Assassin’s Creed Shadows Review: A Bold Step into Feudal Japan

Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows arrives on March 20, 2025, carrying the weight of a franchise—and a company—at a crossroads. Set in the lush, tumultuous world of feudal Japan during the late Sengoku period, this latest installment promises a breathtaking fusion of historical immersion and refined gameplay. After multiple delays and a storm of pre-release controversies, the game’s launch feels like a make-or-break moment for Ubisoft, a studio grappling with financial woes and a shifting industry landscape. So, does Shadows deliver the single-player epic fans crave, or does it falter under its own ambition? Let’s dive in.

A Tale of Two Warriors

At its core, Assassin’s Creed Shadows stands out with its dual-protagonist structure, a nod to 2015’s Assassin’s Creed Syndicate. Players alternate between Naoe, a nimble shinobi from Iga Province, and Yasuke, the historical African samurai who served under Oda Nobunaga. This pairing offers distinct playstyles that cater to different tastes: Naoe embodies the series’ stealth roots with her agility, smoke bombs, and silent takedowns, while Yasuke charges in with brute force, wielding katanas and kanabo clubs to devastating effect. The ability to switch between them mid-mission adds a layer of flexibility, letting you tackle objectives as either a shadow or a storm.

The narrative weaves their stories together against the backdrop of Japan’s unification, a time of warring clans and shifting loyalties. Naoe’s quest is personal, driven by her ninja heritage, while Yasuke’s outsider perspective—marveling at a foreign land while cutting through it—echoes the cultural curiosity of FX’s Shōgun. The game doesn’t shy away from their differences: Yasuke’s early inability to speak Japanese leads to humorous exchanges, while Naoe’s reverence for her father’s mission grounds her arc. It’s a compelling dynamic, though the story occasionally leans on familiar Assassin’s Creed tropes—secret orders, ancient artifacts—that feel less fresh in this vibrant setting.

Feudal Japan Brought to Life

Visually, Shadows is a triumph. Ubisoft Quebec has painstakingly recreated Central Japan, from the towering castles of Takeda and Himeji to the misty rice fields of Iga. A dynamic seasonal cycle shifts the world from spring blossoms to winter snows, each phase altering gameplay—rain obscures vision, wind bends reeds for cover. The attention to detail is staggering: light filters through temple roofs, villagers bustle in markets, and the dense forests swallow you whole. It’s a world that feels alive, bolstered by a new engine that delivers crisp load times and fluid animations.

Yet, this beauty comes with a cost. The open world, while stunning, can feel overwhelming, packed with icons and side quests that occasionally dilute the focus. It’s a familiar Ubisoft problem—more isn’t always better—but the sheer spectacle of feudal Japan keeps you engaged, even when you’re just galloping across a field to watch the sunset paint the mountains purple.

Gameplay: Stealth Reborn, Combat Refined

For longtime fans, Shadows marks a return to the series’ stealth origins, a shift from the RPG-heavy sprawl of Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla. Naoe’s toolkit—grappling hooks, kunai, and environmental traps—makes sneaking across rooftops and through shadows a thrill, enhanced by enemies who react to noise and light. It’s not a revolution, but it’s the most polished stealth Assassin’s Creed has offered in years. Parkour, too, gets a welcome upgrade with smoother animations and more responsive controls, letting Naoe dart across tiles with ninja-like grace.

Yasuke, meanwhile, caters to players who prefer action. His combat is brutal and satisfying, with parries and signature moves that turn battles into bloody spectacles. The contrast works: where Naoe slips past guards, Yasuke barrels through them, and the game rarely forces you into one approach. Still, some missions feel tailored to a specific character, which can disrupt the flow if you’re committed to a single playstyle.

The RPG elements remain—gear, skill trees, and stats—but they’re streamlined compared to Valhalla. Progression feels meaningful without drowning you in menus, and the Animus Hub promises post-launch content like co-op and expansions to keep the adventure going. It’s a delicate balance, blending the series’ past and present, though it doesn’t always push boundaries as far as it could.

Controversy and Context

Shadows hasn’t escaped scrutiny. The choice of Yasuke, a Black samurai, and Naoe, a female shinobi, sparked a culture war online, with critics decrying “woke” agendas despite their historical basis—female warriors existed in feudal Japan, and Yasuke is a documented figure. Ubisoft’s response has been measured, leaning on in-house historians and Japanese consultants to justify its creative take. The game isn’t a textbook—it’s a fantasy grounded in history—but the backlash has arguably overshadowed its merits, a distraction the team didn’t need amidst Ubisoft’s struggles.

Speaking of Ubisoft, Shadows arrives at a pivotal moment. The company’s stock has plummeted 77% since 2020, and recent titles like Star Wars Outlaws underperformed. With a market cap of just $1.75 billion and buyout talks looming, this game is a lifeline. It’s a lot of pressure for one title to bear, and while Shadows isn’t perfect, it’s a reminder of what Ubisoft does best: crafting immersive, ambitious worlds.

The Verdict

Assassin’s Creed Shadows isn’t the radical reinvention some hoped for, nor does it need to be. It’s a refinement of the series’ strengths—exploration, combat, and historical flair—wrapped in one of its most captivating settings yet. The dual protagonists shine, the stealth feels revitalized, and feudal Japan is a playground worth losing yourself in. Flaws linger: a bloated open world, a predictable story beat or two, and stealth advancements that don’t fully break new ground. But these are quibbles in a package this polished and engaging.

For Ubisoft, it’s a much-needed win, though its commercial success remains uncertain in a crowded market. For players, it’s a return to form that honors the franchise’s legacy while nudging it forward. Assassin’s Creed Shadows doesn’t redefine the series, but it proves there’s still life—and beauty—in its blades.

Score: 8.5/10

A gorgeous, gripping journey that stumbles occasionally but stands tall as one of Ubisoft’s strongest efforts in years.