You’ve probably heard about the Japanese art known as “kintsugi,” which translates to “golden repair.” This practice combines philosophy and art, focusing on repairing shattered pottery by filling the cracks with lacquer mixed with gold, silver, or platinum powder. Rather than hiding the damage, kintsugi highlights and celebrates the pieces’ history, breathing new life into them.
Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows attempts a similar reinvention with the franchise, which spans nearly two decades. Despite its flaws—like a cluttered UI, a map overwhelmed with icons, awkward parkour, and clunky combat—Ubisoft doesn’t shy away from these issues. Instead, they seem to embrace them. For every tedious “follow this guy” mission, there’s a breathtaking set-piece that stands tall among the series’ best moments. Each flaw is an opportunity to showcase something impressive, akin to a streak of gold running through a crack.
One of the charms of the post-reboot Assassin’s Creed era—starting with Origins—is the engaging objective screens filled with targets. Shadows keeps this tradition alive in its Sengoku-era Japan setting, presenting you with numerous shadowy organizations to dismantle. The plentiful side objectives offer reasons to endure long horse rides across prefectures. The main storyline involves taking revenge on 13 adversaries, but it’s the variety of mini-missions that truly engage. Each notorious ronin or rogue shinobi provides a unique challenge, mixing up locations and tactics. It all amounts to seeking out and defeating foes, which is far more enticing than past games’ tedious escort quests.
In Shadows, Ubisoft introduces us to two distinct characters: Naoe, agile and stealthy, and Yasuke, a powerful bruiser. While the combat stays largely true to its Origins roots—solid but not groundbreaking—it’s the dynamic between these characters that makes the gameplay shine. Naoe is perfect for stealth kills, while Yasuke is your go-to for intense, head-on battles. Whether you’re sneaking in or storming through, the thrill is undeniable.
Occasionally, the game’s AI falters, or the collision detection goes awry. Yet the satisfaction of executing a perfect takedown on a formidable opponent makes such glitches easy to overlook. Performing a well-placed attack, watching enemy life bars drop, or seeing hats fly off in battles blends seriousness with humor, creating a memorable experience.
The narrative itself is compelling, and for an authentic experience, I recommend playing in Immersive Mode with subtitles. The Japanese-Portuguese voiceovers simulate an atmosphere reminiscent of Shogun, and Ubisoft’s cinematic prowess shines here. Early cutscenes rank among the series’ finest, amplified by the atmospheric music from Japanese psych-rock band TEKE TEKE.
However, Shadows does have pacing issues. The game truly starts to shine after a lengthy prologue and substantial exposition, taking about 12+ hours to hit its stride. Once it opens up, you become proficient with Naoe and begin mastering Yasuke. Character-switching is seamlessly integrated into the gameplay, adding fluidity to your adventures as you navigate between unraveling the story and clearing map objectives.
Even time-honored elements of the Assassin’s Creed formula are reimagined in Shadows. Collectible hunts, for example, are overhauled ingeniously; pick-ups like origami cranes unravel in unexpected ways that enhance the game’s depth.
Base-building is present but not mandatory. Engaging with it offers rewards and unfolds additional narrative layers, allowing you to bolster your hideout and strengthen your forces. Gathering resources during missions feels reminiscent of the enjoyable mechanics from Brotherhood.
When it’s time to wind down, Shadows offers meditative activities like visiting temples and practicing katas. These moments of tranquility allow you to control the game’s pace. After intense battles, retreating to serene landscapes—listening to wildlife and watching sunlight filter through trees—serves as a delightful pause, fitting Assassin’s Creed’s rich, theme-park-like version of Japan.
Visually, Shadows is a masterpiece. Playing on a PS5 Pro in Quality mode, you’ll find yourself mesmerized by the changing vistas. Each season flaunts its unique palette—my favorite being autumn, with its vibrant and contrasting colors—a true testament to Japan’s natural beauty and possibly the best setting in the series thus far.
Seasonal changes in gameplay are minimal, though marketed as opportunities for strategic variation during missions. While visually distinct, I didn’t alter my playstyle based on the seasons. Minor annoyances, like slipping on snowy terrain, could occur, but overall the game presents diverse landscapes for exploration.
“Kintsugi” relates to “wabi-sabi,” an acceptance of life’s impermanent and imperfect nature. Shadows reflects these ideals, understanding the elements it can’t perfect and instead making them shine. Though imperfect, Assassin’s Creed Shadows offers an engaging story and the satisfaction of progression, akin to a modern roguelike. Delight comes from solving problems and uncovering surprises behind each game flaw, which speaks volumes for its artistic merit.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is slated for release on Xbox Series, PS5, and PC on March 20, 2025, following a short delay earlier this year.
