Assassin’s Creed Shadows Review Summary

Good optimization and performance: The game is praised for its good optimization, stable performance, and high-quality graphics. Players appreciate the smooth and well-optimized gameplay experience.

Beautiful and immersive visuals: The game's visuals are described as stunning, gorgeous, and immersive. Players appreciate the beautiful scenery, seasonal changes, and the overall atmospheric visual quality.

Engaging and polished gameplay: The gameplay is frequently described as enjoyable, fun, and well-polished. Players appreciate the combat system, mechanics, and overall engaging gameplay loop. The game offers a variety of gameplay styles and improved mechanics compared to its predecessors.

Dual protagonist system: The dual protagonist system is a standout feature, offering varied gameplay styles and distinct playstyles for each character. Players enjoy the unique abilities and gameplay dynamics between the two protagonists.

Historical and cultural setting: The game's historical setting in Japan is appreciated for its authenticity and rich details. Players enjoy the cultural context, historical events, and the immersive Japanese atmosphere.

Unengaging and poor story: The story is widely criticized for being uninteresting, boring, and lacking meaningful content. Many players find it forgettable and poorly executed.

Repetitive side quests and missions: Side quests and missions are often repetitive and lack variety, making the gameplay experience monotonous.

Terrible voice acting and animations: The voice acting is often described as bad, with actors sounding disinterested. Facial animations are also criticized for being poor.

Yasuke is uninteresting and poorly designed: The character Yasuke is criticized for being uninteresting and poorly designed, with lackluster gameplay mechanics.

Open world is too large and empty: The open world is criticized for being too large and empty, leading to a boring and repetitive experience.

Open-world design: The game includes a large open-world environment with various missions, quests, and interactive elements, following the formula of previous Assassin's Creed games.

Dual protagonist system: The game features a dual protagonist system with different combat and stealth mechanics, offering varied gameplay approaches with characters Naoe and Yasuke.

Combat system variety: The combat system is customizable with various weapons and combo mechanics, offering a dynamic and souls-like combat experience.

Stealth and combat mechanics: The game emphasizes stealth and combat mechanics, allowing players to approach missions with either stealth or brute force depending on their playstyle.

Seasonal changes: The game includes a seasonal system with weather changes that affect visibility and gameplay, adding a dynamic element to the environment.

Mixed optimization feedback: Players have mixed feelings about the game's optimization. Some report great optimization and performance, while others experience optimization issues and performance problems.

Impressive graphics quality: The game is praised for its stunning graphics and visual quality. Many players appreciate the top-notch detailing and visual refinement.

High hardware requirements: The game requires a high-end PC for optimal performance, especially for high-resolution gameplay. However, it can also run smoothly on low-end PCs.

High performance on high-end hardware: Players with high-end hardware report excellent performance, including stable framerates and high FPS, even with max ray tracing settings.

Frequent crashes and freezing: Some players experience frequent crashes and freezing during launch and exit, which disrupt the gaming experience.

Worth buying on sale: Many reviewers agree that the game is worth purchasing, especially when it is available at a discounted price. The consensus is that the game offers great value for money when bought on sale.

Gameplay and setting recommendations: The game is recommended for its enjoyable gameplay and beautiful setting. Reviewers highlight the immersive experience and visual quality as key reasons to play the game.

Recommended for specific fan groups: The game is highly recommended for fans of the Assassin's Creed series, samurai enthusiasts, and those interested in Japanese history. These groups are likely to appreciate the game's setting and content more than others.

Mixed recommendations based on preferences: Some reviewers recommend the game for its innovative and technically flawless evolution of the series, while others suggest waiting for a sale or recommend buying different games instead. The recommendations vary based on personal preferences and financial considerations.

General positive recommendations: Many reviewers provide general positive recommendations for the game, highlighting its overall quality and enjoyment. These recommendations often come with high praise and few reservations.

Community fair range: $20.00 - $40.00.

Game completion: 60.0h.

Story completion: 40.0h.

Session length: 2.0h.

Endgame: 20.0h.

Players generally enjoy the first few hours of the game due to its fluid gameplay, addictive nature, and historical context, but the fun may drop after the initial excitement due to repetitiveness.

Reported time to anchor: 2h.

Franchise Loyalist: Enjoys both original and RPG-style gameplay, appreciates the interconnectedness of the series. Motivation: Loyalty to the Assassin's Creed franchise and enjoyment of its evolution. Stance: buy.

Newcomer Explorer: Open to trying new gameplay styles, may need guidance and recommendations. Motivation: Curiosity and exploration of a new game series. Stance: sale.

Playstyle Variety Seeker: Switches between stealth and combat playstyles, enjoys variety in gameplay. Motivation: Enjoyment of diverse gameplay styles and character abilities. Stance: buy.

Performance varies significantly across hardware cohorts, with higher-end systems generally reporting better experiences. Lower-end hardware often struggles with stability and frame rates, while mid-range setups show mixed results depending on specific configurations.

Windows 12-15GB VRAM / 16-31GB RAM: positive. Mostly stable performance with high frame rates at 1440p, though some users report needing frame generation for smoother gameplay.

Windows 8-11GB VRAM: mixed. Performance varies widely; some users report stable frame rates while others experience significant instability and crashes.

Windows <8GB VRAM / <16GB RAM: negative. Frequent crashes and instability reported, making the game often unplayable on this hardware.

Steam Deck: The analysis of user feedback reveals significant issues with Ubisoft Connect, including offline mode limitations, frequent crashes, and poor user experience. Performance issues, such as low FPS and the need for external frame rate limiters, are also prominent. Additionally, there are compatibility and launch issues, particularly on the Steam Deck, which affect the overall gaming experience.

Linux and Proton: The game has significant performance and stability issues on Linux, requiring extensive tweaks and troubleshooting. DRM and activation issues further complicate the experience, although some users report a positive experience with the game running well on Linux. Launcher and middleware issues also contribute to the overall friction.

Monetization: The game has significant issues with its monetization practices, particularly with the true ending locked behind a paid DLC and the presence of microtransactions that offer gameplay advantages. These practices are seen as predatory and have a high impact on the user experience. Additionally, there are complaints about the game being overpriced and technical issues making it unplayable at times.

External guides: The analysis of user feedback reveals significant issues with game mechanics, narrative depth, technical performance, and instructional clarity. Users frequently express frustration with the need for external resources and guides to navigate and enjoy the game fully. Technical issues such as crashes and bugs also detract from the overall experience. While some users appreciate the atmospheric and exploratory elements, these positives are often overshadowed by the game's shortcomings.

DLC and transactions criticized: Players have expressed dissatisfaction with the cost and value of DLC and in-game transactions.

Ubisoft business practices mentioned: Reviews include mentions of Ubisoft's business practices, such as the Ubisoft Plus subscription and shareholder status.

Request for Ukrainian localization: There is a specific request from players for the game to be localized in Ukrainian.