With the release of Assassin’s Creed Shadows growing closer, players have started to get a glimpse of what makes this game different from the others. The stealth mechanics in particular are just that much different from what other games in the series have done. This could make those mechanics new and exciting, or it could make players a little wary of the unfamiliar. However, there is reason to give these new mechanics a chance and enjoy what is new about them.

With the changes to the modern-day sequences in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, this game seems to have some big changes in the pipeline compared to past games. Assassin’s Creed Mirage abandoned the modern-day sequences altogether, a change that was welcomed by some, while the past few games have followed the character of Layla Hassan. With the developers announcing that there will be changes to both those sequences and the stealth mechanics, there is hope that this game is shaping up to do something exciting.

No More Eagle Companion Makes Players More Self-Reliant

Relying On Observation Instead Of Eagle Scouting

Ubisoft recently announced some of the changes to the stealth mechanics in Assassin's Creed Shadows. The biggest change from the more recent games in the series is that there is no longer an eagle companion. In those games, players could send up their eagle to scout the surrounding area, tag enemies, and look for various loot items. It was a fairly handy mechanic to search for collectibles, and it made it easier to plan a route deep into the dungeons. With this game, that is all going to change.

Players will suddenly have to become a little more self-reliant, as the eagle companion will no longer be around to scout the way. This translated to more than just stealth mechanics in the previous game as well, as the eagle would gather loot off of downed enemies and even do some hunting for you. Instead, players will have to use the main character’s senses and get a little closer to see what is going on.

This will hone the player’s stealth instincts even more, as they will have to plan moment-by-moment instead of knowing the entire map. This is going to be boosted by the new Observe mechanic, which will have similar mechanics to both forms of Eagle Vision. However, it will be coming directly from the main character, and they will observe their closest surroundings to look for some of the same kinds of items. This is also the mechanic that will be used at Synch Points where players complete their leaps of faith.

There is also a new version of Eagle Vision, only accessible to Naoe, which will let her some enemies resting behind walls. She will not be able to see everything around her like a player could in the past, but instead, it seems like it will function more as a listening mechanic, allowing Naoe to take stock, figure out where the nearest enemies are, and find ways around them.

Shadow Dynamics Make Players More Keen To Play At Night

New Places To Hide That Players Can Create Themselves

One of the more exciting changes is that the titular shadows are actually going to be useful. Before, if players wanted to hide, they would have to find long grass or bales of hay even during the night. This made it less optimal to play at night, especially scouting out encampments where it was more crucial that players needed to see. There was no real advantage to pressing in at night, despite that it normally would be if someone were to try one of these missions in real life.

That has all changed, however, as now the shadows will act much like any other hiding spot and make you invisible to enemies. For the first time, having the cover of darkness will give players a strong advantage and allow them to move quietly through enemy territory without being seen. This can happen both inside and outside, and players will be able to create their own shadows by destroying light sources.

This immediately makes it an exciting opportunity in Assassin's Creed Shadows to play around with, combining the new Observation and Eagle Vision skills with the shadows to make it through enemies without ever being seen. It’s the right move to make in a game with shadows in the title, but it will be exciting to see how it actually plays out and makes it more fun to try to play at night.

Going Prone Reveals New Paths To Take

New Pathfinding Allows For More Dynamic Movement

One thing that hasn’t changed is the impact of crouching on a player’s stealth abilities. Crouching always helped players avoid the notice of guards. If they stood up or sprinted, the observation symbol said that they were fully visible, while crouching put them in a low visibility mode. Going into long grass then made them fully invisible.

None of that has changed, and, in fact, it is highly encouraged to stay crouched to avoid notice. There are now going to be noise traps, and if players are not careful, they will attract attention by making floors creak and hitting noisy objects. Additionally, staying low is being taken to an entirely new level, as players can now get even closer to the ground by going prone.

Players are now able to go completely prone in all environments in the game, which will reduce their visibility even more than it did before. They will even be able to make certain movements while in this position, such as rolling on the ground to quickly dodge.

This adds even more dynamics when it comes to sneaking around, and it seems like this game is leaning heavily into stealth mechanics, while the past few games have tended toward combat. In addition, going prone will open up even more pathways, as certain areas will have paths that players can only move through if they are prone. This adds more potential decisions to make and more ways to move about the map.

This is an exciting way to keep the navigation fresh. There are other new mechanics as well, such as changes to the grabbing system, how Naoe can make use of hiding spaces, and how enemies respond to her tactics. There will be a fair amount of action-and-response, changing tactics, and dynamic movement in the new way Assassin’s Creed Shadows approaches stealth, and that should be good news for most players.

Source: Ubisoft