'Assassin's Creed Shadows' HHW Gaming Preview

Source: Ubisoft / Assassin’s Creed Shadows

There is a lot on the line for Ubisoft and the Assassin’s Creed franchise with Assassin’s Creed Shadows. After multiple delays, Ubisoft Quebec finally let us get hands-on with the game its publisher calls the most ambitious Assassin’s Creed game to date, and it seems the extra polishing has paid off.

There has been much hype surrounding Assassin’s Creed Shadows, both good and annoying. The good is the excitement of the game, which finally takes us to a setting AC fans have longed for: Japan. The bad is the “fallout” from the game’s two playable characters, which those haters must deal with.

Assassin’s Creed as a game franchise has gone through numerous changes to keep players engaged, ditching the action-adventure narrative we first fell in love with when playing the first installment in 2007 and before it switched to an RPG with 2018’s Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, taking the franchise on a new path that many liked at first then eventually felt the game just got too big or bloated with 2020’s Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. Ubisoft heard those cries and dropped and took the game back to its roots with Assassin’s Creed Mirage, which was initially planned to be DLC for Valhalla before Ubisoft Bordeaux decided to make it a standalone title. That was an excellent decision, for what it’s worth, but the fate of the AC franchise was still up in the air. Now, we’re here with Assassin’s Creed Shadows. After spending roughly four hours with a preview build of the game, it takes all of the good things from previous games while adding some new, fresh ideas to deliver a worthwhile experience worth investing your time in.

The Animus Hub

We didn’t experience the Animus Hub during our preview, but we did see what it looks like. Basically, every title in the franchise is on there. We have no idea how it works because we were given very little information about it, but it’s one of the features in Assassin’s Creed Shadows that intrigued us. According to GameRant,, it will give players direct access to the other Assassin Creed games, soit will basicallyll serve as a launcher.

Yasuke & Noah’s Intros

Source: Ubisoft / Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Before we explored the world of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, we played the prologue, which did a fantastic job of introducing the game’s two protagonists, Yasuke and Naoe. Yasuke is a historical African slave whose original name is Diogo who was rescued by his current enslavers who wish to spread Christianity throughout Japan.

Source: Ubisoft / Assassin’s Creed Shadows

The sight of a Black man surprises everyone, including Feudal Lord Oda Nobunaga. Yasuke goes from a slave to a revered samurai warrior in no time. Naoe is an agile shinobi assassin who is thrust into the fight and takes on her father’s legacy after a series of unfortunate events.

It was just a taste of a story with many layers and secrets to uncover, and we left wanting to experience more.

Choice Is Your Weapon In Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Source: Ubisoft / Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Immediately, we figured out that Ubisoft Quebec wanted players to choose how they would embark on this journey. Player choice is evident. For example, during our preview, there were multiple moments where a dialogue choice could change the situation’s outcome. During one moment with Naoe, you have the choice to fight a bunch of thugs or choose another dialogue option. You can use the information you gathered to diffuse the situation, avoiding what could be a brutal confrontation. Also, you are given the option to choose who you want to embark on missions with. You can opt for a more brutal approach with Yasuke, whose power is fun to yield as he takes down enemies with powerful attacks using his samurai sword and gun. Yasuke can also run through doors, making him a tank and unlike any Assassasin’s Creed character we have played with.

Source: Ubisoft / Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Yes, Yasuke can climb and swim in his samurai gear which is very interesting, but his approach to missions is just knocking down the door or a barrier and chopping down foes, literally. He’s not built for stealth like Naoe, but he still can get the job done if you’re skilled enough.

Naoe Makes Stealth Feel Fun Again

Source: Ubisoft / Assassin’s Creed Shadows

If stealth is your forte, then you should run with Naoe. She can quickly scale buildings using her grappling hook and perform special parkour moves. And we don’t mean just running across rooftops; she also does all kinds of flips off ledges, giving you the authentic feel of a shinobi ninja. She can toss shurikens from the darkness, take out lights, extinguish candles to hide in the shadows, quickly dispatch foes, and disappear into the night. There is also a new invisibility meter, something seen in the Splinter Cell franchise. You can also go prone now, a new Assassin’s Creed franchise feature. If she gets spotted, you can use tools like smoke bombs to cover your escape and regroup so you can take out your target. The one drawback of Naoe is that while she is nimble and can hold her own during battle, one strike from a bigger enemy can take a massive chunk out of her energy bar.

Source: Ubisoft / Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Eagle vision is back, and Noae can also highlight targets throughout the map, allowing you to plan your course of action, take out your target, recover an item, or whatever the mission calls for. While stealth has always been a staple of Assassin’s Creed games, it feels much more fun now that it’s an optional mode and the ninjutsu element has been added.

Combat & Other Tools

Source: Ubisoft / Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Combat in Assassin’s Creed Shadows is pretty straightforward. Both characters can perform light and heavy attacks along with unique abilities. For example, Yasuke can perform a powerful kick that we know will be used all the time or perform a bomb-ass slice that takes a good chunk of health from foes. Naoe can perform a flurry of kicks that will eventually down your enemies, leaving them open to a strong sword attack. Yasuke and Naoe have finishers like Yasuke chopping a foe’s head clean off or Naoe delivering a fatal throat cut. There is also a block and parry button, but parrying will be your biggest ally, especially if you’re playing as Naoe. Also, you can switch instantly between characters, so if your approach to a mission with Yasuke isn’t working, you can instantly change to Naoe. Another interesting feature is the village building, which we didn’t get to play around with during our preview. Another is the ability to use a network of spies who can help you narrow down objectives. You can even call for help like a lone ninja assassin will show up to take out a foe.

It’s An Assassin’s Creed Game At It’s Core

Source: Ubisoft / Assassin’s Creed Shadows

While there are plenty of new, fresh ideas in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, it still feels like an Assassin’s Creed game at its core. The world-building is just as good as Vahalla’s, but the world is not as massive (that’s a good thing). The new parkour movement system feels excellent, and both characters feel better. Will this be the homerun Ubisoft is looking for? We will find out when the full game is released, but we look forward to continuing our journey as Yasuke and Naoe. Keep it locked on HHW Gaming for more details on Assassin’s Creed Shadows as we get closer to launch.