Assassin's Creed Shadows Review: A Beautiful but Hollow Evolution
To start out, Shadows is one of those games that may split audiences in two. One side considers it the most authentic Assassin’s Creed since the Ezio era, while the other side misses the rich RPG systems that made Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla what they are. And that’s the side I belong to—the RPG AC side. But I’m not here to criticize it. I sincerely enjoyed Shadows, despite it being somewhat frustrating at times. Beautiful and visually stunning, it may be, but Shadows is a stealth game with inconsistent mechanics. It is at its best when you play it slowly and with extreme caution. Combat is an unpleasant experience that fills you with self-loathing. Despite the myriad of distractions it offers, I will continue to return to it. It will always be an RPG trilogy.
For players like me who appreciate RPG systems, the biggest issue with Shadows is the split identity of its two protagonists. Naoe and Yasuke. It sounds great on paper—a perfect stealth and strength combination. In reality, it is far less balanced. Naoe’s stealth gameplay is a blast. Gliding through the shadows, evading enemies, and using tools to manipulate patrols feels precise and satisfying. Every silent takedown feels clean and substantial. When paired with the DualSense controller's haptic feedback, the immersion is astonishing. You sense the wind's whisper and feel the soft thud of a kunai dropping. It’s that tactile link that Shadows offers that makes the stealth elements more enjoyable.
But Yasuke? Yasuke is where the cracks start to show. His sections are meant to highlight combat, and that would be fine—if the combat didn’t get boring so quickly. At the lower levels, it feels responsive and visceral, but after a bit of leveling up, enemies become walking health bars. They become absurdly spongy, and there’s no way to fix this. You spend far too long whittling down groups of soldiers or boss characters whose only challenge is endurance. It’s obvious the combat was not built for long engagements, but that’s what the game forces you into. You get a system that feels at odds with itself—pushing you into battles that are exhausting, not exhilarating, which might surprise players who buy cheap PS4 games expecting smoother, more balanced combat encounters.
Equipment, Progression, and the Grind Problem
Shadows' novel RPG elements forget the basic elements of equipment. Leveling up your equipment feels like busy work rather than rewarding in a meaningful way. When you acquire a new weapon or a piece of armor, you are forced into an hour-long cycle of upgrades just to make it “keep up.” Progressing equipment in this game is no fun; it is a chore. Resource gathering, loot disassembly, and the incremental stat increases feel disingenuous. Odyssey and Valhalla addressed the concern of agency in builds, and Shadows is a to-do list instead of a game. Progress in this game feels like maintenance, not evolution, which could disappoint players who buy cheap PS5 games hoping for a more rewarding sense of growth and freedom.
Not having an eagle companion is one of the peculiar design decisions. The eagle has instead been replaced by a scout sending system, which is a nice way to describe tedium. I enjoyed flying over the world in Odyssey and tagging enemies or fort layout in order to plan my dive. The new system lacks engagement, and of all the modern systems in the game, the missing Eagle system captures the player’s interest in planning or strategy. In Shadows, the lack of the eagle and scouting system makes planning feel artificially confined.
There is hollowness to the mission structure as well. The investigations that are supposed to underpin your assassinations are mostly absent. The details on targets come in your log, and there is no buildup, discovery, or tracking. There are no clues, no leads to follow, you go to a marker, eliminate a target, and that is that. Outside the main targets, there is no connective tissue at all between missions. You expect more narrative cohesion in a title that is so proud of its historical immersion. The developers have built a gorgeous world, and seemingly forgotten to add the mystery and the purpose that, at one time, defined the franchise.
The Story That Almost Was
I appreciate Shadows for trying to be grounded. Some fans have asked for a more realistic and historical approach, and, in that regard, Ubisoft is catering to that request. The narrative successfully captures the essence of feudal Japan and the Archipelago - the amazing architecture, the value of the culture, and the intricate social relationships. Even in the Codex, one of the most underrated features of the series, there was a lot to learn. That said, the narrative stopped building momentum. I think it was most clear in the Claws of Awaji, as it was there that the story really dragged in pacing and emotional weight. The story in Shadows aims for something more grounded, and I respect that intention. Some fans have long demanded a more realistic, historically focused approach, and in that sense, Ubisoft delivered. The narrative paints a vivid picture of feudal Japan, complete with beautiful architecture, cultural nuance, and a careful depiction of societal dynamics. I learned quite a bit just by reading the Codex entries, which remain one of the series’ most underrated features. However, the story itself doesn’t maintain momentum. After a strong start, it gradually loses energy, especially noticeable during the Claws of Awaji segment, where pacing and emotional impact take a dive.
The absence of ISU's storyline, which integrated the RPG trilogy into an expansive mythological framework, makes sense. Japan's spiritual traditions do not easily correlate with that cosmic framework, but it still feels like a lost opportunity. The modern-day story also lacks substance, providing little more than a framing device around the historical material. Many of the supporting characters suffer from overly safe and predictable writing. Naoe is the clear standout—complex, relatable, and written with uncommon sincerity—yet she is the exception, not the rule. The ending feels unfinished.
An Immersive Experience Worth the Price of Admission
Finally, let’s discuss the pièce de résistance: the visuals. I’ll just say it: there are few competitors to Assassin’s Creed Shadows on the market. I can’t praise the game’s graphics enough. The lighting, the textures, and even the environment are stunning. There is something meditative about traversing the landscapes, whether it is a bamboo forest clothed in mist at sunrise, or a koi pond, watching the rain fall and the ripples spread. The haptic feedback of the DualSense controller enhances the meditative experience. In a very real way, you feel the rain, the tension in a bow, and the crunch of the gravel as you walk. It is one of those rare games where existing in the world is a reward in and of itself. Each session in photo mode feels like an art project. I appreciate the ambition in graphics.## The Open World: Stunning but Shallow
Life in feudal Japan is captivating. The open world is beautifully constructed. Ubisoft captured the essence of the cherry blossoms, the intricate architecture, the captivating rivers, and above all, the valleys. However, after the initial visual awe, the world starts feeling a little empty. Interactivity is limited. It is mostly a world for sightseeing. The traversal in the world also becomes tiresome. The placement of waypoints is random and will often send you on illogical, convoluted trips. Climbing is also awkward, especially in forested and mountainous areas. Invisible walls, limited climbing zones, and other annoying design decisions made immersion difficult. After the dynamic seas in Odyssey and the river raids in Valhalla, the omission of boats and underwater exploration is a surprising omission. It’s a pretty world, but a lot can be offered for it, and the world offered less.
Unfortunate as it is, Shadows might be the most buggy Assassin’s Creed game yet. Memory leaks, audio dropouts, and a couple of full crashes did happen. Some issues are small—quest markers disappearing and sound effects cutting out—but some break immersion completely. There were moments when I couldn’t interact with an object, or character animations got so badly glitched that I had to reload a save. It is frustrating as the technical issues make it hard to appreciate what the game does well. It is the kind of instability that makes you think it is a rushed release.
Conclusion: A Beautiful, Flawed Stealth Sandbox
I have no regrets about buying Assassin's Creed Shadows. It was worth the purchase, and I look forward to the weekly missions and side quests. Playing on its own terms, the game offers a solid and enjoyable stealth experience. I have nearly finished all the side content and intend to do another run to fine-tune my stealth build and immerse myself in the overall world. However, after the RPG trilogy, I feel this is a step back. This game improves stealth, but at the cost of everything else. I can't help but feel each Assassin's Creed studio is trying to outdo or undercut the others in the franchise. This results in a lack of coherent vision for the franchise as a whole.
I can understand why Shadows is divisive. For stealth purists, it’s a return to form. For RPG fanatics such as myself, it’s a reminder of what’s missing. Even with all its flaws, it’s a beautiful and immersive world. When the DualSense vibrates with the sound of rain and the horizon glows with the light of dawn, it makes me understand why I love these games. AC Shadows may stumble, but it still casts a spell strong enough to make me come back for more.