Assassin’s Creed Shadows final Hands-on preview — Feudal Japan brought to life

We have had a slow trickle of information on Assassin’s Creed Shadows since its big reveal at Summer Games Fest. What we haven’t had is a chance to play it for ourselves – until now. Recently I got handed the game and told to go experience it for myself. No guard rails, no restrictions, and almost four hours of uninterrupted access to the game. Given that an Assassin’s Creed game set in Japan is far and away the most anticipated setting since the series debuted in 2007, the stakes are high. More than that, the team could use the win. Could Shadows be the return to form that blends the best parts of Mirage with the RPG systems of Odyssey?

The game starts with the player getting a brief about how the new Animus Hub works, showcasing the various games from the past including Origins, Mirage, Valhalla, Odyssey, and of course, Shadows., the latter being the only one we could select. I’m not sure if that’ll change on release, but on we went. Abstergo introduces us to the core idea behind the Animus Hub – primarily that this allows us to relive things that only exist inside the simulation, and that through mindfulness we can achieve inner peace by experiencing fragments of your past lives. As we get the marketing pitch, a mysterious voice named The Guide breaks through to warn that we’re being lied to, and that we should “follow the trail” and that they’d “be in touch”. Ominous indeed.

The year is 1579 during the late Sengoku period in the Harima Province of Feudal Japan. It’s a world at war as there is no unifying Shogun at this time. Instead, you have powerful warlords called daimyō that all vie for control of the country and the emerging Portuguese trade routes. It’s also a period of great beauty and culture, as Japan experiences a spiritual evolution with many pursuing personal growth, knowledge, and spirituality as enlightenment in life.

From the very first second of the game it’s immediately clear that this game is a stunner. The engine behind Assassin’s Creed Shadows has received a massive upgrade that touches every aspect of the game. The draw distance is…well, unlimited. I know some developers are notorious for saying this, but here it’s true — if you can see it, you can go there. Standing atop a tall spire on a pagoda, I can see well into the distance, a blanket of trees with small villages dotting the landscape stretching into the horizon. Standing at a river, the water ripples and runs around objects under the surface, and I can see fish right underneath. Cherry blossoms are especially gorgeous, which makes sense given how important and prevalent they are in lore and art. As the game puts on an absolute visual spectacle, the camera settles in on a tall black man named Diogo. Clad in a red embroidered coat, he flanks two Portuguese priests as they approach the castle of Lord Nobunaga.

Diogo is clearly a slave. Educated, but a servant to these two priests, he is an outsider among outsiders – truly a stranger in a strange land. The priests, Father Frois and Father Valignano, are bringing a gift for Lord Nobunaga when all three are approached by a well-appointed samurai flanked by two samurai retainers. This man, Akechi Mitsuhide, is a real-life general of the period, and is celebrated to this day for having constructed eight massive castles, most of which still stand to this day. As Mitsuhide-san escorts the trio to the castle, they discuss how important it is that they secure Lord Nobunaga’s favor as, without it, their Jesuit mission would fail. If you’re familiar with James Clavell’s Shōgun book or either television series, you’ll see some immediate and direct parallels. The two priests warn Diogo that he is to remain silent during their negotiation with Nobunaga. More real-world historical figures like Lady Nene (also known as Kōdai-in – a powerful matriarch figure of the Toyotomi clan who was responsible for all diplomatic affairs in Nobunaga’s imperial court), and Mori Ranmaru (also known as Mori Naritoshi) — a real-life retainer to Nobunaga. These are just some of the real-world figures you’ll encounter in the game.

The priests deliver their gift, a European chair made by the finest artisans in Portugal — a pointless gift for a man who spends his days sitting amidst his vassals on zabuton — the small square cushions that the Japanese have used for seating for over 1000 years. During our conversation with Lord Nobunaga he remarked to the Portuguese priests that it’s a shame that Diogo doesn’t speak the language clearly, as he had “the instincts of a warrior as he realized the danger” and “found every threat in the room”. The priests lied and said that Diogo doesn’t understand the language, and we are presented with a choice — say nothing, or dispel the myth by clearly demonstrating that we do understand. I chose the latter, placing the two priests in grave danger. It’s at this time that Lord Nobunaga took for himself another prize, pressing Diogo into service as his vassal. As the game (mimicking real-world history) progresses, Diogo earns his place as a samurai under Lord Nobunaga, as well as a new name – Yasuke, meaning “the black one”. It’s on the nose, but he’s probably the only “black one” in the entire country, so at some point you just own it I suppose. As Lord Nobunaga assaults Mibuno Castle in his attempt to unify Japan (aka “Nobunaga’s Ambition”), we see Naoe’s story intersect with his. More famous figures like Momochi Sandayu (one of the three real historical leaders of the Iga clan) make an appearance, as does Ukita Hideie, Kuroda Kanbei, Konishi Yukinaga, Ukita Naoie, and likely many more. Assassin’s Creed has never shied from pulling in historical figures, but often for little more than cameos. These are integral to the formation of the nation of Japan, and it’s great to see them brought to life.

Fujibayashi Naoe (that’s our female protagonist’s full name) and her father Nagato look over the valley and into the distance, seeing the castle in flames. Nagato is more concerned with getting to Aekuni Shrine to recover an important artifact, knowing that they have no way to stop the invading army with their small numbers. These two are members of the infamous Iga ninja clan, focused on stealth, subterfuge, and assassinations, and Nagato believes that Nobunaga is coming to retrieve a special object, but refuses to disclose to Naoe the nature of that artifact.

Without disclosing the story spoiler that brings these two together, let’s just say that Assassin’s Creed Shadow features dual protagonists, and you are free to choose either to complete just about any mission in the game once you leave the prologue. Yasuke and Naoe’s combat style and approach to missions couldn’t be more different. Yasuke represents power and strength, and Naoe is all about stealth and speed. The game is VERY generous about providing a variety of approaches to accomplish the same task, but there’s something to be said about smashing in a door with your shoulder and announcing that death has arrived. It sends a very clear message, as does the wide array of weapons on offer here.

Both characters have weapons unique to them. Yasuke uses a Katana at his waist, but he can also employ the massive kanabō — a huge club, often with studs or spikes on it for added insult to injury. He can utilize a naginata – a long staff with a large blade on one end, or for ranged attack he can employ a longbow for stealth, or unleash a rarity during this time period — a black powder rifle called a Teppo rifle to round out his arsenal. Naoe on the other hand uses a Katana, Kusarigama, which is a kama on a chain with a counterweight, a tanto, and her various implements like the grappling hook. Both are deadly in combat, but in very different ways.

Your foes are more prepared this time around. Enemies can often show up to the fight with advanced weapons of their own, and with increasing frequency, armor. You will have to either find ways to get around that armor, or break it. You can utilize perfect counters or perfect dodge rolls to trigger powerful counterattacks or strong combinations to quickly sunder an enemy’s protection, though this will require practice for the timing on each weapon. Yasuke has more of an advantage against armor as he can not only charge and bash down solid doors, but can employ this same technique against enemies, sending them careening backwards. His attacks are also far stronger, breaking armor more quickly than Naoe’s lighter but faster strikes.

I know I’ve already touched on this but I want to again take a second and just point out the incredible graphics in this game, and how they impact gameplay. Foliage has received a huge upgrade, with density beyond anything they’ve ever done before. This is especially important as you can now go prone with Naoe to stay hidden in the bushes. You can also stick in the shadows, day or night, to remain hidden, which is easier than ever given the beautiful RTX lighting. During one sequence I was quietly taking out foes from the shadows, with only a distant lamp hanging from a shrine for light. That light cast a soft, diffused light around the area, cutting through the leaves realistically. It was also further scattered by the pre-dawn fog and dew in the air, making for a very realistic appearance that not only looked fantastic, but also looked cold and somehow damp from the early morning dew. It’s hard to describe, but check out some of our video and you’ll see what I mean. Similarly, torches lit the underside of the overhead tree canopies further down the path, but only cut through a small amount to cast the smallest amount of light above. As the flames flickered, it danced through the foliage, bringing the whole scene to life. When I accidentally stepped through a shadow and it cast in front of a guard momentarily, it sure brought HIM to life! Light, shadow, sound, and cover all come together to raise the stealth game, but when it looks this good it all just feels more natural.

Character models have also received a solid uplift. Faces look more soft and detailed, eyes are the window into the soul and they look a lot more natural this time around. Japanese is a language filled with nuance, but where your gaze lands is equally as important as what you say. The team clearly spent some time studying this as the cutscenes use eye contact effectively to provide emphasis. Mouth movements have seen a solid improvement, and you’ll see them more in line with normal phonemic motions in both English and Japanese. Hair, cloth, movement kinesthetics, natural expressions, everything has gotten better with the extra time the team has taken with the game – looks like time well spent.

While he can certainly clamber up the side of a building, albeit with some effort, you’d be hard pressed to call Yasuke agile. Naoe on the other hand has received a complete parkour makeover when compared to any Assassin’s Creed game prior. She can use a grappling hook and ascend quickly, she flips and rolls off of tall structures, dive rolls over obstacles, and really “looks the part” for lack of a better descriptor. Check out this video on movement to see what I’m talking about:

While we didn’t get to play long enough to experience it, Assassin’s Creed Shadows features dynamic weather and seasons. While it’s obvious that some missions will be easier during the light of day (e.g. meeting face to face and negotiating) versus the dead of night (e.g. sneaking in and ventilating a target with a hidden blade), there are other implications. Freshly fallen snow reveals movements in that snow, and guards will be quick to check on footprints on an otherwise-secured space. We’ll have to see how these play out more in the full game, but it sounds promising on paper.

I had to laugh during my demo. During one moment I knew I was running out of gameplay time, but I wanted to make sure I buttoned up a specific quest. I asked the person observing my demo (Hello James!) to point me in the right direction to ensure I could make it in time. You see, Assassin’s Creed Shadows doesn’t hold your hand nearly as much as previous games. I was tasked with finding a shady merchant’s wife, but even after sending my scouts to recon the region, I was left with three possible locations within the expansive city. James was kind enough to provide me with her location, but also warned me that I’d face a tough fight with Naoe as the person guarding this man’s wife was a hulking beast of a man. Naoe can handle combat against larger opponents by capitalizing on speed, but it turns out, descending from the roof hatch like a spider and shoving a 7″ long blade into the neck of this guard worked a treat just the same. He dropped like a stone, I got my information out of the missus, and then disappeared just as quickly and quietly, nobody else in the vicinity the wiser. “Well, that was quick” remarked James – yes indeed, sir. Yes indeed.

You can’t simply assassinate everyone, though. I did encounter one behemoth guard with an overhead indicator that I’d be able to take about 80% of his health if I stealth assassinated him, but not take him out completely. However, with a bit of skill and a smoke bomb, I’d get a second strike at the man, sending him to his grave with a little bit of practice. It’ll be interesting to see how much “RPG” we get in the mechanics, but from what I can see so far there’s a bit of a balance. A bit more restraint in the RPG portion, and more emphasis on player skill with the weapons they’ve selected becomes more important, not just “big number go up”.

While we’re on the RPG mechanic side of things, there is a base building mechanic in the game, as well as a recruiting system to get additional troops for your cause. While I didn’t get to experience it for myself due to time, there is a base building mechanic too. You can construct and grow a hideout, stocking it with weapons and armor for your league of followers. You can decorate this space with various cosmetic options, but most importantly you can build upgraded facilities like a dojo to upgrade your recruits’ skills. You can employ these recruits in battle, helping to turn the tide when things are at their most dire.

Within the settings for the game there is an option for a “Canon mode”. This mode automatically chooses the dialogue options that best match the story as written. That said, the options you have available look like they’ll be a lot of fun to explore, so you might want to reserve this for a second playthrough.

If you thought the team might shy away from beheadings or dismemberment, think again. A careful sidestep and well placed strike might double over a foe, only to have Yasuke remove their head from their shoulders. Similarly, Naoe might give a foe several rapid strikes, only to take their head off their shoulders while they’re still standing. Both are gloriously lethal, as you would expect. There are, however, quiet moments that I particularly liked.

Amidst my rush to experience as many things as possible, as I was zipping through main story and side content, I noticed a small paintbrush on my navigation. I moved closer and saw a small circle begin to converge on my screen. I went prone and snuck up on a crane, pulled out a piece of paper and charcoal, sketching it in its environment. This is called Sumi-e, and this charcoal art style is something we’d see elsewhere – unleashing special attacks. When you unleash special attacks, the world can shift to a Japanese eggshell and black ink painting style, or it can flip to what looks like a film negative. This dips into that charcoal look and creates an awesome dichotomy between the vanishing beauty of the environment and animals I sketched and the bloody outcome of my lethal work.

Another one of the most obvious changes that was almost immediately apparent is that the team wanted to change the way players explore the world. There isn’t a dearth of icons all over the screen. Instead of guiding the player precisely where they should go, you now get rumors, information through conversation and hints in the objective board. Linked quests are clustered together in the tracker, but nowhere is there an option to simply have the game take you precisely to your target. Sure, you can turn on a tracking line to guide you to the general area, but it will no longer drop you right at the person’s feet.

To help with finding your target, when you climb a vantage point you’ll be presented with the landscape around you with question marks and other vantage points appearing around you in the distance. Moving your cursor over these and tagging these unknown locations sets them as goals for exploration. It doesn’t reveal them, however – you’ll need to head over to these areas to find out what they’re about. This just helps point you in an approximate direction, giving you a gentle nudge instead of a shove.

Frankly, I could go on forever and still not touch on half the things I experienced in these first few hours with the game. There’s so much to experience, and it’d be impossible to even comment on it all. While it’s taken a while to get here, and even just ahead of this hands-on time there was what is to be the final delay, but one thing stood out more than anything else – the delays are absolutely going to be worth it. They had to pry the game out of my hands at the end, and I couldn’t wait to get right back into it. My love for Japanese culture notwithstanding, this is also an incredible Assassin’s Creed game in its own right, and a wonderful return to form. It feels less “content for content’s sake” that seemed to have crept into more recent Creed titles, with a great deal more focus on cultivating well-built and focused story and worldbuilding with more purpose. We’ve waited a very, very long time to head to Japan, but maybe the wait was appropriate – the first time you see cherry blossoms flowing in the wind you’ll be glad we did. It showcases Japan in all of its beauty. This is one to be very, very excited about, folks.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows releases for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC on March 20, 2025. Stay tuned for our full review!

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