Summary
- Assassin's Creed Shadows introduces two distinct playable protagonists, offering players the choice between a samurai and a shinobi assassin.
- The game aims to bring back the focus on stealth gameplay, with the shinobi character Naoe highlighting nimbleness and classic ninja tools.
- Ubisoft should consider implementing dual-character interactions between the heroes to enhance the world's depth and offer a unique gaming experience.
It feels like ever since Assassin's Creed first debuted back in 2007, fans have been clamoring for a title set in Feudal Japan. Well, almost twenty years later, those fans have finally gotten their wish with the latest title in the series, Assassin's Creed Shadows.
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The game will feature two playable protagonists, Yasuke, a playable character based on a real-world samurai (a first for the franchise), and a shinobi assassin named Naoe. It certainly looks like it will be another great title for the series, but with such a wait for the Japan setting and games like Ghost of Tsushima setting such a high bar for samurai video games, here are the things we hope to see in Assassin's Creed Shadows to help make the game a certified hit.
7 Distinct Playstyles
Balanced Heroes
One of the unique selling points of Assassin's Creed Shadows is that the game will feature two playable heroes. Each character focuses on a different gameplay experience; Yasuke as a samurai, and Naoe as a shinobi assassin. On paper, that sounds like a great idea. It gives players a distinct choice to tackle Assassin's Creed Shadows in their own way; the light-footed stealthy approach of Naoe, or the commanding close-combat of Yasuke. The aspect the game will need to master is making each option fun.
There needs to be a balance between the heroes that makes them both viable and enjoyable. There shouldn't be a favored character that has more utility, or characteristics that make picking the other feel obsolete. Each hero will need to offer an engaging gameplay experience and warrant their inclusion in the game on their own merits. Otherwise, what's the point of having two playable characters?
6 Try Something New
Tower Defense, But Better
The Assassin's Creed series has been around a long time, and for good reason. It's a series that frequently offers great gaming experiences with tight combat, exciting maps, and an overarching story for fans to follow. With any long-standing series, Ubisoft shouldn't be afraid to change certain aspects of the game and offer something new for players to try.
New additions don't always work out. Just ask any fan about the Assassin's Creed Revelations Den Defense mode. Still, there should be some hope that Ubisoft will bring new features to the series that help push the franchise forward. Keeping the series fresh is key, and a new gameplay mode would be a great way to go.
Maybe it's a revamped Den Defense mode that fans will want to play this time around? Perhaps some side-scrolling adventures like Ratchet & Clank 3's payable Qwark Vid comics. There are plenty of great gameplay options out there. Hopefully, Ubisoft will bring something new to the table that will excite series regulars.
5 An Updated Return To Stealth
Become The Shadow
One of the main criticisms that has followed the Assassin's Creed series ' revamped gameplay following the Action/RPG reset of Assassin's Creed Origins is that the focus on stealth has taken a bit of a backseat. With the shinobi assassin gameplay of Naoe, that looks set to change.
The gameplay of Naoe has been heavily focused on highlighting her nimbleness and classic shinobi utility items like smoke bombs and shurikens. Assassin's Creed Shadows looks set to offer strong stealth gameplay, but with a series with the name of 'Assassin' in the title, stealth gameplay should be revamped and a lot more stealth-centric than ever before.
Naoe should have a complementary stealth skill tree, and more diverse and experimental equipment than traditional shinobi thanks to her being part of the Creed. Naoe's gameplay should also mark a new reset for the stealth gameplay of the series and become a focused gameplay style that feels rewarding and exciting, something that will have fans glad to be back in the shadows.
4 A Cohabited World
Going About Their Business
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 had a lot of great moments. One particular moment that stood out to players was bumping into the other Spider-Man while out and about on their adventures. It's a neat aspect that showed that the other Spider-Man was still living within the city, and providing some assistance with spontaneous crime events as they quipped between one another.
Thanks to Assassin's Creed Shadows also featuring dual protagonists, Ubisoft would be wise to take note and implement the same feature for their game. It was a great way to show that the other character is a living and breathing hero, rather than just a dormant figure sitting at home, waiting to be selected by the player to start doing something.
This can also go a long way towards helping forge the bond between the two heroes. There doesn't even have to be an event for them to help one another with. Perhaps they're out buying new equipment at a market as the player is going about their adventure. It would be a neat feature that would provide some extra depth to the world and its characters.
3 An Improved Armory
New Toys To Play With
There have been some great weapons in the Assassin's Creed series, and the next game will certainly feature some new and improved takes on traditional close-combat weaponry. There's also a chance for the series to implement traditional Japanese weaponry, as well as some experimental items that could be inspired by the highly advanced Isu.
There are plenty of potential weapons that could appear in Assassin's Creed Shadows, like the Tekko Kagi, or the Kyoketsu. New weapons could complement the differing playstyles of Yasuke and Naoe, but they could also help add further depth to Assassin's Creed's gameplay. Taking functional weapons like swords, shields, and spears and adding some fun new combat dynamics and gameplay options to each battle would be a welcome addition. Variety is the spice of life, and that saying should be true for the player's armories.
2 A Diverse Landscape
Variety Is The Spice Of A Good Map
Over the years, the Assassin's Creed series has taken gamers across a variety of interesting and diverse locations. The series has had some truly great settings, and the Feudal Japan setting of Assassin's Creed Shadows looks to be no different.
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Apart from offering fascinating gameplay, these exciting video games allow players to experience the Japanese culture and way of life.
One of the best things about Japan is its assorted landscapes, and that's one thing Ubisoft should have taken into consideration in their map design. Despite how great Assassin's Creed Origins was, the ancient Egyptian setting meant there were plenty of sand dunes and lots of orange, which prevented the game from having a truly varied map for players to explore.
Hopefully, Ubisoft Quebec has crafted a map that allows plenty of interesting landscapes and villages to wander through, giving players more reason to want to fully explore Assassin's Creed Shadows' map, just likes Sucker Punch managed to do with their beautiful open world in Ghost of Tsushima.
1 Two-Player Quests
A Co-Op Return
Back in 2014, Ubisoft released Assassin's Creed Unity. It was the next major release in the mainline series, but most notably, it was also the last Assassin's Creed title to feature co-op, something that has been unfortunately absent from the series for 10 years.
Early rumors aurrounding Assassin's Creed Shadows revealed the game would be starring dual protagonists, which led to many fans hoping that the series would finally return to offering some form of multiplayer. With the game officially revealed, Ubisoft has confirmed the game will not feature a co-op game mode, or at least, not at release. With the most recent mainline Assassin's Creed titles receiving a lot of post-launch content, it'd be fair to assume that Assassin's Creed Shadows will be getting that same treatment.
One post-launch feature should be to finally bring co-op back, the same way Ghost of Tsushima added the excellent Legends game mode after launch. It's an excellent cooperative experience that was perhaps ahead of its time. It may not be there at launch, but being able to explore Japan with a friend as both protagonists, or better yet, in a Ghost of Tsushima Legends-style add-on, would be a great addition to the game, and an absolute win for budding multiplayer gamers out there.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
- Released
- November 15, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Quebec
- Publisher(s)
- Ubisoft
- Platform(s)
- PS5, PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Amazon Luna
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action-Adventure, RPG
