Assassin's Creed Shadows Reviews
The wait was well worth it for Assassin’s Creed Shadows. The fans have been asking for an AC game set in Japan, and Ubisoft has finally delivered, with a dual-protagonist experience that offers crisp combat mechanics, a bombastic musical score, and a beautiful visual presentation. Assassin’s Creed is so back!
With Shadows, Ubisoft had a golden opportunity to put the franchise back on the map with a Japanese setting that fans had been asking for for years. And although the basis is quite good, the game feels far too safe and repetitive in many areas. The developer does not take any risks and there is no attempt to really surprise the players during the game with fun, original and well-thought-out quests. What remains is a fine Assassin's Creed that will especially please the most loyal fans. For the rest of the players, Assassin's Creed Shadows will mainly feel like a gigantic missed opportunity.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Ultimately, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is technically sound and authentic and represents a world that fans of the franchise have wanted to explore for many years. The artistic choices are great, the soundtrack is impressive, and the ambience is stellar, plus Naoe makes for a phenomenal lead, but there are just too many niggling flaws for me to consider this a perfect title.
Despite all the doom and gloom, "Assassin's Creed Shadows" has become one of the best installments in the series to date. The game not only tops the series in terms of graphics, but also narratively, despite its open-world structure, which is actually a disadvantage.
Review in German | Read full review
Assassin’s Creed Shadows was a fantastic experience that truly captured everything I love about the series. The story was engaging, drawing me into its rich narrative and compelling characters.
I’ve longed for the franchise to go to Japan ever since the first game was released in 2007. It seemed like the perfect setting for the series, and although Assassin’s Creed: Shadows doesn’t quite live up to my lofty expectations, it still delivers a generally good and enjoyable experience. The world is stunning, brimming with feudal Japan’s rich culture that oozes into the atmosphere, and the core gameplay remains as engaging as ever. While it may not break new ground or take the series to the next level, and it certainly has faults, Shadows captures the franchise’s spirit in fresh and exciting ways that I’m sure any diehard fan will come to appreciate.
AC Shadows isn’t revolutionizing its franchise or its genre, but it’s overall going to be a good time for those who seek it out. This is a more-than-worthy entry in the franchise, and overall, those who most enjoyed Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Valhalla will get the most out of Shadows, considering they're the most similar in scale and overall gameplay structure.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is not merely a recreation of a historical era; it is a spiritual revival, breathed into existence amidst the feudal wars, the silence of shadows, and the conflict between honor and betrayal. It shows that history is not written by conquerors, but by the shadows. Shadows that may not take the audience back to the golden age of Assassin’s Creed, but are far superior to the recent installments.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Assassin’s Creed Shadows should undoubtedly be the best game in the series to date. The world of Japan is not only the most stunning and varied in the series with its different seasons, but arguably one of the best-looking games of all time. The gameplay also finally finds its neat middle ground with the slower action RPG stylings of Yasuke and the assassination-focused side of Naoe. Unfortunately, the world is frustrating to explore most of the time, holding back this title from its greatness.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a massive success and a winning combination of stealth and steel. It’s a fantastic entry in the open-world RPG line of games in the stealth series and the most refined version of that style yet, with satisfying and rewarding exploration, brilliant combat, and a dual protagonist system that really works.
If you don’t like Assassin’s Creed, Shadows won’t be the pivotal moment in the franchise that changes your mind. Due to dual protagonists, experiences of Assassin’s Creed Shadows are going to vary drastically, but when the game is at it’s best it allows the player to take full advantage of the satisfying combat, parkour, and stealth systems through the eyes of a young shinobi requiring a more methodical approach The biggest downfall with Assassin’s Creed Shadows is indecision. At times between shinobi and samurai, between stealth or action, between drama and comedy, between instant kills and sword sponges, between series cliches and fresh ideas. At times Assassin’s Creed Shadows feels like a six, but at other times it’s almost a ten and where it ends up is somewhere in the middle. When everything clicks together, Assassin’s Creed Shadows was worth the wait.
Ubisoft has finally released Assassin's Creed Shadows, after several setbacks. It follows the formula of the series, without taking any risks, limiting itself to delivering a game that is consistent with what fans already know. Naoe is a nice surprise, while Yasuke doesn't seem to know what he's doing here. Anyone who likes the saga will love Shadows, but it's a shame it's not more daring.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Although Assassin’s Creed Shadows has some cumbersome flaws that can’t be overlooked, including ones that have been present in the series since its inception, it is a strong action-adventure game that I will likely keep investing in for weeks to come.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows takes the series to new heights in ways we have been longing for. Ubisoft has delivered the most remarkable world I think we have seen from the studio yet. This, combined with a rich setting, dynamic gameplay styles, and a good balance of action and stealth, makes Shadows the best entry in the series. In many ways, it is going to be hard for Ubisoft to top this.
Shadows is a fun, technically impressive, and well-executed game, but its identity as an Assassin’s Creed can be questioned.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
This sprawling epic regularly features gorgeous sights of Japan and incredibly fun gameplay with a newfound freedom of how you approach it. It winds up being the best Assassin’s Creed game in years and a true joy over its 60+ hour journey.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is one of the best entries in the series in the past decade. The developers’ meticulous attention to detail and the overall high quality—especially in direction—have yielded a genuinely commendable title that could truly mark a new era for this long-standing franchise.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Whether Assassin’s Creed Shadows is the best entry in the series depends on what you enjoy. If you enjoy tactical stealth, the game delivers. If you’re more into a challenging combat experience, Yasuke’s overwhelming strength may leave you wanting more.
With some truly wonderful writing and an engaging pair of protagonists, I adored Assassin’s Creed Shadows. I was obsessed with finishing the assassination targets and working through the Objective board with many late nights to see it through. The wait for Ubisoft to bring the series to Japan has been worth it, especially given the technical appeal of modern gaming making it even more impressive than I had imagined. Naoe and Yasuke are my definitive heroes for this series, two individuals who are wonderfully portrayed by their respective actors, and the talented team that brought them to life.
Assassin's Creed Shadows is an absolute triumph. An addictive adventure in a stunningly provocative open world, and an absolute must play.