I still hold warm memories of the first four Assassin’s Creed games. While most people weren’t into the modern-day storyline, I found the Desmond trilogy and the way the past and future were intertwined genuinely interesting and original.
Black Flag, unfortunately, stepped away from that formula, but it still had plenty of other strengths to make up for it. The whole sailor vibe was a welcome change, and I’ll never forget crossing the sea while singing along to sea shanties.
After that, I grew a bit tired of Assassin’s Creed. I’ve always been a bit skeptical when games are released too frequently. It often signals the same core experience in a new coat of paint. But after years of staying away, aside from a few hours in Valhalla, I decided to give the gorgeous-looking Assassin’s Creed Shadows another shot.
Stunning Environments
In the first few hours, I could only conclude that my love for Assassin’s Creed was slowly being rekindled. First of all, the graphics were absolutely stunning. In fact, in terms of environments, Shadows might just be the most beautiful game I’ve ever seen. The way the surroundings move rhythmically, every blade of grass and every leaf responding to changing weather, was amazing to watch.
Even the story managed to move me at times during the opening hours. But as time went on, I noticed my hands drifting toward my phone more and more during cutscenes. That’s usually a clear sign that I’m starting to lose interest in a game’s narrative.
It started to feel like Shadows was a supermodel on the outside, but one that lacked depth of character.
I Really Gave It a Try
This game faced a fair amount of criticism even before release, as Ubisoft titles often seem to start off at a disadvantage. But let me be clear from the start: my criticism of Shadows has nothing to do with that.
Believe me, Yasuke could have been bright purple and I still wouldn’t have cared. A game earns my praise when it delivers interesting characters, a strong story, and solid gameplay. And after around 20 hours of playing, I can’t help but conclude that Shadows falls short in all of those areas.
A Bit Tired of Ancient Japan
Part of that might be on me. Once again, I seem to be in the minority, but stories set in ancient Japan have never really clicked with me. For the same reason, I also didn’t share in the massive hype around Ghost of Tsushima. These stories tend to follow predictable paths, and the characters are often portrayed as quiet and reserved. That may be realistic for the culture, but I personally don’t think it translates all that well into games. Aside from the dramatic, all-or-nothing sword duels, of course.
The feeling I had with Jin in Ghost of Tsushima was mostly the same with Naoe and Yasuke. In this setting, motivations often revolve around revenge and honor, and by now I feel like I’ve seen enough of that (Still, I know I’ll stubbornly pick up Ghost of Yotei in October anyway).
After spending hours with both of Shadows’ protagonists, I just couldn’t form much of a bond with either of them. And that’s a shame, because if I had, I might have been able to overlook the game’s other flaws.
The Combat Hits My Allergy Zone
One of the reasons I stopped enjoying the later Assassin’s Creed games is the change in combat. I understand it’s a tough trade-off. As a developer, do you focus on interesting and challenging gameplay, or aim for realism? In most cases, I’d say the first option, of course.
But realism still matters to me. In Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, I checked out quickly because I had to hit an enemy in the head with my axe over and over before they finally dropped. Shadows is no different. In fact, sometimes enemies don’t even react to certain attacks at all, and that really frustrates me.
I tried to get over it, but every time I saw Naoe drive two knives into someone’s chest and that enemy just kept fighting like nothing happened, I lost a bit more interest. Yes, fun gameplay should take priority over realism, but there are limits. Nothing pulls me out of the experience more than witnessing that kind of nonsense.
As Beautiful as the World Is, It’s Just a Façade
On a more positive note, the magic of the environments does hold up. From the start of my roughly 20-hour attempt to appreciate this game to the very end, I often found myself staring in awe at the stunning landscapes and weather effects.
But unfortunately, for all its beauty, the world is incredibly dull to explore. Everywhere you go, you run into hostile camps to clear out. These reward you with materials, armor, or weapons. You know? These weapons you can then stab into an enemy’s skull without getting any kind of reaction.
There are also shrines where you collect scrolls for knowledge points, meditation spots, and of course, countless viewpoints to reveal the usual flood of icons on your map.
It all just feels so predictable. There are no random events to bring the world to life or make it feel dynamic. Thanks to the icons, you always know exactly what to expect, and there’s no reason to wander off the beaten path.
It feels like I’ve grown tired of the Ubisoft formula without even having been exposed to it for years.
No, sadly, I’ll have to wait a while longer before I can welcome Assassin’s Creed back into my heart. If that moment ever comes. I really hope it does.
