Summary
Fans finally got a comprehensive look at the upcomingAssassin’s Creed Shadowson May 15, with the project getting a big reveal that shed light on its setting, core mechanics, and involved characters. The game, which was previously known asAssassin’s Creed Red, will finally take the franchise to the long-anticipated setting of feudal Japan, and is already shaping up to be one of the most unique entries that the IP has seen in years.
The reveal ofAssassin’s Creed Shadowsmade it clear that the game is aiming to provide a wide range of the feudal Japanese experience, with its two protagonists filling the roles of heavy-hitting Samurai and shadow-lurking Shinobi, and the game being set toward the end of the brutally eventful Sengoku period. With Japan being such a highly demanded setting forAssassin’s Creedover the years, Ubisoft has put a lot of effort into makingShadows' open-world an evolving one, and the game will even possess a spy network mechanic to match the shadowy surveillance associated with the era it explores.
Assassin’s Creed Shadow’s Evolving Open-World and Spy Network Make For a Welcome Change
TheMay 15 reveal forAssassin’s Creed Shadowsplaced a large focus on what game mechanics the game will feature, but smartly gave additional time to explain how it will make its portrayal of 1579 Japan feel alive and breathing. The late Sengoku period was a time of great change and political unrest throughout Japan, and this will be reflected in how the game’s environments change over time.
Like many modernAssassin’s Creedtitles,Assassin’s Creed Shadowsis set to feature a large open-worldfor players to explore, and this world will dynamically shift between seasons as the player progresses throughShadow’s narrative. Not only will this provide a sense of realism and continual variety throughout the game, but these strikingly different seasons will directly impact gameplay.
For example, once the open-world falls under the frost of winter, deep lakes and rivers will be frozen over, limiting underwater concealment that was otherwise available in warmer seasons. Rooftop stealth in colder months can also cause icicles to fall and alert enemies, although things like blizzards can be the perfect storm for ghost-like stealth sequences. Warmer seasons such as spring will provide more greenery for players to hide within, opening up new possibilities forthe world ofAssassin’s Creed Shadowsas time marches on.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows' Spy Network is a Twist on a Fan-Favorite Mechanic
Another interesting element ofAssassin’s Creed Shadows' stealthier gameplayis its spy network mechanic, which will see the player recruit, train, and utilize their own legion of spies that can provide crucial information for certain engagements. It is likely that spies will be able to scout locations to give the player insight into points of infiltration and enemy movements in a given area, while also being able to directly aid the player in combat.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows' spy system seems very reminiscent ofAC Brotherhood’s assassin recruitment system, which has sadly not featured in the franchise for some time. It seems thatShadowsis looking back towards the best of the franchise’s past by reshaping this as the spy network mechanic, while its changing open-world system is a new addition that will hopefully make its locations feel more dynamic and alive than ever.
