Assassin's Creed Shadows Review: 50 Hours In, Is It Worth It?

Assassin's Creed Shadows Honest Review – A Samurai Stealth Experience?

After spending over 50 hours immersed in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, I’ve experienced the highs and lows of Ubisoft’s latest open-world RPG. From its ambitious setting in feudal Japan to its dual protagonists with distinct playstyles, Shadows attempts to balance stealth and action in a way that both longtime fans and newcomers might appreciate. But does it succeed? Let’s dive into an honest review of the game, exploring its strengths, weaknesses, and whether it's worth your time.

Story – A Mixed Bag of Historical Fiction

Ubisoft has always played fast and loose with historical accuracy, and Shadows is no exception. While the inclusion of Yasuke—the historical African samurai—caused some controversy, it’s important to remember that Assassin’s Creed has always been about weaving historical events into a larger fictional narrative.

The game opens with Yasuke’s introduction to Oda Nobunaga, followed by Naoe’s revenge-driven journey against the sinister Shogunate faction, the Shinsegumi. While this setup is intriguing, the execution is flawed. The story heavily favors Naoe in the early game, with Yasuke disappearing for long stretches. His arc is explored later through personal quests, but the imbalance makes him feel like an afterthought rather than a fully developed co-protagonist.

Furthermore, the Shinsegumi targets—essentially the game’s version of Templars—lack depth. Most of them die without providing any meaningful revelations, making the pursuit of these enemies feel less rewarding. It isn’t until the final act that the narrative picks up, but by then, the pacing issues have already taken a toll.

✅ Story Pros:

• Interesting what-if historical setting
• Naoe’s personal journey is engaging
• Some great side stories and companion quests

❌ Story Cons:

• Yasuke feels underutilized
• Shinsegumi targets lack depth
• Takes too long to connect with the larger Assassin’s Creed lore

Gameplay – A Tale of Two Playstyles

One of the game’s biggest selling points is its dual protagonist system, with Naoe embodying the stealthy shinobi and Yasuke serving as the brutal samurai warrior.

Combat – Stealth vs. Strength

• Naoe’s playstyle is fast and fluid, allowing her to use kunai, smoke bombs, and a grappling hook to navigate enemy encounters silently. She excels in assassination missions, and her hidden blade double assassinations are some of the best in the series.
• Yasuke, on the other hand, is a powerhouse. His massive kanabo and naginata break enemy defenses with ease, and his brutal executions are undeniably satisfying. However, he lacks finesse—stealth isn’t really an option with him, and even his so-called “assassinations” are loud, making it almost impossible to use him in certain missions.

While the combat styles are distinct, switching between the two isn’t seamless. You have to go into the menu to swap characters, which results in a brief loading screen. Over time, this becomes annoying, leading me to stick with Naoe for most of my playthrough.

✅ Combat Pros:

• Naoe’s stealth mechanics feel fantastic
• Yasuke is an absolute beast in battle
• Gear and weapons have meaningful perks

❌ Combat Cons:

• Yasuke feels clunky in exploration
• Switching characters isn’t fluid
• Some enemies are immune to assassination, forcing combat

Exploration – A Stunning but Flawed Open World

Ubisoft has nailed the visuals and environmental storytelling in Shadows. The game’s seasonal changes dynamically affect gameplay—footprints in the snow can alert enemies, while falling icicles can be used to distract or kill guards. It’s a fantastic touch that makes the world feel alive.

However, parkour and traversal have some frustrating limitations:

• Naoe moves like an agile assassin should, but Yasuke struggles with simple climbing.
• The sliding hills mechanic, which forces you to take long detours instead of climbing directly, is frustrating.
• Tree climbing is restricted to designated yellow-marked branches, limiting movement compared to older AC titles like Assassin’s Creed III.

✅ Exploration Pros:

• Beautiful open-world design with dynamic seasons
• Tons of side content, including fort takeovers and hidden shrines
• The base-building mechanic adds an extra layer of depth

❌ Exploration Cons:

• Yasuke’s movement is slow and clunky
• Sliding hills limit free movement
• Parkour feels restrictive compared to past games

Side Content – Hit or Miss

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is packed with side content, from castle sieges and fort raids to temple praying and scroll collecting. While some of these activities are engaging, others feel like unnecessary padding.

• Best Side Content: Recruiting allies, investigating targets, and fort takeovers provide genuine rewards and lore-building.
• Worst Side Content: Finding multiple shrines and scrolls in one area gets repetitive fast.

The game also introduces a scouting system, where you can send allies to locate objectives. However, this system feels unnecessary—why not just give us the option to mark locations manually?

✅ Side Content Pros:

• Companion quests and side stories are well-written
• Fort sieges and castle takeovers are fun
• Scouting adds an investigative element

❌ Side Content Cons:

• Some activities are repetitive and bloated
• No proper hunting mechanics (a step back from older games)
• Shrines and scrolls feel like filler

Performance & Visuals – A Technical Win

I played Assassin’s Creed Shadows on PS5 Pro, and for the most part, it runs well. Performance mode keeps things at a steady 60 FPS, and load times are minimal.

That said, the NPC character models are noticeably repetitive—many side characters share the same face, breaking immersion. Still, the scenery, lighting, and combat animations make up for it, with the game looking gorgeous in all seasons.

✅ Performance & Visuals Pros:

• Stunning environmental detail
• Stable performance with minimal bugs
• Excellent combat animations

❌ Performance & Visuals Cons:

• NPC models are repetitive
• Occasional animation glitches
• No major graphical leaps over Valhalla

Final Verdict – Is Assassin's Creed Shadows Worth It?

Score: 7.5/10

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a solid entry in the franchise but not a groundbreaking one. It excels in:

• Stealth gameplay (Naoe is one of the best assassins in years)
• Brutal samurai combat (Yasuke is a beast in battle)
• Beautiful open-world Japan with dynamic seasons

However, it struggles with:

• An unbalanced story (Yasuke’s arc feels underdeveloped)
• Clunky movement for Yasuke (slow traversal and limited parkour)
• Bloated side content that pads the experience

If you loved AC Origins, Odyssey, or Valhalla, you’ll probably enjoy Shadows—but if you were hoping for a return to the classic Assassin’s Creed formula, this won’t fully scratch that itch.

For fans of stealth-heavy gameplay, Naoe’s sections are fantastic—but for those wanting an all-encompassing samurai experience, Ghost of Tsushima is still the superior choice.

Final Recommendation:
✅ Buy if you love open-world RPGs and AC’s modern formula
⏳ Wait for a discount if you prefer classic AC games
❌ Skip if you dislike bloated open worlds with RPG mechanics

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