Ubisoft is Back—At Least for Now!
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is Ubisoft’s latest entry in its long-running stealth-action franchise, finally bringing the series to Feudal Japan. Featuring a dual-protagonist system, the game lets players step into the roles of Naoe, a swift and deadly shinobi assassin, and Yasuke, a powerful samurai warrior. This contrast in playstyles offers a blend of traditional stealth mechanics and brutal, head-on combat, giving players the freedom to approach missions in different ways.
For years, fans have been begging for an Assassin’s Creed set in Japan—and now it’s finally here. Ubisoft had a lot to prove with this title, and based on my first impressions, they might have just nailed it. It’s an impressive mix of the modern open-world RPG format with the stealth and parkour gameplay that made the series famous.
This is our First Impressions Review of Assassin’s Creed Shadows!
Story & Setting
The game’s narrative follows two protagonists:
- Naoe – A skilled shinobi trained by her father, specializing in stealth, assassinations, and infiltration. She embodies the classic Assassin’s Creed experience, using rooftops, shadows, and good ol’ hay bales to eliminate enemies quietly.
- Yasuke – A real historical figure, originally brought to Japan as a slave by Portuguese traders, who became a samurai and served under a powerful warlord during the Sengoku period. He is the opposite of Naoe—strong, aggressive, and built for full-on combat rather than sneaky assassinations.
The world-building is phenomenal. Ubisoft has meticulously crafted an environment where every blade of grass, every snow-covered tree, and every bustling town feels alive. Whether you’re sneaking through a darkened village, galloping across open fields, or wading through ankle-deep snow, the world constantly reacts to your presence.
One of the biggest highlights is the dynamic weather system. Seasons change over time, altering both the visual aesthetic and gameplay mechanics. A field that once had a clear, sunny path may later be buried under a thick layer of snow, making movement slower and combat more challenging. It’s an immersive detail that adds a new layer of realism to exploration.
The story itself is emotionally engaging, portraying the brutality of Feudal Japan while exploring themes of honor, sacrifice, and justice. The voice acting is solid, though not groundbreaking, and while the dialogue is well-written, I found myself skipping through some of it after a while.
Gameplay & Mechanics
Stealth vs. Combat – Two Distinct Playstyles
The dual-character system ensures a fresh gameplay experience throughout:
- Naoe (Shinobi Assassin) – If you prefer classic Assassin’s Creed gameplay, she’s your go-to. Using parkour, silent takedowns, and a wide arsenal of weapons (katana, kusarigama, shurikens, and smoke bombs), she allows for a methodical, tactical approach to missions. Her agility makes escaping enemies easy, but her fragile health means mistakes can be costly.
- Yasuke (Samurai Warrior) – A brutal powerhouse who charges headfirst into combat, swinging his massive blade with devastating force. Unlike Naoe, he can withstand multiple hits and uses special abilities to bulldoze through enemies, smashing doors and overpowering groups with ease.
I love how both playstyles feel rewarding. If you get bored of stealth, Yasuke’s combat offers a refreshing change of pace.
Progression & RPG Elements
The game features an extensive skill tree, allowing you to enhance abilities, unlock new combat moves, and tweak each character’s playstyle.
Loot and gear upgrades play a significant role, too. Weapons and armor have unique stats, affecting things like:
✔ Increased health and stamina
✔ Poisoned blades for stealth kills
✔ Adrenaline boosts for combat finishers
Each region has fixed difficulty levels, meaning you can dominate lower-level areas once you’ve upgraded enough—an improvement over Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s level-scaling system.
Exploration & Side Quests
Unlike previous games where the map spoon-fed objectives, Shadows makes you discover them yourself. You’ll use scouts to gather intelligence, and clues from dialogue to locate missions. This adds immersion, but at times, I found it tedious—especially when I had already used my scouts but still couldn’t pinpoint my objective.
Side quests range from:
✔ Tracking down powerful foes
✔ Helping local farmers fend off bandits
✔ Exploring character backstories
Each one offers meaningful rewards and feels worth doing—a massive improvement over Valhalla’s repetitive fetch quests.
Base Building & Allies
You also get your own camp, where you can:
✔ Recruit allies (who can steal supplies or assist in fights)
✔ Upgrade buildings (to unlock new gear or skills)
✔ Improve your blacksmith (to enhance weapons & armor)
This adds depth to the RPG mechanics, giving you more control over how you develop your character and playstyle.
Graphics & Performance
Visually, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is stunning. The character models, lighting, and environments are some of Ubisoft’s best work yet. From windswept fields to snow-capped mountains, the world is breathtaking.
I played on a PC with an RTX 3070, Ryzen 9 7900X3D, and 64GB RAM—the game ran at 1440p resolution, 60 FPS with no major drops. Even in intense combat scenes with multiple enemies and effects, performance remained smooth.
Simply put: Ubisoft nailed the visuals.
Sound & Music
The soundtrack is an absolute masterpiece. Whether it’s a calm, traditional Japanese melody or a high-energy combat track, the music enhances every moment.
Sound design is equally impressive:
✔ Swords clash with a satisfying impact
✔ Snow crunches underfoot realistically
✔ Wind howls through the forests dynamically
It all adds to the immersion and atmosphere—another win for the game.
Final Thoughts – Ubisoft’s Comeback?
After a string of Assassin’s Creed games that felt bloated or uninspired, Shadows is a refreshing return to form. It successfully blends:
✔ Classic stealth mechanics
✔ Exciting, fast-paced combat
✔ A beautifully crafted world
✔ Meaningful RPG progression
It’s not perfect—the dialogue can be overly long, and navigating objectives without clear markers can be frustrating. But overall, Assassin’s Creed Shadows delivers one of the best experiences in the series in years.