Assassin’s Creed Shadows Has a Fully Dynamic Lighting System, Physics-Based Grappling Hook

While Assassin’s Creed Shadows is an open-world action RPG like Odyssey and Valhalla, it’s also leaning heavier into stealth and parkour with new protagonist Naoe. Speaking to IGN, game director Charles Benoit says the team wanted to keep the “core” of Assassin’s Creed, specifically “the hidden blade, the assassination, being able to stay hidden.”

“The thing that shines the most, I feel, in Assassin’s Creed, it’s really the hidden blade, the assassination, being able to stay hidden. So that’s the core that we want to keep. What we needed to push forward [was to make it] feel a bit more modern in the approach.”

As a result, the team implemented a fully dynamic lighting system. Shadows are ideal since they render Naoe invisible, so it’s possible to destroy lamps and other sources of light in favor of darkness. That may also involve taking out lamp carriers. Those who lean towards a less bloodthirsty approach can take note, as you can unlock the option for non-lethal knockouts.

Another noteworthy element is the parkour system. “Parkour has always been pretty iconic and pretty core to the stealth experience because they go hand-in-hand,” said creative director Jonathan Dumont. Naoe also has a grappling hook, but it poses some risk. “It’s all physics-based, so there’s a little bit of improbability sometimes when using it. There’s a danger to using it, but you could also perform assassinations from it.”

Launching on November 15th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, Assassin’s Creed Shadows allows players to switch seamlessly between Naoe and Yasuke, the latter providing more of a hack-and-slash playstyle. It’s also similar in scale to Assassin’s Creed Origins, though the team opted for a more “real-life scale ratio” for environments.