As much as the Assassin’s Creed franchise likes to stick to certain formulae, it’s also undeniable that each new game brings plenty new to the table. Assassin’s Creed Shadows is due out soon, coming close to five years after the series’ last mainline entry in Valhalla (though we did get the smaller Mirage in 2023 as well), and it looks like Shadows will be changing things up in a number of ways. Though meant to be an evolution of the action RPG formula that has brought us Assassin’s Creed Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla, Shadows is shaking up those three titles’ familiar framework in ways both big and small. Here, we’re going to go over the most significant of those changes.
SETTING
We’ll kick things off with something obvious. With a new Assassin’s Creed always comes a brand-new setting, and Shadows is taking us to a place that fans of the series have long been hoping to visit. Where Valhalla was set in 9th century Norway and England, Assassin’s Creed Shadows will transport players to 16th century Japan, in the twilight of the Sengoku period. Demand for an Assassin’s Creed game set in Japan has been sky-high for as long as anyone can remember (a fact that Ghost of Tsushima shrewdly capitalized on in 2020), so it’s exciting to see it finally happening.
PROTAGONISTS
New Assassin’s Creed entries also bring new protagonists (unless you’re Ezio, that is). In Valhalla, Eivor took the spotlight with male and female options available, but in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, we’re going back to two protagonists, similar to Odyssey and Syndicate. But where Odyssey allowed you to play as only one of Kassandra or Alexios, Shadows will feature both – samurai Yasuke and shinobi Naoe – as co-leads of the story. Meanwhile, unlike Syndicate, where character switching was only available during free roam, Shadows will let you play most of its quests as whichever character you please- though each will also have some exclusive missions.
PRESENT-DAY STORY
The long-running and notoriously convoluted present-day storyline has long been one of Assassin’s Creed’s most divisive elements, but no, it’s not going away anytime soon, as much as some may want that. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla wrapped up the Layla Hassan arc that kicked off in Origins and continued in Odyssey, and Shadows will mark the beginning of another new present-day arc. Details on it are somewhat sparse, but franchise boss Marc-Alexis Coté has said the new modern-day storyline will “explore deeper themes of memory, identity and autonomy, how the past shapes who we are, and how controlling this past can impact our future.”
COMBAT CHANGES
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla was the culmination of the series’ action RPG formula as far as its action-driven combat tendencies were concerned. Shadows, however, is pulling in a different direction, with renewed focus in areas such as parkour and stealth (more on both in a bit). Of course, those who want a combat-focused approach will get just that when playing as Yasuke, who’s slower in his movements but an absolute bruiser in one-on-one combat. Naoe, on the other hand, will be much more agile, but much more vulnerable to damage, what with her specialties lying in stealth.
NEW WEAPONS
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla boasted a strong variety of weapons for players to find and master, and just as it did, so too will Shadows bring an entirely new roster of tools based on its new setting. Expect to see katanas, tanto blades, war clubs, naginata spears, shurikens, kasurigama, kunai, ranged weapons like arquebuses, and more. As the assassin and stealth-expert, Naoe will also have access to the iconic hidden blade, as well as a grappling hook.
STEALTH
Stealth is what Assassin’s Creed built its name on first and foremost back in the day, and Shadows is promising a return to those roots (just as 2023’s Mirage did). Stealth was, of course, barely even a tertiary priority in Valhalla, but you can expect it to play a much more significant role in its upcoming follow-up. Naoe in particular will have access to moves and tools meant specifically for that role, from being able to go prone or crawl or squeeze through gaps to throwing smoke bombs or bells and even hiding underwater while using bamboo pipes to breathe.
LIGHT AND SHADOW MECHANICS
Taking a page out of Splinter Cell’s book, Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ expanded emphasis on stealth will also entail new light-and-shadow gameplay mechanics. Shadows will now serve as hiding places for players, which will go hand-in-hand with a dynamic lighting system. Extinguishing light sources to create new hiding spots for yourself and stay out of enemies’ sights will be an important part of the game’s stealth loop.
EAGLE VISION
Unlike Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (and its two action RPG predecessors), which gave players winged companions that they could take control of any time, Shadows is dropping that mechanic and bringing back traditional Eagle Vision. Available only to Naoe, it will work the way you remember from previous titles (including 2023’s Mirage), with enemies, hiding spots, and other stealth-specific points of interest being highlighted. Meanwhile, both Naoe and Yasuke will also have access to an Observe mechanic, which will identify and tag points of interest such as targets, loot, quest objectives, collectibles, and more. Naoe will be able to use Observe and Eagle Vision simultaneously.
PARKOUR
Parkour is another area that’s being resharpened for Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Movement and traversal mechanics were very much cut from the same cloth as Origins and Odyssey– parkour was de-emphasized compared to prior entries, and players could virtually climb every surface that existed anywhere in the map. Shadows is taking a more considered approach, according to its developers. As the more nimble of the two characters, Naoe will have access to an expanded and robust moveset (which will also include a grappling hook). On top of that, crucially, not every surface will be climbable, which means players will have to actually pay attention to things such as handholds, climbing spots, and what have you.
EXPLORATION
Where exploration is concerned, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is promising to address some of Valhalla’s biggest issues in interesting ways. Inundating players with markers and icon vomit has generally been Assassin’s Creed’s modus operandi, but Shadows is seemingly looking to deliver a more organic experience. Viewpoints will now only highlight nearby points of interest, with everything else being revealed by actual, organic exploration, or through other means (such as your spy network).
PROGRESSION
With two protagonists sharing the spotlight, Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ progression mechanics will, as you might imagine, take on a new shape. Naoe and Yasuke will have their own individual skill trees, as you may expect, given their different specialties and movesets. On top of character-specific skill trees, meanwhile, each weapon type will also have its own skill tree, which means the more you use a weapon, the better you get at using it.
SEASONS
Assassin’s Creed Shadows will also tout a new seasons system, which is going to be exactly what it sounds like. As you progress through the game, you’ll experiencing changing seasons, and each will bring changes in the environment that will also impact gameplay. For instance, during winter, enemies will be able to spot your footprints in snow, and you won’t be able to stealthily swim through frozen water bodies and puddles. On the other hand, in spring, there’ll be abundant tall grass and blooming plants, which means abundant hiding spots.
BASE BUILDING
Just as Assassin’s Creed Valhalla let players expand, build up, and customize their hub village of Ravensthorpe throughout the course of its gargantuan runtime, Shadows will also feature a central hub in the Hideout that players will be able to customize and expand. In fact, this time, the game is set to feature expanded and more granular building mechanics, with a full Sims-style grid affording players even greater control over the hub.
SIZE
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla was almost too big for its own good, being the 100-150 hour colossus that it was, but thankfully, its upcoming successor has taken the hint and is cutting back significantly. Its developers have made it clear that Shadows’ map is going to be roughly around the same size as Origins’ Ancient Egypt- which isn’t small by any stretch of the imagination, but is definitely way more manageable than Valhalla’s world was. Though those who wish to will be able to get over a hundred hours out of the game, Shadows’ main story is supposed to be comparable to Origins and Odyssey, which means it could be anywhere between 30-50 hours, depending on how much you engage with the optional content.
NO SEASON PASS
Assasin’s Creed has followed the Season Pass model for quite some time now, but Ubisoft announced last year after sustaining multiple back-to-back high profile failures that changing its post-launch model was one of several steps it would be taking to shake things up. Of course, like Valhalla, Shadows is expected to receive plenty of post-launch content, but Ubisoft has cancelled its Season Pass in particular. The first expansion will be free for all pre-orders, while further details on future content will be shared down the road.
