Assassin&s;s Creed Shadows

"Fans of Assassin&s;s Creed have waited an era or two for a series entry that lets you be a ninja and explore Feudal Japan. Thankfully, the wait has been absolutely worth it. Assassin&s;s Creed Shadows is an astonishing achievement. Vast, …"

"Series fans will find a lot to love here, even if Shadows doesn’t quite take the step of truly challenging itself to be more than what we might have expected it to be. The moment-to-moment gameplay is fun, Naoe and …"

"Not every idea comes together neatly, and two phenomenal protagonists feel wasted on a lackluster story, but this is a titan in the same leagues as series staples Assassin&s;s Creed 2 and Assassin&s;s Creed 4: Black Flag – and Ubisoft&s;s …"

"Fans of Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla can have a lot of fun in feudal Japan, and stealth enthusiasts will also get their money&s;s worth thanks to Naoe. Either way, Shadows is a coherent overall package and thus a very worthy …"

"Assassin&s;s Creed Shadows takes ideas from previous entries as well as some bold experimental swings to create a defining entry in the franchise – perhaps as series-defining as Black Flag."

"After years of anticipation, the series finally ventures into feudal Japan. Combining stunning visuals with engaging gameplay, Assassin&s;s Creed Shadows is hindered by an overly invasive live service model and an underwhelming plot. Nonetheless, its dense open world and rewarding …"

"We don&s;t think this game will convince those who aren&s;t keen on the current Assassin&s;s Creed titles (it&s;s the same formula, improved), but if you&s;re up for it, you&s;ll have a blast. Both technically and gameplay-wise, it&s;s an exciting journey …"

"Assassin&s;s Creed Shadows is almost the best game across the long-running franchise, as a beautiful game to look at the whole way through, with strong central characters, solid improvements to exploration and perhaps the best combat and stealth gameplay we&s;ve …"

"I’m actually at the point where I’m enjoying finding little problems with the game, because - most of the time - I know that means there’ll be something interesting on the other end of it. That is high praise for …"

"Assassin&s;s Creed Shadows is a bloated collection of uninspired quests that quickly turn into a repetitive, boring grind. While the art and history teams deserve recognition for their efforts, it&s;s all unfortunately wasted on a narrative that goes nowhere, is …"

"Assassin&s;s Creed Shadows is one of the finest entries in the series, successfully bringing back stealth-oriented gameplay while retaining the RPG mechanics and refined combat mechanics seen in previous entries in the series, seamlessly integrating them with the dual protagonist …"

"Despite some repetition and bloat that makes Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ final stretch drag more than the rest of the game excites, its brave approach to exploration in a gorgeous world, heartfelt personal stories, and satisfying tweaks to the formula still …"

"Assassin’s Creed Shadows almost feels like what it would be like if Ken Burns was tasked with making a video game. It’s exhaustive in how it depicts Japan’s feudal era even in fiction, crafting its world with the eye of …"

"By sharpening the edges of its existing systems, Assassin’s Creed Shadows creates one of the best versions of the open-world style it’s been honing for the last decade."

"All of this takes place in a rich world, full of detail and life, resulting in an outstanding game. A very successful step forward for the series that dispels any doubts that might have arisen about it."

"Assassin&s;s Creed has been fighting to find its identity for over a decade, and thanks to Shadows it&s;s finally rediscovered it. Sure, its combat can be clunky and some story beats felt oddly placed (particularly Yasuke&s;s backstory), but Shadows is …"

"Ubisoft Quebec&s;s Assassin&s;s Creed Shadows messes with a good thing by including one too many playable protagonists."

"Outside of the technical ups and downs of its transition to Switch 2, Assassin&s;s Creed Shadows remains a thoroughly enjoyable refresh for the series. Taking its most captivating open world to date and offering two distinct playstyles, it goes a …"

"Is Assassin&s;s Creed Shadows the hail mary Assassin&s;s Creed and Ubisoft needed, or should this game have stayed in the shadows?"

"Ubisoft&s;s Assassin&s;s Creed Shadows is easy on the eyes, but a generally basic simulation, scant upgrades, and bland side activities weaken the effect."

"Shadows’ world and attention to Japanese history and culture are genuinely impressive. Naoe is not the ultimate assassin and Yesuke is not the most refined ARPG hero. However, their different strengths add creativity to combat and narrative complexity. I don’t …"

"Assassin&s;s Creed Shadows is a spectacular return to form for the franchise, delivering one of the series&s; more tightly focused historical adventures."

"Come for the neck stabs and stay for the surprisingly great combat, Assassin&s;s Creed Shadows is a stealth action buffet with a story to forget."

"Shadows may not reinvent Assassin&s;s Creed, but it&s;s still a fun game and another great entry in the series. Exploration in this beautiful locale is great. But for those who are tired of the Assassin&s;s Creed formula, this one isn&s;t …"

"The long wait has finally come to an end, and it was well worth it: Assassin&s;s Creed Shadows is an incredible experience by Ubisoft taking place in a beautiful feudal Japan. The game boasts an incredible number of activities and …"

"Assassin&s;s Creed Shadows delivers on its promise of bringing back classic stealth mechanics while introducing new ones and combining the best of the older and RPG titles. The detailed open-world of feudal Japan feels full of life with compelling playable …"

"The vision of 16th-century Japan that Shadows presents is gorgeous and its ideas for how to bridge the gap between Assassin’s Creed’s distant and recent past are worthwhile, but everything that should enliven these successes is bland and disjointed, like …"

"While Assassin&s;s Creed Shadows is unlikely to win over those who struggled to push through Odyssey or Valhalla, this is still one of the strongest overall entries in the series - and arguably the best of the open world RPG …"

"While Assassin&s;s Creed: Shadows won&s;t be the salvation Ubisoft is hoping for, it&s;s still a fun experience and one of the greatest games in the series in recent years, and that&s;s what should matter at the end of the day. …"

"There’s certainly room for improvement when it comes to its presentation and performance, but it’s hard to deny that Assassin’s Creed Shadows does so much so well. From its wonderfully realized world to its wealth of engaging quests and distractions, …"

"Assassin’s Creed Shadows marks the best this series has ever been. With its destructible environments, fantastic story and excellent characters, Shadows has managed to dethrone Odyssey as my favorite Assassin’s Creed game. If I can give you any advice, it …"

"Majestic in scope, impressive in detail, Assassin&s;s Creed Shadows honours the beauty of feudal Japan, even if its strongest moments are saved for the personal stories of two protagonists."

"As a day-one fan, every Assassin&s;s Creed game has meant something to me. Ezio&s;s trilogy is an all-consuming conspiracy through my favorite period of world history; Edward&s;s journey is the best pirate game out there;"