Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, a fresh release from Ubisoft, has finally reached players. Despite the fears of skeptics, Steam users have welcomed the game warmly. They note the exciting combat system, high-quality stealth, a well-developed open world and beautiful locations that perfectly convey the atmosphere of feudal Japan.

Of course, there were some downsides. The optimization problem that haunts many modern projects also made itself felt here. However, in technical terms, Shadows looks much more stable than its predecessors – the release did not have an abundance of bugs, which is already nice. The plot may not be a revelation, but it is quite good and encourages exploration of the virtual world. At the moment, the game is receiving mostly positive reviews: the rating on Steam is at 82%, and the peak online has already exceeded 38 thousand players – and this is on a weekday! It is likely that by the weekend the numbers will be even higher.

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1579. Japan is torn apart by civil wars: powerful daimyo fight for power, hoping to unite the country under their banner. Among them is Oda Nobunaga, the ruler of the Owari province, whose influence reaches unprecedented heights. Even the Jesuits arriving in the country seek to enlist his support. During one of these visits, they introduce him to Yasuke, then known as Daigo, a slave and bodyguard. This man immediately attracts Nobunaga’s attention, which becomes the starting point for Assassin’s Creed: Shadows. The game’s prologue immerses us in an era of great change and intrigue, foreshadowing the story that the main characters will take part in.

I have been familiar with the Assassin’s Creed series for many years – I spent more than 15 years in this virtual world, experiencing the ups and downs of the franchise. I was thrilled in some parts, disappointed in others, but one thing remained constant: these games always evoke emotions. Shadows is no exception. It offers great stealth mechanics and a dynamic combat system, but at the same time suffers from a mediocre story and repetitive side activities. It’s a case of a game that is both enjoyable and a little frustrating, but still worth playing.

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Assassin’s Creed: Shadows Plot Review

The story of Assassin’s Creed: Shadows takes us to the era of feudal Japan, where the fates of two completely different heroes intertwine in a whirlpool of events. Samurai Yasuke and shinobi Naoe find themselves embroiled in a confrontation with the powerful Oda clan, which threatens their world. Already in the prologue, we become witnesses to a fierce battle between the warriors of Oda Nobunaga and the ninja from Iga. We take our first steps in the game as Yasuke, but soon we meet Naoe, a young shinobi who received an important task from her father: to find and save a mysterious box. It is then that she is given the iconic hidden blade, but a simple mission at first glance quickly develops into something much more. Naoe’s fate changes forever.

I do not want to reveal too many details about the prologue, but it is worth saying that the introductory part is quite drawn out: it is filled with long dialogues and a detailed introduction of the characters. However, the beginning looks solid – there is intrigue, and the events are shown from a fresh angle, which has always been the strong point of the series. However, the further you go, the more the plot seems to be afraid of its own courage. The story follows a safe course, avoiding unexpected turns. Of course, there are rare bursts of truly interesting moments, but they are too short-lived and often dissolve in predictable dialogues and standard presentation.

At the center of the story is a secret hidden in a mysterious box. This mystery becomes Naoe’s driving force, her personal motive for revenge and finding those who ruined her life. But if you are familiar with the previous parts of Assassin’s Creed, you will find this too familiar. The scheme “secret society + powerful organization + hunt for an artifact” is repeated here again, just in the setting of medieval Japan. Although the idea with the story of a former slave who became a samurai and a shinobi who found herself in the center of assassins’ intrigues seems exciting, the implementation leaves much to be desired.

As for the characters, each has their own storyline, but the development of the characters is uneven. Naoe’s story feels rather bland, but Yasuke’s path, despite its leisurely pace, is much more interesting. Only towards the end of the game do we finally understand what really drives this character, look into his past and learn his true motives. This moment is truly impressive, but overall the narrative remains too simple and lacks memorable moments.

If we were to highlight the key problems of the plot, they look like this:

• Too cautious and predictable script, without any unexpected twists.
• Long introduction, overloaded with dialogue.
• Repetitive story structure, familiar from previous parts of the series.
• Insufficient depth of some characters, especially Naoe.
• Lack of memorable moments and bright plot twists.

Ultimately, Assassin’s Creed: Shadows offers an interesting concept, but its potential is not fully realized. The “wow” factor is, alas, absent here.

Combat Mechanics in Assassin’s Creed: Shadows – Spectacularity, Tactics, and Freedom

Let’s leave all the controversy aside and focus on what really makes Assassin’s Creed: Shadows an interesting and exciting game. If you’re familiar with the latest RPG parts of the franchise, then you know what to expect in general. However, in this new chapter, the developers don’t just follow the proven formula, but expand on it, adding fresh mechanics that make the gameplay deeper and the passage more variable.

One of the main innovations was the combat system, which differs significantly for the two main characters. Naoe is a master of stealth, a dexterous and fast shinobi. You can’t envy her in a head-on collision: her blows are not the most powerful, and her health is small. But in the shadows, she becomes deadly. She has a whole arsenal of assassin weapons and shinobi tools at her disposal, allowing her to eliminate enemies as effectively as possible.

During my playthrough, I most often used a katana and tanto. Tanto is great for double kills, and a katana is a universal option. However, the most unusual and powerful was the kusarigama – this weapon allows you to control the fight from a distance and quickly deal with opponents. At the first stages of the game, it seemed too overpowered to me, and I even consciously switched to other options so as not to make my life easier.

The combat system includes several types of attacks:

• Light attacks are fast but do little damage.
• Heavy attacks are slower but can penetrate armor and do more damage.
• Charged attacks are more powerful versions of light and heavy attacks that require preparation.
• Special abilities are unique attacks that can be unlocked and upgraded through the skill tree.

As in previous parts of the series, dodging and parrying play an important role. However, now characters have special attacks that are unlocked and improved through the skill tree. The battles feel fluid and natural, thanks to a well-thought-out combo system and animations that depend on the weapon and character. I was especially impressed by the detail – when hitting enemies, the armor gradually breaks down, and watching pieces of samurai armor fly in different directions is a real pleasure. This gives the fights realism and spectacle.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the finishing moves. They are brutal, cinematic and heavily dependent on the weapon you use. Almost every fight ends with a spectacular finishing blow, which does not interrupt the rhythm of the fight, but on the contrary, makes it even more dynamic.

Tactics and physics of the environment

In Shadows, it is important not only to press buttons, but to use the environment correctly. Here you can throw enemies into the abyss, push them into each other or slam them into walls for additional damage. Plus, the physics in the game work for the atmosphere: during battles, you can accidentally cut bamboo stalks, pierce paper doors or even destroy part of the interior.

It is also worth noting the engraving system on weapons, which allows you to customize your combat style. For example, I tried a build based on constantly knocking enemies down and finishing them off on the ground – and it worked great.

I played on the “Expert” difficulty level, and I can say that the balance here is ideal. When my character died, I clearly understood that it was my mistake, and not some unfair mechanics. This encourages you to learn, adapt and ultimately get real pleasure from the game.

Stealth or Power? We analyze the gameplay for two characters in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

One of the game’s main features is the contrast in the styles of the two protagonists. Naoe, being a dexterous and stealthy shinobi, is ideal for stealth. She moves easily unnoticed, and thanks to the grappling hook, exploring the world becomes much more dynamic – climbing walls and roofs with it is just a blast.

Yasuke is the complete opposite. A tall, strong samurai, he embodies strength, discipline and tradition. Unlike Naoe, he does not hide, but fights openly. His fighting style is powerful, sharp attacks, and his arsenal includes an impressive set of weapons:

1. Katana – A classic samurai weapon that balances speed and damage.
2. Naganata – A long polearm, perfect for fighting groups of enemies.
3. Kanabo – A massive club that delivers devastating blows.
4. Bow – Allows you to attack from a distance, but does not feel very powerful.
5. Teppo – A firearm, but its effectiveness leaves much to be desired.

Each weapon has its own skill tree, which allows you to customize your combat style. Personally, I liked the naganata and kanabo the most — the blows from these things feel incredibly powerful. But the bow and teppo were disappointing: they seemed weak, which is why I almost never used them in combat. But if Yasuke is unstoppable in fights, then in terms of mobility and stealth, everything is more difficult for him. Theoretically, you can try to climb walls and hide in the shadows, but it looks clumsy and is clearly not his path. Several times I tried to clear the area as a samurai, but suddenly I was faced with the fact that the item I needed was hidden somewhere above, where he simply could not reach. At such moments, I had to switch to Naoe and climb for the loot. Because of this, there was a feeling that the mechanics of the two characters were not fully developed — sometimes the game seemed to punish for choosing Yasuke.

What really knocked us out of the immersion were the cutscenes. When we are given a choice of characters before a mission, the other character simply disappears. One moment Yasuke and Naoe are discussing a plan, and the next, one of them disappears without explanation. Yes, you can get used to it, but the feeling of dissonance remains. The same goes for the dialogue choices: formally they exist, but the consequences are usually minimal. In some aspects, the game is meticulous about details, and in others, it seems to turn a blind eye to them.

But what really pleased me was the stealth mechanics. Compared to previous games in the series, it has been noticeably improved. In addition to the standard crouch, you can now lie on the ground, which gives more freedom when approaching stealthily. A visibility indicator has appeared on the screen, which is especially useful at higher difficulty levels: enemies notice the player faster, but now there is a clear understanding of how disguised we are. True, the enemy AI is still not perfect – even if they see us, it’s worth waiting a little, and they will safely forget about our existence.

An interesting detail – now you can hide in the shadows, like in the bushes. If the light source is in the way, you can extinguish it or break it, and shurikens will help with this. Visibility also depends on the weather: during a storm or blizzard, it is more difficult for enemies to notice us. In addition, the hidden blade no longer kills strong enemies with the first blow – but this can be fixed: either pump up the corresponding skill, or simply enable the one-shot function in the settings. Having tried the second option, I felt like a bit of a cheater, but the pleasure of eliminating targets increased many times over.

Assassin’s Creed: Shadows Review – Pros, Cons, and Impressions

The world of Assassin’s Creed: Shadows captivates you from the very first minutes. The developers have brilliantly conveyed the atmosphere of medieval Japan: majestic mountain ranges, dense forests and traditional temples seem to come to life on the screen. The fauna is also pleasingly diverse – during the journey, you will often encounter wild boars, foxes, dogs, cats, as well as countless insects that create the illusion of real nature. The architecture is recreated with great love for detail. Here you can explore Kyoto, Osaka or, for example, the famous Enryaku-ji temple complex. The city streets are filled with life – locals react to changes in the weather, and if chaos breaks out in the neighborhood, passers-by will definitely show their reaction. The combat equipment is also worked out to the smallest detail:

• Yasuke’s armor and Naoe’s traditional attire are impressive.
• They can be found in chests or earned by completing missions.
• Each piece of clothing is historically appropriate and matches the characters’ style.

One of the interesting features of Shadows is the change of seasons. Now you can see Japan at different times of the year – from blooming spring to snowy winter. And the seasons are not just a decorative element: in winter, icicles hanging from the roofs can fall from vibration and attract the attention of guards, and in summer, dense foliage helps to hide in the shadows. Some side quests even depend on the season, but there are not as many of these missions as we would like. However, there are also strange restrictions. For example, the player cannot freely change the time of day. But night forays for a thief are not just an entourage, but also a tactical advantage. This point is clearly missed, and its absence spoils the impression a little.

At first glance, the open world of Shadows is impressive in its scale – nine provinces full of possibilities. But in fact, freedom of movement here is limited. Each zone is closed until you reach a certain level, and until you level up, even ordinary enemies can turn into a deadly threat. Another problem is the difficult terrain. The map seems large, but due to the many mountains and forests, traveling around it is not so easy. As a result, movement is reduced to roads, and without a special “road” mode, it is easy to get lost. This feeling of a “locked” world is especially noticeable against the background of repetitive side quests, which quickly become boring. Yes, Yasuke and Naoe have their own unique activities, but even they lose their freshness over time.

Movement: bugs, horse and parkour

In Shadows, you will travel mostly on horseback, but, alas, horse riding leaves much to be desired. The animal can suddenly turn the wrong way, get stuck on a flat place, or simply not respond to commands. This is not fatal, but quite annoying.

Parkour, on the contrary, is developed at a high level. Naoe, being a true shinobi, performs impressive acrobatic tricks and uses a grappling hook from the very beginning. However, there are nuances:

• Some cliffs can be climbed, while others cannot, for no apparent reason.
• It is not always obvious where exactly you can climb.
• Sometimes the game “interferes” with parkour, forcing you to look for workarounds.

Assassin’s Creed: Shadows is a game with a stunning world and incredible detail, but it’s not without its flaws. The changing seasons add atmosphere, but don’t always affect the gameplay. Limited exploration, quirks with movement, and repetitive missions can all be a drag, but if you can live with those, the game is definitely worth a look.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows System Requirements

To fully immerse yourself in the world of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, your PC needs to meet specific performance requirements. Below, you’ll find the minimum and recommended specifications to ensure smooth gameplay. Whether you’re exploring feudal Japan on low settings or aiming for high-performance visuals, make sure your system is up to the challenge.

How to play Assassin’s Creed Shadows for free on Steam via VpeSports

Have you ever dreamed of feeling like a real shinobi or samurai in the midst of feudal Japan? Assassin’s Creed Shadows will give you a chance to go through this path – from the shadows of the night to open duels under the sun. Make your way across rooftops, disappear into the grass, fight in intense battles – and all this without spending any money!

We have made access to Assassin’s Creed Shadows as simple as possible. On VpeSports, you can register in just a couple of minutes and take a look at the section with free steam account. Assassin’s Creed Shadows is already waiting for you there, and in the description you will find detailed but clear steps on how to launch the game without unnecessary complications.

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