Why We’re Excited to Play: Assassin’s Creed Shadows

"Stealth, swords, and samurai drama? Say less."

Assassin’s Creed Finally Embraces Feudal Japan—and It’s About Time

Let’s be real—this should’ve happened years ago. For a franchise built on stealth, martial prowess, and ancient conspiracies, feudal Japan has always been the most obvious slam-dunk setting. After decades of globe-hopping and time-traveling from the Crusades to Victorian London to Ancient Greece, Assassin’s Creed Shadows finally gives us the ninja vs. samurai action we’ve been begging for. And friends, it delivers.

Ubisoft bends the knee to one of history’s most cinematic periods, blending stealth, swordplay, and political intrigue like a Kurosawa flick dipped in a triple-A gaming budget. We’re talking Shogun meets Sekiro, with just enough Mirage-era polish to keep it grounded.

Meet Your New Favorite Duo: Yasuke and Naoe

Shadows gives us not one but two protagonists—and it’s not just a gimmick. You’ve got Naoe, the last of the Iga shinobi, all shadows and sharp words, balancing grief with deadly precision. She’s a stealth goddess, gliding across rooftops and sneaking through enemy lines like Tenchu's long-lost heir. Then there's Yasuke, the real-life African samurai turned digital powerhouse. He’s all brute strength and honor, making a name for himself in a land that still sees him as an outsider.

What makes them work isn’t just the contrast—it’s the chemistry. Their arcs intersect in powerful ways, and their banter adds some much-needed levity to an otherwise grim tale of betrayal, honor, and upheaval. Think Ezio and Shao Jun meets Kratos and Atreus—balanced, grounded, and memorable.

The Sengoku Period Was Made for Assassin’s Creed

The war-torn Sengoku era gives Ubisoft’s trademark templar-vs-assassin narrative a serious glow-up. Every village, castle, and rice field feels like it’s hiding a secret. Bandits rule the countryside. Corrupt officials line their pockets. And amidst all the chaos, a familiar conspiracy slithers beneath the surface. It’s classic AC storytelling with a fresh, textured setting that just fits.

Shadows doesn’t reinvent the narrative wheel—it leans hard into the tropes we’ve seen in Shogun, Samurai Champloo, or Ghost of Tsushima. But what it lacks in originality, it makes up for with mood and tone. It's a story told with purpose and a surprising amount of nuance. You won’t always be shocked, but you will care.

The New Structure: Mission Boards, Not Checklists

Gone are the days of the bloated Ubisoft map filled with 200 icons. Shadows trims the fat, borrowing from Mirage and adding a brilliant Mission Board system. You’ll gather clues, track targets, and pin connections like you're in your own Shinobi CSI.

This format rewards exploration and smart thinking. You’ll uncover a name, follow rumors, maybe use a scout from your home base—and suddenly you’re assassinating someone you didn’t even know was connected to a bigger threat. It’s organic. It’s immersive. It makes you feel like a real assassin again, not just a checklist junkie.

Exploration Actually Feels Like… Exploration

Here’s where Shadows breaks the Ubisoft curse. When you climb a high tower, it doesn’t barf out icons. Instead, you get a nudge: “Hey, something interesting might be over there.” And just like that, you’re off on horseback, not chasing waypoints, but curiosity. And yeah, some side content isn’t groundbreaking—looking at you, temple scroll hunts—but it’s short, sweet, and usually worth it.

The real magic? Riding through foggy forests, stumbling into a bandit ambush, or infiltrating a hidden dojo just because it looked suspicious from a cliffside. This is the kind of emergent adventure Assassin’s Creed used to promise, but now finally delivers.

Who’s Your Favorite Playable Ninja/Samurai in Gaming?

Mark of the Ninja
Ninja Gaiden Black
Nioh
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Base Building is Back, but Chill

Shadows lets you return to a hub similar to Valhalla’s Ravensthorpe, where you build out your hideout with resources found in the wild. You’ll upgrade gear at the forge, unlock new allies, and even call in backup mid-mission if you’ve built the right facilities. It’s there if you want to dig in—but it’s not a requirement.

Customization fans will love the massive flood of cosmetics unlocked just from regular play. If you do want to bling out your base like a warlord influencer, the tools are all there.

What’s Holding It Back?

Let’s keep it 100: Shadows isn’t perfect.

Yasuke’s gameplay feels a bit more generic. He hits hard, sure, but lacks the finesse and gadget-driven flair of Naoe.
The progression system could use some love. It’s stripped down in a way that feels more like “missing features” than “streamlined design.”
While the story is compelling overall, there are still patches of Ubisoft filler—“Go here, kill that guy, now fetch this”—that haven’t fully disappeared.

But none of this is deal-breaking. The highs are really high, and the lows are more “meh” than “ugh.”

Final Thoughts: The Rebirth of Assassin’s Creed?

Assassin’s Creed needed this.

After the bloated sprawl of Valhalla and the shorter-but-safe return in Mirage, Shadows is the first step in a truly exciting new era. It takes bold risks in its setting, finally pays off a long-standing fan request, and introduces a duo of leads that could carry the franchise for years to come.

If you’ve ever loved this series—or if you’ve been burned out and waiting for a reason to come back—Assassin’s Creed Shadows is that reason.