Assassin’s Creed Shadows Wasted a Perfect Opportunity to Enhance Naoe and Yasuke’s Bond

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I must say, Assassin’s Creed Shadows truly has a lot to offer that one can admire. Despite Ubisoft having numerous flaws and the series not performing as impressively as it once did, Shadows effectively hits the mark in many aspects. The game boasts a sprawling and picturesque backdrop, an engaging storyline, and well-developed characters. Although it might not consistently deliver on its claim of providing a thrilling stealth experience in Feudal Japan, when it does hit the mark, it certainly stands out.

Of course, the game “Shadows” isn’t without its flaws. It wouldn’t be a typical Ubisoft production if there weren’t one or two underdeveloped features. While I dislike criticizing games, it’s part of what I do, and there can be some positive outcomes, especially when constructive. I truly hope that the next “AC” game will excel, as well as other games in its genre. That’s why I believe it’s crucial to acknowledge that Ubisoft missed a chance to enhance the underutilized mechanic in “Shadows”.

AC Shadows Had The Perfect Way Of Improving Naoe & Yasuke’s Relationship

They Could Have Spoken On The Road

One standout aspect of “Assassin’s Creed Shadows” is the pair of protagonists, Naoe and Yasuke, whose strong connection unfolds throughout the game’s storyline. Although this relationship is captivating and skillfully crafted, it remains one of the underused highlights in the game. They have ample screen time together, and they do interact on occasion, but it’s disappointing that we don’t get to witness more of their actions outside of cutscenes and key narrative events.

In many parts of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the two main characters are seldom together, which seems like a missed opportunity given that the entire game revolves around dual protagonists. This disconnection is occasionally addressed during storyline segments, but often leaves players feeling it could have been better exploited, especially when compared to other Ubisoft games like Syndicate that face similar issues. However, this disparity feels more pronounced in Shadows.

In “Assassin’s Creed Shadows,” it’s particularly disappointing that opportunities for more engaging and narrative-driven interactions between the main characters were missed. Ubisoft had a golden chance to enhance their relationship through gameplay, but they didn’t seize it. I’m not talking about the cooperative mechanics rumored for the game, which are expected to be added later, as I don’t believe they would resolve the narrative problems arising from their on-screen tension. Instead, Ubisoft could have used the least interesting aspect of “Assassin’s Creed Shadows” to strengthen their relationship.

AC Shadows Wasted Its Exploration

It Doesn’t Make The Time Between Point A And B Interesting

In the game “Assassin’s Creed: Shadow,” one area that could have been improved is its exploration aspect. Contrary to what might be implied, the world in Shadows isn’t dull or lacking activities. It’s just that there could have been more depth added to this particular game’s world, which Ubisoft did a fairly good job of making somewhat intriguing. However, the problem lies not in the destination, but rather in the journey from one point to another within Shadows. This is because there are few unique movement options and not much to engage with along the way, making the experience generally uninteresting.

Instead of merely suggesting fast-travel as a means to skip the monotonous journey, a more engaging experience could be created by weaving the narrative of characters like Naoe and Yasuke into the travel segments. This way, players would have something intriguing to anticipate during their travels, making the journey an essential part of the game rather than a mere necessity to move forward.

It was strange how Naoe or Yasuke seemed to always show up when you reached crucial locations, making it seem like they’d been journeying with you the entire time or were already there waiting. While this didn’t happen every time, it became a frequent occurrence that felt like an irritating aspect of the game, reminiscent of the “Assassin’s Creed Shadows” mechanic. I believe it would have been more logical for Ubisoft to design them as companions who traveled with you and engaged in conversation.

While I’m not proposing that Naoe and Yasuke be transformed into AI-controlled companions for your entire journey (which would have been amazing), it seems Ubisoft could have utilized travel time to let these characters share stories about their lives and develop their personalities further, similar to games like “Red Dead Redemption 2.” By doing so, we could have spent more time with them, felt a stronger connection between our protagonist and the companions, and addressed the exploration issues in “AC Shadows” all at once.

Video Games Need To Do More With Exploration

It Should Be Used For More Than Just Wandering

It’s essential to clarify that the issue isn’t exclusive to Assassin’s Creed Shadows or the entire Assassin’s Creed series, but it seems more noticeable in these games due to their expansive environments. Creating engaging exploration experiences, particularly the transition from one location to another, has consistently been a tough nut for developers to crack. Instead of making the monotonous act of moving forward exciting on its own, many developers opt to engage the player with diversions along the way so that they forget the repetition of pushing a joystick for extended periods can feel dull. This approach has shown success in games like Breath of the Wild and Ghost of Tsushima.

After players have explored all the usual situations and happenings in the game’s open world, it becomes less effective, particularly when dealing with games that heavily rely on narrative. For instance, encounters with the Yiga Clan in Breath of the Wild become repetitive and boring after experiencing them multiple times. This is why I firmly suggest, especially for open-world games with a larger cast of characters that prioritize storytelling, that making these transitions across the map serve to enhance the narrative is a better use of everyone’s time.

This method encourages slow travel and offers an engaging experience to anticipate. It would have enhanced Assassin’s Creed Shadows significantly, and I believe it could seamlessly fit into other games. For instance, similar concepts are seen in Death Stranding through its exploration music, but for many open-world titles like Assassin’s Creed Shadows, having characters converse during travel not only adds excitement to the journey, but it also gives the sense of a shared adventure with genuine companions.

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2025-05-23 09:36