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The dust has settled, the hot takes and rage bait videos have faded into obscurity, but I played a lot of Assassin’s Creed Shadows last year and never got around to giving my review because of life, and other stuff, but I wanted to go back to this because I think it’s way more interesting to talk about it now when we can just focus on the story and the game itself on it’s own merits.

I’m a stealth goblin who’s been sneaking around in games since Metal Gear Solid reinvented the cardboard box back in the 90s. But also… sometimes I just wanna swing a giant kanabo through a group of dudes like I’m breaking open a piñata filled with bad decisions. Assassin’s Creed Shadows finally lets you pick your poison—and trust me, both are lethal. But do the two play styles mashed together make a good game?

So, Assassin’s Creed Shadows. We’re in Sengoku-era Japan, baby. Land of samurai, shinobi, and 14th-century HOA disputes.

You play as two protagonists: Naoe, a stealthy shinobi trained for precision kills, shadows, and diving gracefully into haystacks. And Yasuke, the famous African samurai from real history, reimagined here with a story that I think actually works really well.

I know some people got mad about Yasuke being playable, but honestly? He’s one of the most interesting characters Assassin’s Creed has introduced in years. It takes some liberties with actual history, but uh… that’s sorta what these games are all about.

Yasuke Kicks Ass-ke

Yasuke’s story is powerful because it’s not just about being an outsider. It’s about belonging. He’s a foreigner brought to Japan who finds purpose, loyalty, and ultimately honor in this violent world.

Plus, playing as Yasuke feels like popping bubble wrap with a warhammer. The sound design is crunchy, and the animations are heavy. It’s a power fantasy that contrasts beautifully with Naoe’s gameplay.

Apocalypse Naoe

Speaking of Naoe—oh man, this is my jam. She’s fast, fragile, and feels dangerous in a way that rewards patience. The stealth mechanics are buttery smooth and the movement is fluid. The game absolutely gets that feeling of being a ghost in the rafters.

Her combat is fast and agile, and if you get caught in head-to-head fighting you need to parry and move a lot because she can’t take a lot of hits. She’s way more effective popping out of a bush or dropping off a rooftop, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Graphics & World Design

Visually? This game is very pretty, in both it’s detail and it’s grand scenery. Ubisoft’s art team has always been top-tier, but Shadows is operating on another level.

Sunsets in the rice fields? Misty forest mornings? Snow falling silently on rooftops while you stalk your next target? It often feels like playing inside a screensaver.

And let’s talk about the Ubisoft Map Situation™

We all remember the dark days: you’d open the map in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and it looked like a glitter bomb went off at a Google Maps conference. Shadows fixes that. There’s a huge emphasis on exploring naturally. Fewer icons. More mystery. You feel encouraged to just… go that way. Climb that mountain, or peek into that temple. It’s the closest the series has felt to Breath of the Wild-style exploration., bu the problem is the exploration just doesn’t feel very rewarding, or relevant to the character. It’s not perfect, but it is an improvement to the Ubisoft formula.

Parkour & Movement

Now for my fellow Parkour Nerds: yes, I hear you. Is it as good as Unity? Mmm… not quite. Nothing is. Unity is still the gold standard for moving around with precision. BUT, Assassin’s Creed Shadows feels better than Mirage in terms of fluidity and momentum. Climbing feels purposeful. The animations have weight but don’t get in your way.

Plus, Naoe gets some genuinely cool tools like the grappling hook that make traversal fast and stylish.

Pros and Cons

Look, Shadows has some problems. If I had written this review at 20 hours in, it would probably have been a glowing and I’d tell you it’s my favorite Assassin’s Creen since Black Flag. But I gotta be honest, the longer I played the more flawed the game became, especially in terms of storytelling.

There’s too much stuff here and too much freedom for the story to contain. Major plot points just… go on hold. Supporting characters just show up randomly whether it makes sense or not, and a lot of the side content feels like a distraction more than anything meaningful or fulfilling. The result, for me at least, was a story that kicks off with a lot of momentum and potential that just fades into the background. I enjoyed the hell out of this for while, until I didn’t. By the time I was starting to wind down the main story, I just didn’t care anymore. It felt sorta like taking one too many trips to the buffet. 

But before that? I was all in. What Shadows nails is the player fantasy. It makes me feel like a stealth god and an unstoppable warrior, depending on who I’m playing. And even if that fantasy fizzles out before the end, it’s a hell of a ride for a while.

So let’s talk about gamer types, because I love the gamer motivation model created by Quantic Foundry for seeing if this is your thing or not:

Who Is This Game For?

So, who’s gonna love Assassin’s Creed Shadows? According to Quantic Foundry’s gamer motivation model, this game is gonna hit hardest with folks high in Immersion—people who love exploring beautiful worlds, soaking in lore, and feeling like they’re the character.

It’s also a stealth junkie’s paradise—that’s high Challenge and Strategy. Planning routes, setting traps, and ghosting through camps like a champ. And if you’re someone who enjoys Destruction or Power Fantasy? Yasuke has you covered.

But if you’re here for Competition or Multiplayer… this ain’t your game.

Where To Play

This game is on all the modern platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Windows, Switch 2, and even macOS, believe it or not. I’ve been a Mac user for the last 30 years, and I hope Apple continues to open up to gaming a bit, but I’ve been burned too many times to get my hopes up.

As for the Switch 2, I haven’t it played it there but apparently it runs pretty docked, but handheld mode struggles a bit, even after the patches. So it’s fine if the Switch 2 is your main or your only console, but it’s probably a better experience on the other platforms. It’s worth noting that if you wanna play it on a handheld specifically, the Switch 2 and Steam Deck versions seem to be pretty comparable, and while it looks nicer on the Xbox ROG Ally, you might want to keep it near a plugin because the batteries are gonna say uncle pretty quickly.

Final Thoughts

So after all this time, and now that we’re able to just set aside all the talk about the game from people who didn’t even play it, where did we end up?

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a smart blend between the old stealthy Assassin’s Creed games and the newer RPG-heavy ones. It’s an olive branch to stealth fans, a playground for power fantasy, and a beautiful world that respects your curiosity, if not your time. Eventually the blades start to go dull. It’s a great game out of the gate, but for me the game keeps going long after the thrill of killing is gone.

I still give it a 👍 and recommend it—just know what you’re getting into.