It’s hard to believe that Ubisoft has waited so long to give players an Assassin’s Creed game set in Feudal Japan, especially considering that it has been the most requested setting from both players and developers, at least that’s what Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ Lead Level Designer Luc Plante tells me in an interview. But if you’ve heard the rumours regarding Ubisoft’s perilous financial situation, then perhaps the French company has picked the perfect time to use the ace that was hidden up its sleeve for years. I had the chance to go hands-on with about four hours of the much-delayed and hotly-anticipated title, as well as chat with Luc Plante, to see if this will be Ubisoft’s saving grace or its coup de grâce.
Set in 1579 during the late Sengoku period, Shadows intertwines the tales of two characters, the shinobi assassin Naoe, and the formidable African samurai Yasuke, as they join forces with the common goal of ridding Japan of tyranny and restoring peace.
The beginning of the preview introduced us to the game’s two protagonists, offering context and insight into their place in the world, and while I can’t share any details from these sequences, I will say that these moments are well done and quite powerful, and certainly gave me hope that the story of Shadows will carry me as the hours pass by.
Where previous entries such as Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla let players choose between two assassins to drive the narrative, Shadows weaves the stories of its two protagonists together, allowing players to switch between them at any time (within reason). Plante tells me that this is one of the features that makes Shadows stand out from other similar games set in Feudal Japan.
“It’s not only a story device or a gameplay device but a unification of both to create a compelling story seen through a samurai and a shinobi.”
Both characters have their own playstyle, and Ubisoft wants players to embrace whichever style speaks to their inner Assassin, as the world has been designed to accommodate both.
Naoe is more stealth focused, using her parkour skills and grappling hook to reach higher ground and avoid detection. While Yasuke is a big bastard who thrives in combat with powerful attacks that cut down anyone in his way and can barge doors down. I will say though, Yasuke is overly agile and quick for someone of his stature – I’d have expected a little weight and heft behind him. In saying that, Yasuke won’t be winning any Red Bull competitions, as his parkour skills are limited to areas he can naturally reach, and attempting to walk across tightropes will see him fall to the ground.
Plante explains that this was part of the design philosophy when it came to accommodating both playstyles.
“We first looked at the footprints that were there to be as accurate as possible, and this drove the creation of the cities. We always make sure there’s at least one main entrance that players can go through and kill everyone, and then have some different parkour options. It’s really about looking at each location with a 360 approach.”

In regards to switching between characters, at various points during missions, players will be asked which character they want to continue playing with. For example, during my preview right before a ‘boss’ fight I was presented with the choice of character to fight with. I made my decision and the other character stepped outside while I held up my end of the bargain. But during some missions you won’t be able to switch, so you’ll have to persist until you can.
Despite having dual protagonists, Plante tells me that there were never any plans to make Shadows a co-op experience, as Assassin’s Creed is first and foremost a single-player game, and the team want to make sure they deliver on that. Personally, I think that Shadows would benefit from having a co-op mode of some sort, similar to Assassin’s Creed Unity, and while it could still make an appearance later down the track, Plante was keeping his cards very close to his chest if that was the case.
This is an Assassin’s Creed game though, and while there have been some tweaks, the tired-and-true open-world formula is the beating heart of the gameplay experience – there are plenty of points of interest, missions that require you to follow characters while they exchange dialogue, and plenty of people to kill and loot. After all, Plante asserts that Shadows is the “ultimate Assassin’s Creed game.”
But as mentioned, there have been some tweaks. For one, players are no longer gifted the location of the next objective, instead, Ubisoft is encouraging players to explore or to engage with NPCs to discover this information for themselves. Alternatively, you can send out scouts via the map to find the answer, but the number of scouts is not infinite. Players can also go prone with Naoe, enemies react more to light and sound, so when it’s raining it’s easier to remain hidden, and there’s a reveal mechanic that highlights worthwhile areas and items in the environment, so Ubisoft has at least made an attempt to mix it up, even if it does feel safe.
Combat feels more engaging and satisfying in Shadows, especially Yasuke, who is maybe a little too powerful for his own good, but I enjoyed his ability to dominate a contest nonetheless. Both Yasuke and Naoe have light and heavy attacks (Yasuke also has a powerful kick that is incredibly addictive), as well as special attacks that can be used that operate on a cooldown and their own ranged attack – Yasuke has a rifle while Naoe can throw ninja stars (shurikens). Like most Assassin’s Creed games, players will need to parry or dodge attacks to ensure they don’t perish in battle, but the overall mechanics feel tighter and as if combat is a bigger focus in Shadows.
Weapons are tied to your character’s progression, with players acquiring Mastery Points that can be used to unlock weapon-based skills and abilities. I spent only a fleeting amount of time with this system during the preview, so I am not sure exactly how deep it will be.
It’s easy to see why Ubisoft received endless requests for an Assassin’s Creed game set in Feudal Japan, as its rendition of 16th-century Japan is simply stunning. To be fair, I was playing on some tanky hardware, but it’s clear that Ubisoft has spent a lot of time trying to make the world as authentic and immersive as possible.
To achieve this, Plante says that the team visited Japan and several museums to draw inspiration and ideas to build its version of Feudal Japan and admits seeing the scale of things and the landscape was inspiring. Plante also reveals that learning about historical events, such as stories about exchanges of hostages between two clans, that can be used as story beats in the game was exciting for the team.

Working on Shadows, Plante hopes that players notice the attention to detail that the team has put into the world. For Plante, the historical aspect is the main reason he loves working on Assassin’s Creed games, with the self-confessed history aficionado admitting that he loves learning about new cultures and time periods and using that knowledge in games for players to experience.
Although my hands-on time left me excited to play more, I can’t help but loathe the idea of spending 60+ hours grinding through an open world filled to the brim with content. For me, I’m happy to simply follow the golden path while dabbling in the odd side mission. Glancing at the map in Shadows, missions do have a level assigned to them, but Plante wasn’t clear when asked if players could complete the main story without having to worry about grinding side missions, with the Level Design Director telling me that it’s more about your weapon mastery than your level.
“It’s a matter of mastery, which is why we changed how we approached the skill tree to be more weapon based. Of course, as you progress your base stats, like health, increase. But it’s really the mastery of the weapons that makes a big difference. So, even if you’re not at the requested level, if you’re proficient with your weapon you’ll be able to make it through.”
This is more of a personal preference than a knock on the game itself. There’s no doubt that those who lost themselves to Valhalla and Odyssey are going to lose themselves to Shadows. It’s everything those games had but better and in a captivating setting with some of the most satisfying combat the series has seen.

If the rumours are true and Ubisoft needs Assassin’s Creed Shadows to hit big to pull it out of its dire financial situation, then Ubisoft may be using its Feudal Japan trump card at the right time. Based on the few hours I’ve spent with the game, Shadows is the quintessential modern Assassin’s Creed experience, and if the later hours are anything like the first few, then Ubisoft should be able to breathe a sigh of relief.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows launches on March 20 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Mac and Amazon Luna.
Previewed on PC at a preview event hosted by Ubisoft Australia
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Despite a childhood playing survival horrors, point and clicks and beat ’em ups, these days Zach tries to convince people that Homefront: The Revolution is a good game while pining for a sequel to The Order: 1886 and a live-action Treasure Planet film. Carlton, Burnley FC & SJ Sharks fan. Get around him on Twitter @tightinthejorts
