For almost 20 years, fans have been asking for an Assassin's Creed game with many features they’ve wanted and a return to form. Stealth and assassination, which had been lost in the larger RPGs like Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla, seemed to have returned in Mirage. While it seems like that wish and many more are finally coming true with Assassin's Creed Shadows, it may be too late for the series.

There’s so much good coming in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, but Ubisoft has a track record of almost giving players what they want and then taking it away. Mirage is a good example of this, because instead of being a true return to form, it kept the fantasy elements and boring real-world stories. It’s hard to believe great things are coming from a company that often pulls the rug out from under players.

Assassin's Creed Shadow's Marketing Has Fought An Uphill Battle

Can Shadows Fix AC's Tarnished Reputation?

The marketing campaign for Assassin's Creed Shadows has been tough, dealing with a lot of negativity surrounding the franchise. Over the years, mixed reactions to its RPG games, questionable creative choices, and a reputation for rushed releases have made many fans skeptical and even hostile. There was some excitement when the game was first announced to be set in feudal Japan, which fans had wanted for a long time.

Unfortunately, Ubisoft hasn’t tried to be completely historically accurate for a long time. That brings the worry that Ubisoft would get it wrong by misrepresenting the time period or misusing its rich culture. It’s not hard to point out things Ubisoft didn’t play historically correctly, but it also makes fiction stories, so that’s fine.

The introduction of two main characters – a stealthy shinobi and a strong samurai – was meant to appeal to different play styles but also drew criticism. Some argued that this approach ignored the historical relationship between the two roles, raising further concerns about the game's authenticity. These concerns are related to how Ubisoft handles its games. Things like the game’s pricing and Ubisoft’s history with microtransactions suggest that Shadows might prioritize profits over player enjoyment.

The amount of negative and dislikes on promotional materials consistently reflected the strong skepticism in the community. Despite showing gameplay that addressed past complaints, Ubisoft has faced a significant challenge in changing the minds of many fans. While the negative response is a result of Ubisoft’s history, it seems nearly impossible for the team to change players' minds.

Fans Have Missed Being A Real Assassin & It Is Finally In Japan

What More Could You Want From the Series?

Assassin’s Creed Shadows fixes an issue that players have had for a long time: escaping the excitement of being a real assassin. While games like Odyssey, Valhalla, and Origins introduced large worlds and interesting stories, they often focused more on characters adjacent to the assassins rather than the actual Brotherhood. Origins came close to recapturing the essence of the earlier games, but it still didn't quite deliver the satisfying stealth gameplay that many fans wanted.

The game shifted away from carefully planned takedowns to a more action-centric style, which felt like the unique elements of Assassin's Creed were missing in the vast open-world exploration and RPG features. Assassin's Creed Shadows aims to fix these issues by bringing the series back to its roots. Players can experience the precise and deadly gameplay that made the franchise famous, featuring two different assassins.

One is a female shinobi focusing on stealth and agility, while the other is a male samurai emphasizing brute strength and direct combat. This dual-character system allows for different approaches to assassination, making the game replayable and enjoyable for various play styles while keeping the core mechanics intact. In addition to the gameplay, Shadows is set in feudal Japan.

Since Assassin's Creed 2, players have been asking for Japan as a setting, and its inclusion offers a rich backdrop for the story. The game is being promoted as a true assassin experience, highlighting stealth, precise kills, and immersive gameplay in the historical setting of feudal Japan. It aims to capture the spirit of the earlier games while incorporating some new ideas.

Ubisoft Is Finally Going All In On Base-Building

This Home Base Is Yours to Customize

Assassin's Creed 2 was the first game in the series to introduce base upgrades. Players could improve their villa in Monteriggioni, boosting its defenses and unlocking new features. While the system was basic compared to later games, it sparked a desire among fans for more in-depth base management. In subsequent titles, players could upgrade existing structures but couldn’t create their own designs. Assassin’s Creed Shadows seems to take a different approach.

The push for real base-building has been loud throughout the RPG trilogy, and Valhalla was the only one that included settlement systems. These allowed players to grow and upgrade bases, but most upgrades were based on preset looks. That system felt lacking, and many fans wanted the ability to truly design and customize their own space, not just see visual changes representing progress.

As seen in Screen Rant's hands-on with the game, Assassin's Creed Shadows changes this. Players get to develop their own hideout on a piece of land for the first time. They can place and customize buildings, paths, and decorations using a grid-based system similar to city-building games. This allows for building from scratch, creating personalized fortresses that reflect each player's journey. They can also design the interiors by arranging furniture, decorating walls, and showcasing artifacts. They can landscape the outside to design gardens and pathways, and even add animal companions.

The system in Shadows isn’t just for show; it adds real depth and personalization that hasn’t been seen in the series before. With changing weather and seasons, the hideout feels alive and vibrant. This commitment to base-building may come a bit late for fans, but it shows that Ubisoft is finally getting what players want. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be enough.

It May Be Everything Fans Want, But Is It Too Late?

Some Fans Still Remain Skeptical

Ubisoft is finally giving fans what they've been asking for. Assassin’s Creed Shadows brings back the focus on stealth and assassination; it is set in feudal Japan and aims to move away from the large RPG elements seen in recent games. Additionally, Shadows introduces a detailed base-building feature to create and personalize hideouts. However, some fans still aren’t happy, and it could be because it almost seems too good to be true.

After years of straying from the original gameplay, promising and under-delivering, and facing various controversies, there's a distrust toward Ubisoft. Past decisions have led to skepticism about Shadows, even before its release. Many fans, feeling let down by past games, are already writing off Shadows as a failure, regardless of its actual quality.

This overall distrust, built up over the years from feeling ignored, presents a major challenge for Shadows. The game could deliver great stealth gameplay and an immersive environment, but it will have a tough time overcoming the existing negativity from a large part of the fanbase. Whether Assassin’s Creed Shadows can recapture the magic of earlier Assassin's Creed games is still uncertain, and it may come down to whether the timing is right rather than just how good the game is.