Assassin's Creed Shadows is the latest game from Ubisoft and marks a huge moment for both the developer and the franchise. While recent entries have all scored relatively well with critics, fans haven't quite warmed to them, with each entry being bogged down with a myriad of issues, from lackluster parkour to a deviation from the series' bread and butter: stealth. As a result, Ubisoft has been attempting to curry favor with fans by pouring everything it has into Shadows, including delaying it numerous times to ensure it doesn't suffer from the same launch-day issues as Star Wars Outlaws.

Considering how Shadows' glowing reviews compare to previous AC games, it would appear that Ubisoft's efforts weren't wasted. Primarily, it looks like everything Ubisoft has done to differentiate Shadows from its predecessors - specifically Origins onward - has paid off, with Shadows offering a significantly different experience, despite retaining a lot of what worked about those more RPG-heavy experiences. From a shift in focus to a reduced scale, Assassin's Creed Shadows may be a different type of AC game, but it is nevertheless an incredible one by all s.

10 Bigger Focus On Stealth

There Are A Lot More Stealth Mechanics

One of Assassin's Creed Shadows' biggest changes from both Valhalla and Odyssey is its focus on stealth. While Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla did include stealth mechanics, they were not at the forefront of the experience. Mirage rectified this somewhat, but Shadows has gone above and beyond, implementing far more stealth-focused mechanics than any other entry - outside of the original games, of course.

Shadows' greater focus on stealth is great for fans of the Assassin's Creed games pre-Origins, which made direct combat a far riskier move than sneaking around enemies. It also helps differentiate the game's two protagonists, as Yasuke is more akin to Eivor and Kassandra, whereas Naoe plays more like the Assassin's Creed protagonists of old.

9 The New Hideout Mechanic

Players Can Build Their Own Base

Assassin's Creed Shadows has carried over Valhalla's base-building mechanic but made it far more feature-rich. Unlike Valhalla's more restrictive base building, Shadows lets players place buildings wherever they'd like and even add decorations, customizing everything from the trees surrounding each building, to their interiors, making it more akin to The Sims than previous AC games.

That's great for players who enjoy base-building games, or having greater control over the design of their bases. This base, known as the Hideout, is a fundamental feature and intrinsically tied to both Shadows' gameplay and narrative. Players can upgrade their gear, improve their stats, and more through Assassin's Creed Shadows' hideout, making investing in it a must. It's a huge step up from Valhalla's base-building and a fun addition to Shadows.

8 Smaller Open-World

It Is Far More Manageable

Assassin's Creed Odyssey has the biggest open world in the series, and Valhalla's several open environments are also incredibly huge. Exploring them can be a treat visually, but it can also be a little exhausting - which is likely why Odyssey added automatic horse riding to give players' thumbs a rest. Fortunately, Shadows' world is much smaller than both Valhalla and Odyssey, although that doesn't mean it's lacking in content.

Players can rest assured that there's still lots to do in Shadows' stunning recreation of Japan. From its numerous side quests to its many surprises hidden throughout, the smaller size actually makes discovering this much easier, allowing Ubisoft to reduce just how many markers it fills fans' maps with. While some may prefer Valhalla and Odyssey's larger maps and more guided gameplay style, many will also appreciate the more player-driven experience of Shadows.

7 Much Shorter Runtime

It Is Almost Half Valhalla's Runtime

In addition to its smaller world, Assassin's Creed Shadows' length is also significantly shorter than Odyssey and Valhalla's. Both Odyssey and Valhalla are incredibly long games, with Valhalla even taking 148 hours to beat if people want to complete absolutely everything, according to How Long To Beat. Fortunately, at least for those who are tired of incredibly long games, Shadows takes roughly half that amount of time to beat everything it has to offer.

That makes sense, especially considering Ubisoft's move to make shorter games and Shadows' smaller world size. However, AC Shadows' story is still relatively lengthy, in large part thanks to its more cinematic narrative, lasting around 40 hours. So, people who love a longer Assassin's Creed experience can still sink their teeth into Shadows.

6 No Season

Expansions Are Coming At A Later Date

Assassin's Creed Shadows used to have a season , much like all of Ubisoft's games. It included the game's expansions, as well as cosmetics and other rewards. However, after the numerous Assassin's Creed Shadows controversies, and Ubisoft's struggling business model, it switched tactics, completely ditching the season and the three-day early access which has become increasingly popular with modern games - even Death Stranding 2 has a three-day early access bonus for those who pre-order.

Fortunately, Ubisoft also decided to throw in its first 10-hour-long DLC for free for those who pre-order Assassin's Creed Shadows. It's a great bonus, especially considering that it would likely cost upwards of $30 after launch. It remains to be seen whether Ubisoft will stick with this strategy going forward, but one can only hope it does, as paying for content before it comes out has always been a huge risk, especially with Ubisoft games.

5 Dual Protagonists

Two Is Better Than One

One of Shadows' most obvious changes from Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Odyssey is its inclusion of dual protagonists. While Odyssey and Valhalla had two gender options for their protagonists, there was only one in the actual story. However, Assassin's Creed Shadows' dual protagonists both appear in the story, have a relationship with one another, and can be switched between at any point while exploring.

It's an interesting dynamic for Assassin's Creed - although not the first time the series has done this - one that elevates the story and lets the writing team explore Japan and its multifaceted culture from numerous perspectives. It was a smart move, especially as both Naoe and Yasuke have vastly different experiences living in Japan, and it also allows for more diverse gameplay that helps keep players interested even after 40 hours.

4 Varied Seasons

The Seasons Change Every Few Days

Assassin's Creed Valhalla showcased its stunning recreation of medieval England through numerous seasons, as well as letting players explore the snow-capped peaks of Norway. However, these seasons were specific to certain locations, with certain regions of England being blanketed in snow, while others were drenched in summer's sun. Shadows has more dynamic seasons, with it switching between them after a certain number of in-game days.

While the seasons don't impact gameplay too much, they will change certain aspects of the environment, such as freezing over lakes, preventing Naoe from hiding within them. Regardless, it makes exploration feel more exciting, and the world feel more alive, even if seasons changing every couple of days isn't particularly realistic. Assassin's Creed Shadows' approach to seasons is a huge change from its predecessors, but novel nonetheless.

3 No Eagle Vision

Naoe Nor Yasuke Has An Eagle

The Assassin's Creed games have been relying on its eagle vision mechanic for a number of years now, with the protagonist able to send an eagle into the sky to scan enemy camps, castles, and villages. It was, at least originally, an interesting way of allowing players to mark enemies, but eventually stopped feeling realistic, as every protagonist had to have some sort of skill and affinity with a flying animal just to make it work.

Assassin's Creed Shadows, unlike Valhalla and Odyssey, doesn't feature eagle vision, at least in the way that players have come to know it. Naoe does have an eagle vision ability, but it just allows her to see through walls. Both Yasuke and Naoe also have an ability called Observe, which allows them to tag enemies, highlight collectibles, and get a general idea of their environment. So, while not drastically different from past entries, Shadows' take on eagle vision is still a departure from what fans know.

2 More Dynamic Story

Ubisoft Has Upped Its Cinematic Budget

Ubisoft's games have always struggled a little with their stories. While not every Ubisoft game has had a bad story - Far Cry 3, for example, has a great one - the majority of newer games often feel underwhelming when it comes to narrative. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora's villain appears only a handful of times in the whole game, Watch Dog Legion's lack of a main character made it feel less meaningful, and even Valhalla's structure made it an exhausting slog at times.

Ubisoft games also lack genuinely good cinematics, which makes even the best stories lack impact. Fortunately, Shadows has both a great story and amazing cinematics, making it one of the most compelling narratives in the entire series. For those who prefer story-driven experiences, Assassin's Creed Shadows delivers that in spades, as well as offering a fun open-world adventure to embark upon.

1 No Modern-Day Story Content

It Is All In The Animus Hub

In addition to having a strong, cinematic, historical narrative, Assassin's Creed Shadows has absolutely no modern-day story content in it. Unlike Valhalla, Odyssey, and all of the Assassin's Creed games before it, the modern-day content of Shadows all takes place in the new Animus Hub. So, players don't need to worry about being taken out of the action to learn what's happening in the real world.

Some may be disappointed by this, especially those who really care about the greater lore and worldbuilding of the Assassin's Creed series. However, the modern-day content has been a sore point for many fans, as a lot of fans tend to find it detracts from the enjoyable gameplay. Regardless, it is another way that Assassin's Creed Shadows is different from Valhalla, Odyssey, Origins, and even the original AC games.

Source: How Long To Beat/Assassin's Creed Valhalla