shadows and as a side activity where either Yasuke or Naoe must infiltrate them to defeat a samurai daisho and loot the legendary treasure chests hidden within. Naoe can use her agility and parkour skills to take on a castle's defenses, while Yasuke's bow and teppo rifle can eliminate defenders from a distance. Assassin's Creed Shadows' castles are not just stunning set pieces, but key gameplay elements that players will encounter many times on their journey through feudal Japan.

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