Was the Assassin’s Creed Shadows preview giving the right mix of everything fans long for? Well, Ubisoft is set to release Assassin’s Creed Shadows on March 20, 2025, after the 14-year wait. So far, here’s what the Assassin’s Creed Shadows preview showed.
Two Protagonists, One Incredible Journey
Will it be worth the wait? Ubisoft excites its fans by introducing two unique playable characters in the preview. One of it being Yasuke, who is a historically inspired Black Samurai. On the other hand, the second character is a fictional shinobi named Naoe.
With this dual-protagonist feature, players will get differing gameplay experiences. Also, these characters significantly vary in their strengths and skills. Yasuke utilized his brute strength as a combat advantage while Naoe is dependable with her stealth assassin play.
Using Yasuke means experiencing tank-like combat as he was based on a real historical figure who served under Oda Nobunaga. In the Assassin’s Creed Shadows preview, his ability powers through fights after hits. Meanwhile, Naoe leans more towards the classic Assassin’s Creed stealth where it secretly eliminates targets. It simply uses a grappling hook with a hidden blade to pin down their opposing enemies.
A Rich, Immersive Open World
The Assassin’s Creed Shadows preview opened in a late 16th-century Japan setting. What’s positive with this is that it has an expansive open world that lets players explore the nine provinces. Definitely, there is diversity and depth to each of these locations or regions based on the player’s progression.
To many, this was a lesson learned for Ubisoft from their previous entries where the open world felt overwhelming. This time, they thoughtfully distribute the points of interest along with the side activities present. Moreover, this game also spent time and attention over cultural details that pleased many of its fans.
As shown in Assassin’s Creed Shadows preview, there are small yet meaningful touches on narration. An instance is how the characters automatically take off their shoes in indoor settings and shrine placements. This simple gesture tells how committed their team is to honoring the culture beyond surface representation.
Gameplay Mechanics: Stealth and Combat Refined
The Assassin’s Creed Shadows preview, also showed improvements in stealth and combat mechanics. This time, they introduce a prone mechanic which enhances stealth gameplay. This brings a difference in the new version compared to other installments in the series.
Ubisoft also carefully crafted the missions to fit both of the characters’ unique abilities. At most, the missions can be accomplished by playing Yasuke or Naoe. However, certain missions will be in favor of another which you’ll have to determine thoroughly.
Customization and Progression
This time, they are also adding a fully customizable hideout as seen in the Assassin’s Creed Shadows preview. It’ll reminisce about Valhalla’s Ravensthorpe of Assassin’s Creed which will feature a grid system. With this, players are allowed to place buildings, upgrade facilities, and even make personal spaces such as a puppy sanctuary.
Also, it’ll have multiple skill trees and gear customization as part of the character progression. Although the full depth was not seen in the previews, many suggest that a complex RPG-like system is in. They are expecting the progression to be loot-based.
Preview Rating: 8.5/10
The Assassin’s Creed Shadows preview suggests a promising installment in the series after a long wait. Ubisoft really took note of what to improve with the new features they added that many are excited to experience. This will launch on March 20, 2025, across platforms such as PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
