Assassin's Creed Shadows

Assassin's Creed Shadows is a 2025 action-adventure game developed by Ubisoft Quebec and published by Ubisoft. The game is the fourteenth major installment in the Assassin's Creed series and the successor to Assassin's Creed Mirage (2023).

Assassin's Creed Shadows
Developer(s)	Ubisoft Quebec[a]
Publisher(s)	Ubisoft
Director(s)	Jonathan Dumont Charles Benoit
Producer(s)	Karl Onnée
Artist(s)	Thierry Dansereau
Writer(s)	Ryan Galletta
Composer(s)	The Flight[2] TEKE::TEKE[3]
Series	Assassin's Creed
Engine	Ubisoft Anvil
Platform(s)	macOS PlayStation 5 Windows Xbox Series X/S iPadOS
Release	March 20, 2025 iPadOS TBA
Genre(s)	Action-adventure
Mode(s)	Single-player

Set in 16th-century Japan towards the end of the Sengoku period, the game focuses on the millennia-old struggle between the Assassin Brotherhood, who fight for peace and liberty, and the Templar Order, who desire peace through control, from the perspective of two protagonists: Fujibayashi Naoe, a kunoichi (a female shinobi), and Yasuke, an African^[b] samurai inspired by the historical figure of the same name. The two characters have a different gameplay style, allowing quests to be approached in multiple ways.

Shadows was released for macOS, PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S on March 20, 2025, with a version for iPadOS to be released at a later date. Upon release, the game received generally positive reviews from critics.

Gameplay

Assassin's Creed Shadows is an action-adventure game with an emphasis on each of its two playable characters' set of unique skills. It is developed on an upgraded version of Anvil, using dynamic lighting and environmental interactions. Improvements include the addition of breakable objects and the ability to manipulate shadows and use a grappling hook for parkour.^[5] The game's open world, whose size is comparable to that of Assassin's Creed Origins,^[6] progresses through seasons which can affect gameplay (for example, ponds and shallow bodies of water in which Naoe can submerge herself and hide in, are frozen over in winter).

Missions are non-linear, encouraging players to track and eliminate targets freely; in a change from previous games, vantage points exist to help the player look for points of interest, not to mark objectives.^[7] By default, Assassin's Creed Shadows will not reveal the exact locations of targets or key NPCs, and the player must recruit and deploy scouts to narrow down their exact location based on clues given.^[8][9]

New gameplay features include the ability to go prone and crawl along the ground, helping the player avoid detection and pass through small openings. The character can venture into shallow water, breathing through a bamboo stick.^[5][10] Traditional 'Eagle Vision' also makes a comeback for Naoe, allowing her to determine the locations of enemies and useful gameplay elements. Naoe and Yasuke can enter a new mode called "Observe", a fast and easy way of gathering information about targets. This mode is also available while crouching on high vantage points, enabling players to closely examine newly discovered places. Hiding in shadows makes a player character invisible to her enemies, both indoors and outdoors, so players may choose to destroy lit lanterns with Shurikens. Moving while crouching enables a player to move silently across creaking nightingale floors.^{[citation needed]}

Players can switch between characters as they progress through missions. A diverse selection of historically accurate weapons is available, from katana and the kanabō war club, to polearms such as the naginata, thrown weapons such as shuriken and kunai, ranged weapons such as the yumi bow and teppo matchlock rifle, and the kusarigama. Each weapon comes with its own skill tree, enabling players to improve their proficiency.^[5]

Both characters have distinctly different playstyles. Players can choose to take a stealthy, agile approach as Naoe, or charge headlong into combat as Yasuke.

Naoe has access to three main weapons - the katana (held in a reverse grip), the kusarigama, and the tanto dagger which she dual-wields with her iconic Hidden Blade. Her Hidden Blade can pivot, allowing her to hold it in an icepick grip. She can also use throwables that can deal damage, put out light sources, sabotage alarm systems, or distract and hinder her enemies. Naoe is also skilled in parkour, able to climb most in-game structures on her own, or with aid from a grappling hook. She also has an agile style of combat, which includes dodging enemy strikes, deflecting enemy attacks into counters, and vaulting over enemies to strike them at their most vulnerable.

Yasuke has access to five main weapons. He starts out with a long katana, and eventually gains access to the naginata and kanabo as secondary melee weapons. Yasuke is also deadly from a distance with the yumi bow and the teppo (arquebus). Though not as skilled as Naoe in parkour, Yasuke makes up for it by having a larger health pool. He can also parry attacks, standing his ground and deflecting the enemy's blows to open up for a counter-offensive, and makes the most of his superior size and strength against his opponents by kicking and charging into them.

Synopsis

Setting

Assassin's Creed Shadows is set in feudal Japan, specifically starting in 1579 during the Azuchi-Momoyama period. This era marks the final stage of the Sengoku period, a time of intense civil war in Japan. The game features the historical figure Oda Nobunaga at the height of his power, following his victory over the Takeda clan using arquebus firearms. Key historical events include Nobunaga's assault on the Iga province in 1581, a significant battle involving the Iga ikki, known for their ninjutsu arts.^[11] Like previous Assassin's Creed titles, characters based on historical figures are present in the game, including samurai Yasuke, one of the two playable characters,^[12] missionaries Luís Fróis^[13][14] and Alessandro Valignano,^[15] daimyō Oda Nobunaga, samurai Hattori Hanzo,^[16] Akechi Mitsuhide,^[17] and Ise Sadaoki,^[18] Kyōnyo [jp], merchants Imai Sōkun^[19] and Imai Sōkyū, and tea master Sen no Rikyū,^[20] amongst others.

The gameworld covers the Kansai region of central Japan, including locations like Kyoto, Kobe, Osaka, and the Iga province, with historically-accurate castles such as Takeda and Fukuchiyama, along with detailed historical landmarks and strongholds designed as intricate dungeons.^[7] This setting reflects the urbanization of Japan at the time, bustling ports, samurai districts, and ornate architecture, all significant for parkour and exploration in the game. The influence of Portuguese traders and Jesuit missionaries, who introduced Christianity and new technologies like cannons and long guns, also plays a role in shaping the game's environment and narrative.^[11]

Plot

In 1581, the Mozambican slave Diogo arrives in Kyoto alongside a delegation of Jesuit priests who seek to negotiate with Oda Nobunaga for the safe passage of their priests throughout Japan. Nobunaga decides to grant the request on the condition that Diogo be transferred under his service. Diogo begins training to be a samurai and six months later, now renamed Yasuke, he accompanies Nobunaga on his assault against the Iga Province to exterminate the shinobi of the Iga ikki. During the battle, shinobi Fujibayashi Naoe is tasked by her father Nagato to take his Hidden Blade and use it to recover a special box hidden in a nearby kofun, which she must protect at all costs. After finding the box, Naoe is ambushed and injured by a masked samurai, who takes the box and leaves her for dead. Nagato rescues her, and after recovering sufficiently - Naoe tracks the masked samurai to a castle, assassinates him, and recovers the box. However, as she escapes - Naoe is shot and cornered by the masked samurai's comrades, known as the Shinbakufu. Though Nagato comes to Naoe's aid, he is mortally wounded, and both are left for dead. With his last breath, Nagato instructs Naoe to "follow the blade".

After recovering from her wounds, Naoe seeks her old family friend Tomiko for assistance. Tomiko allows Naoe to use her farm as a base to gather supplies and allies, and directs her to the city of Sakai. Upon arriving in Sakai, Naoe gathers additional allies and tracks down and kills two of the Shinbakufu. She is then approached by Akechi Mitsuhide, who requests that she help him assassinate Nobunaga, whom he claims is the leader of the Shinbakufu. With Mitsuhide's help, Naoe infiltrates Honnoji Temple and attacks Nobunaga, only to be stopped by Yasuke. Nobunaga claims that Mitsuhide lied to Naoe and that he has no ties to the Shinbakufu. Confused, Naoe leaves the temple while Nobunaga commits seppuku to prevent his head from falling into Mitsuhide's hands, leaving Yasuke a ronin.

In order to take revenge on Mitsuhide, both Naoe and Yasuke converge on Katano Castle to find him. Seeking new purpose, Yasuke then tells Naoe he wants to join her cause, and that he recognizes the Hidden Blade she carries. He reveals that when he fought and defeated the leader of the Iga ikki, Momochi Sandayu, he also carried a Hidden Blade, and urged Yasuke to help Naoe if he found her. Naoe considers killing Yasuke in revenge but is convinced otherwise by one of her followers, Junjiro, whose father was one of the Shinbakufu she killed, but he eventually chose to forgive her. Working together, Naoe and Yasuke continue their quest to track down and kill more of the Shinbakufu, eventually encountering Tokugawa Ieyasu and Hattori Hanzo, an erstwhile member of the Iga ikki. Hanzo warns Naoe to forget about the box, as both Nagato and her mother, Tsuyu, died protecting it. However, seeing that Naoe will not back down, Hanzo instructs her to head to a kofun in Settsu to find out the truth about her parents. There, she finds an Assassin hideout and journal, revealing the Assassin Order was instructed by Emperor Go-Nara to build a new Brotherhood in Japan, with Tsuyu being one of the Assassins given the task. Naoe, Yasuke, and Junjiro form the Kakushiba ikki (the "League of the Hidden Blade").

Naoe and Yasuke gradually build up their league, recruiting new members and eliminating the majority of the Shinbakufu except for Mitsuhide himself, and the order's leader. They head for Shoryuji Castle where Mitsuhide is besieged by Hashiba Hideyoshi and join Hideyoshi's army, intending to reach Mitsuhide first to find the box's location. They defeat Mitsuhide, who reveals the true leader of the Shinbakufu is Ashikaga Yoshiaki, the former Shogun who was dethroned by Oda Nobunaga. Having learned what she needed, Naoe kills Mitsuhide to avenge her father. Hideyoshi claims victory and promises to reform Japan, with Naoe warning him to keep his promise. Naoe and Yasuke then confront Yoshiaki, who surrenders and offers to trade both the box and information for his life. He reveals that the box is one of three, each containing one of the Imperial Regalia of Japan. He also reveals that an Assassin matching Tsuyu's description was spotted in Yamato, while a member of the Templar Order–an organization that had supported the Shinbakufu–who Yasuke has history with, Duarte de Melo, can be found in Port Obama. The pair spare Yoshiaki's life, but not before Yasuke points out that Nobunaga has made his mark in history while Yoshiaki will be forgotten.

Naoe travels to Yamato, where she finally recalls the story Nagato told her about Tsuyu. Many years ago, the Japanese Assassins led by Tsuyu were entrusted to protect the three Imperial Regalia. While the Brotherhood prospered for many years, they were suddenly attacked by Shinbakufu forces and massacred with two of the Imperial Regalia being stolen, leaving only Nagato, Tsuyu, and Sandayu as the remaining survivors. Tsuyu left to recover the stolen Imperial Regalia, but never returned. Naoe finds the Assassins' intended hiding place for the Imperial Regalia and returns her box, fulfilling her promise to her father. Hanzo then arrives to return a second box, which Ieyasu had retrieved from the Templars. Hanzo admits that he betrayed the Assassins out of jealousy of Tsuyu choosing Nagato over him, revealing the location of the Imperial Regalia to the Shinbakufu. Naoe defeats Hanzo in battle and convinces him that the only way to earn redemption is to join the Assassins and help her search for Tsuyu, who they both believe is still alive.

Meanwhile, Yasuke tracks down the slaver Duarte de Melo. Yasuke kills Duarte and begins searching for Nuno Caro, the leader of the Templar Order in Japan. He tracks down and confronts Nuno, revealing that Yasuke and his mother were slaves aboard Nuno's ship to Japan. Nuno executed Yasuke's mother for being a suspected spy and was about to execute Yasuke when an Assassin intervened and sacrificed himself to buy Yasuke time to leap overboard and escape. Yasuke then declares war against the Templar Order, assassinating Nuno Caro.

Development

Assassin's Creed Shadows was announced at Ubisoft Forward in September 2022 under the working title Assassin's Creed: Codename Red along with its planned successor Assassin's Creed: Codename Hexe.^[21] There, Ubisoft announced that Assassin's Creed would be entering a third period related to shifts in design philosophy and approaches to future games, all connected by a working concept called Assassin's Creed Infinity (later renamed to the Animus Hub).^[22][23] The first major gameplay details were announced on May 15, 2024, along with the final name and release date.^[24][25][26] It was also later revealed that Ubisoft Quebec who previously developed Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Assassin's Creed Syndicate would be developing the game.^[27] Development began in 2020, following the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla.^[28]

Shadows is the first game in the series to be aimed at the ninth generation of video game consoles (PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S), dropping support for the eighth generation consoles (PlayStation 4 and Xbox One). Lead producer Karl Onnée said the hardware available in the newer consoles was necessary to support the new version of their engine that supplies effects like light, shadows, and dynamic weather.^[29]

Release and promotion

Upon the release of the video game's premiere trailer on May 15, 2024, the decision to feature Yasuke as a central character prompted criticism online.^[30] Conservative critics and fans on social media reacted negatively to the inclusion of a Black samurai protagonist instead of an indigenous Japanese one, accusing Ubisoft of "going woke", or stating that Yasuke was "not a 'real' samurai."^[31][30] Others noted that Ubisoft has never made a game with a male East Asian protagonist.^[30] The online backlash led to harassment and threats directed at the game developers.^[32] Multiple commentators, including Laurence Russell of Wired, likened the backlash to the Gamergate harassment campaign and the alt-right.^[33][34][35] Elon Musk criticized Assassin's Creed Shadows and Ubisoft for "woke" content, claiming that "DEI kills art" and specified the inclusion of Yasuke as offensive. Ubisoft responded by saying that Musk's comments were "just feeding hatred" and that they were focused on producing a game not pushing politics.^[36][37] Ubisoft has defended their position on their choices for Yasuke in response to the criticism. Game director Charles Benoit said that Yasuke was chosen because players could discover Japan at the same time as Yasuke, "through his eyes, the eyes of a foreigner".^[38][39] Matt Kim of IGN praised the choice of Yasuke to differentiate itself from other samurai games featuring Asian protagonists.^[40] Scholar Thomas Lockley defended Yasuke's portrayal as a samurai, and stated that no reputable Japanese historian had questioned Yasuke's samurai status.^[41]

Assassin's Creed Shadows was initially scheduled to release for iPadOS, macOS, PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S on November 15, 2024.^[42][43] In September 2024, Ubisoft announced that, despite the game being feature complete, they opted to delay the release to February 14, 2025, for further polishing, citing insights gained from the Star Wars Outlaws launch in August. The company also cancelled the game's season pass and refunded existing pre-orders, with future pre-orders set to include the first expansion for free. In a shift from Ubisoft's previous release practices, the PC version would launch simultaneously on Steam, Epic Games Store, and Ubisoft Connect.^[44][45][46] In January 2025, Ubisoft postponed the release once again to March 20, as the company explored its sale options and to provide developers with more time to implement additional changes.^[47]

Shadows was rated as "CERO Z" in January 2025 by Japan's Computer Entertainment Rating Organization (CERO), which legally limits sale of the game to adults; CERO issued its rating based on the amount of gore that was present in the game such as body dismemberment. While the game will be released internationally with an in-game toggle to show or disable the gore, Ubisoft said that they are working to make a Japan-specific version of the game which will not include the toggle and eliminate the gore from the game to achieve a less strict CERO rating.^[48] A collectible figure was scheduled to be released in promotion for the game. The figure used a design similar to the damaged one-legged Torii gate Sannō Shrine in Nagasaki, located less than a mile from the epicenter of the nuclear bombing of Nagasaki. It was removed from sale following claims of cultural insensitivity.^[49] In February 2025, leaked gameplay footage showed Yasuke being able to enter the Itatehyōzu Shrine and destroy the altar, causing controversy. Shrine officials said they were not consulted about the shrine's usage in the game and that they would take "appropriate action" against the game.^[50][51]

In February 2025, Ubisoft stated that pre-orders for the game were in line with those of Assassin's Creed Odyssey, the series' second best-selling game.^[52] In that same month, it was reported that physical copies of the game for PlayStation 5 leaked.^[53]

Following complaints from Hiroyuki Kada of the Japanese House of Councillors and Shigeru Ishiba, Prime Minister of Japan, Ubisoft removed the ability to destroy certain objects within temples, as well as reducing the "amount of blood shed by NPCs in the various shrines and temples across Assassin's Creed Shadows".^[54] Just prior to release, Ubisoft offered guidance and resources to its developers in regards to their social media accounts and potential harassment.^[55]

Shadows was released for macOS, PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S on March 20, 2025.^[56]

For the promotion of the game, Ubisoft is partnering with Lofi Girl channel.^[57]

Reception

Aggregate scores

Aggregator	Score
Metacritic	(PC) 79/100[58] (PS5) 81/100[59] (XSXS) 85/100[60]
OpenCritic	82%[61]

Review scores

Publication	Score
Digital Trends	3.5/5[62]
Eurogamer	4/5[63]
Game Informer	8.5/10[64]
GameSpot	8/10[65]
GamesRadar+	4/5[66]
Hardcore Gamer	3.5/5[67]
IGN	8/10[68]
NME	5/5[69]
PC Gamer (US)	80/100[70]
PCGamesN	6/10[71]
Push Square	8/10[72]
Shacknews	8/10[73]
The Guardian	4/5[74]
Video Games Chronicle	4/5[75]
VG247	5/5[76]

Reception

Critical reception

Assassin's Creed Shadows received "generally favorable" reviews from critics, according to review aggregator website Metacritic,^[58][59][60] and 82% of critics recommend the game according to OpenCritic.^[61]

Giovanni Colantonio from Digital Trends praised the game for its "memorable characters" and "peaceful exploration" but criticised its "messy story" and "thin content".^[62] Eurogamer's Tom Phillips wrote that it "honours the beauty of feudal Japan, even if its strongest moments are saved for the personal stories of its two protagonists."^[63] Wesley LeBlanc of Game Informer wrote that "Shadows, like its predecessors, has now yielded its own memory for me to store in my personal Animus: a reminder that when it comes to this medium, gameplay is king. In Shadows, playing as Yasuke and Naoe is as powerful as the Shoguns that ruled during this era of Japan."^[64] GameSpot's Jordan Ramée said that it "messes with a good thing by including one too many playable protagonists, but Naoe is a valuable new addition to the legacy".^[65] Andrew Brown of GamesRadar+ said that it "thrives on boldness. Its dual protagonists improve on the series' stealth-driven roots and modern RPG leanings, though they're let down by a vague story that fails to make full use of either character."^[66] Kevin Dunsmore of Hardcore Gamer thought it "had a lot of elements on paper that made it sound like it could be the best Assassin's Creed game in years." but said "it also falls short on nearly as many."^[67] IGN's Jarrett Green wrote it "creates one of the best versions of the open-world style it's been honing for the last decade".^[68] Green noted the game's refined mechanics and setting in feudal Japan, but criticized its imbalanced combat and missed storytelling opportunities.^[68] Echo Apsey of NME said "A fantastic story and well-developed characters ground the game in a believable era of Japan that is fun to explore. It confidently sets the standard for the next games in the franchise."^[69] Oscar Gonzalez of CNET highlighted the successful blend of action and stealth, while noting quirks in quest design and English voice acting.^[77]

Morgan Park of PC Gamer criticized the game's dull story, "bland cast, and barrage of quests", and Fraser Brown said that there was "a lot to like" but criticized the RPG elements.^[78][70] Reid McCarter of PCGamesN said "While its open world is stunning, its combat is robust, and its dual-protagonist design is somewhat novel, Assassin's Creed Shadows proves too repetitive and dramatically flat to wholeheartedly recommend taking its trip back in time."^[71] Push Square's Robert Ramsey praised the game for its "intriguing, twisting story", "great protagonists", "solid combat" and "striking soundtrack" but criticised its forced RPG elements and "rough" English dub.^[72] Aidan O'Brien from Shacknews praised the game for its "interesting characters" and fun combat but noted that the "traversal" mechanics "can occasionally feel clunky and awkward" and that there was occasional "weak" voice acting from the NPCs.^[73] The Guardian's Daniella Lucas praised the game's "excellent performances and emotionally resonant moments".^[74] Video Game Chronicle's Jordan Middler called it "the best Assassin's Creed game in 10 years".^[75] Dom Peppiatt from VG247 said "it's so fun to play, it's telling a gripping story, and there is so much sense of progress and reward for every little thing you do that it actually feels like an open world game".^[76]

Sales

Ubisoft announced that Assassin's Creed Shadows surpassed a million players on its launch day^[79] and three million players within a week.^[80][81] The Steam concurrent player count peak was 41,412 on launch day^[79] and grew to 64,825 during the first weekend after launch.^[81][82] The feat established the game as the highest Assassin's Creed game by concurrent players on Steam to date.^[81]

Awards

Assassin's Creed Shadows was nominated for the Most Wanted Game at the Golden Joystick Awards 2024.^[83]

Notes

1. Additional work by Ubisoft Belgrade, Ubisoft Bordeaux, Ubisoft Bucharest, Ubisoft Chengdu, Ubisoft Kyiv, Ubisoft Montpellier, Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft Odesa, Ubisoft Osaka, Ubisoft Pune, Ubisoft Shanghai, Ubisoft Singapore, Ubisoft Sofia, and Ubisoft Tokyo^[1]
2. The game states that Yasuke was originally from Mozambique, brought to Japan with the Jesuit missionaries.^[4]