Assassin’s Creed Shadows - Limited Edition (Amazon Exclusive), PlayStation 5

Positive Review of Assassin's Creed: ShadowsOverall, I really enjoyed Assassin's Creed: Shadows! The game offers an engaging blend of history, action, and exploration that fans of the franchise have come to love. The mechanics are solid, and the environments are beautifully crafted, drawing players into the rich tapestry of its narrative.That said, like anything, it does have its flaws, which I view more as personal nitpicks. For instance, the opening sequence felt a bit like a slog. After the thrilling experience of playing as Yasuke, the narrative jumps back in time to introduce Naoe. While I appreciate the storytelling depth, the two-year time skip felt somewhat unnecessary, especially since it was already established that Nagato was her father.Additionally, the romances in this installment felt a bit stale and bland, a trend that has emerged in some of the later Assassin's Creed titles. I can't help but think it was a missed opportunity not to explore a romantic subplot between Naoe and Yasuke, as their dynamic had potential for something truly captivating.Despite these minor criticisms, Assassin's Creed: Shadows stands out as a positive addition to the series. Ubisoft has delivered an enjoyable experience that I can wholeheartedly recommend. The strengths of the game certainly overshadow its flaws, making it a worthwhile journey for both new players and long-time fans alike!

Gamers tend to pile-on certain developers, and it’s well documented that Ubisoft is one of their favorite targets. It’s not completely without warrant - the studio has had its share of controversy over the years, and has had some rough patches - but it’s important to give them credit when it’s due. One shining light in Ubisoft’s portfolio has persisted (mostly), and that’s the Assassin’s Creed brand. This is no exception. In fact, it is their best work in a while!OPEN WORLD:I was a huge fan of Sucker Punch’s game Ghost of Tsushima, and was curious how I’d feel about this game given the natural comparison. Both have similar settings (a large area of feudal Japan), but take place centuries apart. Architecture has evolved, and the world feels more populated in AC Shadows. There are points of interest and activities just about anywhere you go, and plenty of quests to keep you busy- or should I say distracted? I regularly would go off my intended route to take on a castle and lose track of time. The game does not do a great job of differentiating between main story quests and side quests, so expect to take your time getting through the story if you don’t have a guide. I this world, that’s not the worst thing. One negative thing I have noticed is that the foliage can sometimes be so thick in forests that I can’t even see my own character. This is a small gripe though.COMBAT:There are many ways to customize your fighting style between two major characters (who you can usually switch between at will), with very different styles. They each have a nice assortment of weapons as well.Naoe is stealthy, light, fast, and can use grappling hooks she also has Eagle Vision to easily spot enemies and plan attacks accordingly.Yasuke is like a truck, and about as graceful as one. He uses brute strength to smash through barriers and whoever is unfortunate enough to challenge him.These two have their own moments to shine and be of preference, but when presented with the choice of who to play as, I found myself going back to Naoe 9 times out of 10. She’s just much more fun to play as, in my opinion.PS5 PRO:The open world is vast, rich, and beautiful. I’ve attached some screenshots captured via the Quality mode on the PlayStation 5 Pro. While Quality mode currently supports 30fps, it’s a very smooth framerate. It’s the first time I’ve willingly played a game at 30fps in a long time, but the expanded ray tracing elements were too beautiful to pass up. Developers have reported that PSSR upscaling will be added soon as well.I recommend checking this game out and having some fun. It’s an incredible setting depicted beautifully, with many hours of blissful samurai-ing.

it is amazing how much hate this game received even before it came out; sure, Skull & Bones was a major screw up and the dull and boring Mirage should have been rather a DLC since it has absolutely no replay value; but Shadows outshines in superb graphics (IMO top notch), tight controls and story line; it's one of the VERY BEST games currently out there; very versatile, you can choose and switch characters if you prefer stealth or brutal force; it is definitely the very best bang for your money; I put ~ 20 hours into it and look forward enjoying this game for weeks to come

I'm a big fan of the Assassin's Creed franchise and Shadows was awesome. I spent 140 hours roaming around exploring, and the graphics are amazing. I love Naoe and Yasuke and their contrasting styles, equipment, and weapons. The AI is trash though.