THE art of eliminating any target in an Assassin’s Creed game involves a few key ingredients. Skill, patience, luck, guile – but most of all it takes concentration.
No distractions whatsoever. Like Mr Miyagi swatting a fly with chopsticks, you must focus.
Which becomes a bit tricky when playing Assassin’s Creed: Shadows – because the environment that surrounds you is utterly breathtaking.
Every flower petal, every bamboo tree, every wicker basket that sways in the breeze – it’s all-encompassing and impossible to ignore.
The combat mechanics of Shadows are gloriously choreographed[/caption]
So much so that by the time you sit in wonder at a colourful butterfly whispering past your face – the nasty bad guy with a big red target over his head, who you’re supposed to be hunting, has now legged it.
And now his cronies have located you lying amongst the the long grass and are battering seven hells out of you.
And all because you were distracted by that lovely little butterfly.
It is, of course, nonsense to suggest that one of the most enchanting and vibrant gaming worlds going should be a problem.
In fact, Ubisoft has excelled in taking this colourful gaming landscape and making Shadows one of the most immersive and gorgeous Creed titles to date.
Samurai Yasuke wields his devastating long katana[/caption]
What’s even more impressive is the way it has evolved into a seamless adventure that weaves action and storytelling into one without you even realising it.
Set in 16th century Japan, Shadows introduces you as Yasuke, a fictional character from Portuguese overseas territories who soon becomes a samurai for warlord Nobunaga.
You then find yourself in the world of young shinobi Naoe, a teenager from the Iga province who is trained by her beloved chichioya (father).
You are thrown into the action early on to get accustomed to the combat mechanics, which in this Assassin’s Creed is delightful. In fact, there is a heavy focus on this side of the action as opposed to the franchise’s iconic free-running. But fear not, that comes later.
Shadows still requires plenty of stealth and planning for take-downs[/caption]
Attacks are well choreographed and varied. You can swap between light and heavy hits, with both needing to be strategically used at the right time. You can also build up energy for a posture attack – which is a great way to break the defences of a stubborn enemy.
And it’s not easy. Unlike previous Creed outings, you can’t just jump into a crowd and be victorious with a combination of hopeful button-mashing and forgiving baddies.
This gamer wandered off the beaten track far too early on and was easily overrun by a band of enemies whose skill levels were too much to defeat.
There’s an array of upgrades to earn not to mention detailed outfits[/caption]
In Shadows, the combat is almost an art form in itself, and you end up with some gloriously gory finishes. Like a Kill Bill restaurant bloodbath on steroids.
But you need to be canny with your defence too – knowing when to avoid unstoppable attacks (red alert) or counter flurry attacks (orange alert) is key to surviving.
There’s an array of upgrades and skills to gain as you progress, and some of the outfits and armour boast incredible details. But the weaponry is spectacular.
Naoe wields her trusty katana and really causes chaos with the dreaded Kusarigama. This ball-and-chain monster sweeps away everything in its path.
Yasuke on the other hand offers up a different fighting style. His long katana or bulky kanabo can dispatch most foes. But I really enjoyed arming him with the Yumi Bow.
Fans of the classic franchise will love synchronising maps before a Leap of Faith[/caption]
And hardcore Creed fans have nothing to fear. Despite the focus on a near-flawless combat system, it’s not long before you’re bounding across rooftops, synchronising your map and enjoying an iconic Leap of Faith to the world below.
How lovely, too, that the free-running is void of any bugs or annoying glitches which have cropped up in the past. Every movement is unhindered and allows for a completely uninterrupted climb-fest.
And the grappling hook is a cool addition, allowing for both vertical ascents and swinging abilities.
There’s a vast world to explore as 16th century Japan is brought to life[/caption]
The map is de-cluttered too – gone are an overbearing tangle of objective markers that have plagued previous Creed games. Instead, you are free to use vantage points within the gaming world allowing you to freely scan for points of interest.
When it comes to characters, both Yasuke and Naoe are up there with Creed’s greatest protagonists, like Altair, Edward Kenway and Ezio. They’re brilliantly voiced and portray convincing characteristics.
Shadows is easily one of the most stunning-looking Creed games to date[/caption]
The dual-protagonist element of Shadows is smartly done too. You can switch between the two characters at any time in the open world which allows you to utilise their skills more – Naoe for her agility and stealth, Yasuke for his brute strength.
A dual-protagonist concept allows you to swap between characters[/caption]
But the genius of Assassin’s Creed: Shadows lies within the storytelling itself.
It’s a brilliantly-portrayed tale which maintains the franchise’s ability to bathe gamers in an enthralling adventure while bounding across effervescent historical backdrops.
And you barely notice the cut-scenes, which are slightly longer than previous games, before throwing you headfirst back into the action.
Naoe offers stealh, Yasuke brute force[/caption]
This is how video games should be presented. This is how they should be played. A complete bombardment of bright surroundings and cacophony of combat chaos, with timely interludes of a wonderful story.
An easy five ninja stars for this one.
Assassin’s Creed: Shadows
- FORMATS: PlayStation 5 (reviewed), Xbox Series X/S, PC
- PRICE: £59.99
- PUBLISHER: Ubisoft
- DEVELOPER: Ubisoft Quebec
- RELEASE DATE: Out now
- AGE RATING: 12+
- SCORE: ★★★★★
