Ubisoft Fine-tuned Assassin's Creed Shadows' Stealth Mechanics

Assassin's Creed Shadows has been delayed until February 2025, but this wait might turn out to be worthwhile. Ubisoft revealed new gameplay footage on their official website, and the game appears to be in better form. The most important thing is simply how polished everything looks compared to the gameplay we saw a few weeks ago. Ubisoft deserves credit for how quickly they've made such progress.

Assassin's Creed Shadows is also showing signs of improvement in terms of how it handles stealth gameplay. Ubisoft has made it more challenging to take out enemies of higher tiers compared to previous games. Armored enemies, for instance, will be able to fend off your efforts at assassination, a feature that has been noticeably absent from previous AC games. Yes, the configuration allows you to change how this works. They have also included the option to go prone. The stealth mechanics have been greatly enhanced with the addition of the ability to go prone, allowing for more efficient sneaking around.

Yasuke, the second character, is considerably bigger and will probably need to use a different strategy for stealth than Naoe, who moves differently. It appears as though Naoe executes assassinations with ease. Now, there is a tangible feeling of weight and impact. Earlier leaked gameplay featured less polished animations, so this is a welcome change. The movement mechanics have been improved to make it feel more polished and fluid. The ability to hide corpses in bushes or other cover following an assassination is another neat touch. To stay undetected, you can stow them away, which enhances the stealth gameplay.

You can see that the game has come a long way, visually speaking. Significant modifications have been made to all areas of the game, including the hair simulation and the draw distances. It seems like everything has been tailored down to the smallest detail, including the dust that kicks up when Naoe walks on the sandy surface or when you come into contact with lanterns; you can knock them over to alter the landscape or make stealthier moves.

The usage of orange outlines is a noteworthy addition. These show non-player characters that aren't hostile. In the past Assassin's Creed game, we've observed how every NPC looked like a potential danger, even though it never really made sense. These individuals can now be easily distinguished from hostile ones thanks to the orange outlines. As mere civilians, these NPCs will not attack you, although they can summon guards or ask for assistance.

In addition, there is now a skull icon above enemies of higher levels, and there are enemy levels overall. If you wanted to know if you could kill an enemy in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, you could look at the number over their head. They are much stronger than you are if a skull appears over their head. It would still be possible to take them out, but it would be considerably more difficult.

That being said, you'll be able to activate a 'one-shot assassination' option in the character's settings in Assassin's Creed Shadows. Killing enemies with one shot that is significantly stronger than you is disabled by default, but you have the option to enable it if you prefer an easy experience. The developers have generally let players decide how to tackle these kinds of challenges in previous games, so it's definitely not new. However, they advise going about it the right way, using the game's default difficulty setting for a more authentic gameplay experience.

This footage appears to have very impressive visuals. It's probably displaying fidelity mode, which values visual quality more than framerate. Particularly impressive is the motion blur. It adds the right amount of dramatic flair without being overdone. You will no longer be able to use an eagle or hawk to scout fortifications or foes, which is one of the more significant changes to the gameplay. The bird's ability to mark opponents for you was crucial in earlier games. Rather than engaging in lengthy planning meetings, the developers would rather have the experience be more rooted and focused on action in the present moment.

Although Assassin's Creed Shadows' release is still months away, Ubisoft has laid out a plan for future story reveals. The new gameplay footage we've seen thus far, along with the upgrades, makes me somewhat hopeful about the game. But before drawing a conclusion about the game's future, let's wait until February 14 and see how things unfold in the coming months. On a side note, Ubisoft has released an update on Star Wars Outlaws, which vastly improved the game.