I haven’t immersed myself in anAssassin’s Creedgame sinceValhalla,which is why I find myself a little surprised that I’ve pre-orderedAssassin’s Creed Shadows. After all, I don’t remember the last time I properly enjoyed anAssassin’s Creedentry post-Unity, with perhaps the only exception beingOrigins, and yet even with that game I’m hard-pressed to think of a memorable moment. Still, here I am, unironically, unashamedly, and unreservedly eagerly awaiting my copy ofAssassin’s Creed Shadows, peaking through my letterbox like when I was a child expecting my very first parcel.
That’s because, despite all ofAssassin’s Creed Shadows’necessary delays, I am finally excited for anAssassin’s Creedgame. A lot of work and passion has seemingly gone into this title; the previews are glowing, and fans who pre-order get a 10-hour expansion for free. However, as much as all of that does appeal to me,there’s one particular feature above all else that has me excited forAssassin’s Creed Shadows. Frankly, it could be a terrible game, and I’d still find myself jumping with joy the moment that crisp PS5 box pops through my letterbox.
AC Shadows Is Set In Feudal Japan
It Is The Coolest Setting So Far
Assassin’s Creed Shadows’greatest asset is its setting: feudal Japan. It is not a particularly untapped setting in Western media, with shows likeShogun, films likeThe Last Samurai, and games likeGhost of Tsushimautilizing it, and yet,I find myself drawn toAssassin’s Creed Shadowsnevertheless. I have a great affinity for this period, whether it is thanks to my brother’s great affection for samurai, the engrossingly goodTotal War: Shogun, or the myriad of beautiful yet hauntingly somber traditions of the culture at the time. As a result, I cannot turn down any media associated with it.
Assassin’s Creed Shadowsoffers what appears to be the most beautiful iteration of feudal Japan in gaming, and that may just beUbisoft’s saving grace. I’m not particularly bothered by overwhelmingly photorealistic visuals, nor do I care much for AAA developer’s obsession with them. However, when it comes to historical settings, the closer to reality the better, especially in a title likeAssassin’s Creedwhose entire ethos is to give players a gorgeous sandbox through which to engage in virtual tourism. I want to be transported to the past, andShadowsseems best suited to do that.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Shorter Length Is Great For The Series
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a significantly shorter game that its predecessors, and that’s an important step that’ll hugely benefit the series.
While I can’t state confidentally that the gameplay will match the phenomenal setting or stunning visuals,I feel reassured that merely trapesing through this world with its environment-altering seasons, will be a joy unto itself. Frankly, that’s all I want from a game likeAssassin’s Creed Shadows, although that’s not to say I’ll let Ubisoft off the hook if it delivers a terrible experience. It is much likeHogwarts Legacy, which was largely forgiven for itsshallow gameplay and storythanks to the fact that it had devoted itself to giving fans the ultimate immersive experience within the wizarding world.
Fans Have Waited Decades For A Japan Setting
It Is The Most Requested Period
I, much like the legions of similarly minded feudal Japan-loving fans, have been waiting forAssassin’s Creedto tackle the era. We’ve been imagining how Ubisoft would tackle what will assuredly beAssassin’s Creed’scoolest setting, and, in many ways, I’m grateful it waited this long to tackle it. It isn’t like Ubisoft failed to perfectly encapsulate the bloodied streets of 18th century Paris inAssassin’s Creed Unityback in 2014, nor did it struggle to capture the beauty of Renaissance Italy in 2009’sAssassin’s Creed 2.
However,it would have been a shame to have gottenAssassin’s Creed Japanduring an earlier era of Ubisoft’s game design, where climbing towers was considered a sufficiently fun gameplay loop.Getting feudal Japan right inShadowsis a tough task, something that other games haven’t quite mastered.Ghost of Tsushimaoffered a far smaller-scale glimpse at the period, tackling a tiny island off the coast of Japan and not directly dealing with the fascinating machinations of the era’s complex politics.
Rise of the Roninwas a far more ambitious experience, but one hampered by a smaller budget and some not-so-inspiring game design. Neither game is terrible - in fact,Ghost of Tsushimais amazing - but they both prove thatthis is a time period that deserves a great deal of consideration when it comes to capturing its essence. Fortunately, the manyfan-created versions ofAC Japanended up paling in comparison to what Ubisoft has shown off thus far ofShadows, giving me hope that it has approached this monolithic task with the respect and care it deserves.
While the many controversies prior to launch, including some regarding the game’s historical accuracy, were somewhat concerning,I’m also quite content with Ubisoft’s somewhat lax approach to its rendition of history. It paints a broad brush, one that caters for the period’s mythology and folklore to take center stage from time to time, or for more unconventional heroes to have their moment in the spotlight.
AC Shadows' Setting Is The Main Reason I’m Excited For it
It Has Made Me Play Assassin’s Creed Again
It seems somewhat silly to get excited about a game based purely on its setting, and yet that’s the position I find myself in. Gaming as you get older is an interesting conundrum, one in which prioritizing releases becomes increasingly important thanks to a dwindling amount of free time and never-ending burdensome responsibilities. Sometimes, the reason for picking one game over another can be as simple as its setting. After all,if I am spending a good few months devoting myself to a sprawling RPG, I better enjoy the world in which it takes place.
However,I cannot tell you how many times I’ve sat with friends discussing how great anAssassin’s Creedgame set in Japan would be. There’s something sweet - albeit slightly confronting given that it only further illustrates the saddening passage of time - about it finally happening, like the dreams of my twelve-year-old self are finally coming true. While I hesitate to expect that playingAssassin’s Creed Shadows will rekindle the passion for games I held as a child, the same passion that led me to wishfully imagine what Assassin’s Creed Japan could be, I can hope.
Do You Need To Play Any AC Games Before Assassin’s Creed Shadows?
Whether you’re new to Assassin’s Creed or a veteran of the franchise, AC Shadows doesn’t require any special knowledge, though it might help.
After all, even Ubisoft understands that everyone has beenwaiting forAC Shadows. I am reticent to put my hopes in the corporatized AAA developers, the same that so frequently disappoints, shutters good studios, and shoves microtransactions into games. However, I also find that the older I get, the less cynical I want to become. I want to believe that Ubisoft has finally delivered the game of our dreams. I want to believe thatAssassin’s Creed Shadowswill live up to the idea we all had ofAssassin’s Creed Japan, and sometimes, that, and a pinch of excitement, is enough.
