Summary
The long-awaited, twice-delayedAssassin’s Creed Shadowsis finally here, taking players to feudal Japan in one of the most ambitiousAssassin’s Creedentries to date. With its vast open world, distinct dual protagonists, and plenty of other additions and changes to the series' formula,Assassin’s Creed Shadowsis a massive experiencefor both veterans and newcomers, and players would be remiss to underestimate it.
Before setting off on a journey throughAssassin’s Creed Shadows' feudal Japan, players should familiarize themselves with many of its unwritten rules involving exploration, stealth, and combat. While the game does a fairly decent job of filling players in on the essentials, there are still several things players may benefit from knowing that the game doesn’t outright tell them.
The Unwritten Rules of Assassin’s Creed Shadows' Exploration
Stick to the Roads as Much as Possible
Unlike more recentAssassin’s Creedgames,Assassin’s Creed Shadowsactually prefers when players stick closer to the main roads, as opposed to taking shortcuts or going off the beaten path too much for optional exploration. ThroughoutAssassin’s Creed Shadows' feudal Japan, players will find steep mountains and dense vegetation, and attempting to traverse it all can be more time-consuming than saving. Furthermore, there are plenty of other advantages to sticking to the roads inAssassin’s Creed Shadows, including the shrines, temples, and side quests that players can encounter alongside them.
Keep an Eye Out for Kuji Kiris
As expected,Assassin’s Creed Shadowshas several side activitiesfor players to complete during their time in the game, one of which is Kuji Kiris. These meditation spots are not just a cozy way to relax in the face of the game’s more demanding tasks, but they also give more context to Naoe’s character arc by allowing players to play through one of her memories. Rather than merely showing a cinematic,Assassin’s Creed Shadows' Kuji Kiris are a playable flashback sequence that can add a lot of depth to both Naoe’s character and the overarching narrative as well.
Don’t Pass By Random Encounters
While they’re exploringAssassin’s Creed Shadows' open world, players will frequently encounter random events that they shouldn’t ignore. These events may involve simply aiding civilians or solving a riddle, but they are rewarding enough that players shouldn’t neglect to do them. These random encounters will often reward players with location markers or scouts to add to their hideout, and they generally don’t take very much time to complete.
This is also another reason players should stick to the roads inAssassin’s Creed Shadows, as most of these encounters happen near them.
Keep the Hideout Updated
Many otherAssassin’s Creedgames have featured a hideout for players to customize or come home to, but never to the extent thatAssassin’s Creed Shadowsdoes. WithAssassin’s Creed Shadows' hideout, players not only have a cozy side activity to participate in, but they also gain access to a vast array of benefits. However, once the hideout is introduced, it’s somewhat easy to forget about if players don’t regularly return to it and keep it updated. Keeping the hideout updated inAssassin’s Creed Shadowsby building the necessary buildings and making use of its resources can make the game much easier and far more engaging.
The Unwritten Rules of Assassin’s Creed Shadows' Stealth and Combat
Prioritize Unlocking Naoe’s Smoke Bombs
AnyAssassin’s Creedfan likely knows how useful the Smoke Bomb can be, and that is still very much true inAssassin’s Creed Shadows. However, in order to use it, players will first need to unlock it in Naoe’s Tools skill tree. Fortunately, it’s cheap to unlock and is in the first tier of skills available in the tree, so it can be acquired fairly easily. That being said, players will still need to play throughAssassin’s Creed Shadows' prologue and then ensure they don’t spend all their skill points on other abilities before they’ve unlockedNaoe’s Smoke Bombs.
Utilize Assassin’s Creed Shadows' Dual Protagonists Effectively
Many games that feature dual protagonists often still make it so that players can use either protagonist in any scenario, regardless of the playstyle said scenario calls for.Assassin’s Creed Shadows' dual protagonists, on the other hand, have been specifically designed to be most effective in situations that complement their playstyle. For stealth and parkour scenarios, players absolutely must choose Naoe, as Yasuke vastly underperforms in both of those areas. For open combat and direct confrontations, Yasuke is a much better choice. While Naoe can certainly hold her ground, she is still much easier to subdue than Yasuke, and players should remember that before rushing headlong into battle.
Check an Assassination’s Effectiveness Before Engaging
Unlike manyentries in theAssassin’s Creedseries,Assassin’s Creed Shadowsfeatures a non-scaling leveling system, which means it is sometimes possible for players to encounter enemies that are of a higher level than they are. If that’s the case, sometimes, attempting to assassinate an enemy may not be as effective. Fortunately,Assassin’s Creed Shadowsmakes discerning that very easy. When targeting an enemy for an assassination, if the prompt is red, it means Naoe or Yasuke will instantly kill that enemy. If the prompt is yellow, however, they will only wound the enemy. Players should take note of this before attempting to assassinate an enemy, lest they needlessly expose themselves to danger.
Keep Enemy Corpses Concealed
TheAssassin’s Creedseries has long given players the option to hide the bodies of their victims to prevent them being detected, but that mechanic has never mattered more than inAssassin’s Creed Shadows. WithAssassin’s Creed Shadows' AI overhaulcomes enemies that are much more vigilant than they have ever been, and if they find a dead body, their alertness will be heightened, often resulting in them detaching from their patrol paths and searching for the player. When that happens, it can make completing missions more difficult, so players should ensure that any corpses they leave in their wake are hidden.
