Explore the realism of Assassin’s Creed Shadows' parkour mechanics and dive into how Ubisoft captures the essence of Feudal Japan in this upcoming game.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Gearing Up For Its Release
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Does A "Hate Crime Against Parkour"
In a fascinating Reality Check video by PC Gamer, released on March 15, two renowned parkour athletes from the UK's team STORROR, Toby Segar and Benj Cave, offered their insights on the parkour realism in Assassin’s Creed Shadows and previous titles in the series. Both enthusiasts of the Assassin’s Creed franchise, they are also working on their own game, STORROR Parkour Pro, which focuses on authentic parkour moves.
In the video, Segar critiqued a scene from AC Shadows where the protagonist, Yasuke, performs a move dubbed a "hate crime against parkour." Specifically, he refers to Yasuke using an "alpine knee" to climb, which involves placing excessive weight on the knee, a technique considered impractical and potentially harmful in real parkour.
Cave highlighted additional unrealistic aspects, such as climbing without ledges and balancing on tightropes, and emphasized the unrealistic stamina of the game's characters. He noted, "In parkour, no one ever just runs and commits to stuff without looking. In real-life parkour, you check, you measure, you prep, and it’s such a slower process."
While Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a fictional game, Ubisoft has strived to inject realism into its parkour. AC Shadows Game Director Charles Benoit, in a January interview with IGN, mentioned that the game's release delay was to refine its parkour mechanics.
Bringing Players Closer to Feudal Japan
Ubisoft continues to enrich its historical narrative with Assassin’s Creed Shadows, set against the backdrop of Feudal Japan. On March 18, Ubisoft Editorial Comms Manager Chastity Vicencio shared insights on the "Cultural Discovery" feature, a part of the in-game Codex. This feature offers an extensive encyclopedia on the history, art, and culture of the Azuchi-Momoyama period, crafted with the help of historians and featuring images from various museums and institutions. At launch, it will include over 125 entries, with plans for more.
Creating this immersive experience was not without challenges. In an interview with The Guardian on March 17, AC Shadows developers discussed the complexities of bringing Feudal Japan to life. Ubisoft Executive Producer Marc-Alexis Coté explained the decision to set the game in Japan, noting, "I've been on this franchise for 16 years and I think every time we start a new game, Japan comes up and we ask, is this the time? We've never pushed beyond the conception phase with Japan until this one."
Ubisoft Creative Director Johnathan Dumont elaborated on the team's dedication, including trips to Kyoto and Osaka and collaboration with in-house historians. They faced unique challenges, such as accurately depicting the light in Japan's mountains, but their commitment to authenticity has paid off.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is set to launch on March 20, 2025, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Stay tuned for more updates on this highly anticipated game!
