The review embargo is over for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, as critics across the industry have given their thoughts on Ubisoft’s latest game, and one that has been especially pivotal for the company. The Metacritic score currently sits in the early 80s, with over 60 reviews being generally favourable. Let’s break some of them down to help you make your pre-order decisions, and we’ve got more details on those in our Assassin’s Creed Shadows launch guide!
IGN in their 8/10 review praises Assassin’s Creed Shadows for the “trimming” of franchise trends into something more “precise” such as with its combat or revamped approach to UI, but states that it won’t “change the minds” of those who are already tired of Ubisoft’s typical formula, but says you “should not skip” if you are a fan of Assassin’s Creed. The same sentiment comes across in Metro’s 7/10 review, saying “this won’t win you over” if you aren’t a fan, but “exciting iteration” will make it more fun for fans of the series.
Numerous critics have been critical of Yasuke’s gameplay in the game. GameSpot’s 8/10 review include his inclusion as a con, stating it “cuts too much away from the Assassin’s Creed formula to work”, whilst IGN says “there are remarkably few quests where Naoe isn’t better suited for the task”. It appears the heavy-handed fighting style of Yasuke goes against the established (and refined) stealth gameplay formula for some critics.
Whilst most reviews show a trend towards a positive but not perfect experience, there are some outlets with high praise. VG247 give a flawless 10/10 score, calling Assassin’s Creed Shadows “one of the most well put-together” titles in the franchise, and enjoying Yasuke’s inclusion as a brute force alternative to the stealthy Naoe. NME also awards the game a perfect 10, calling it a “badly needed” refresh of the series and call it “worth the wait” after all the delays it faced.
The lowest reviews on Metacritic at present come from The New York Times, with a middling 6.5/10 review calling the game beautiful but finding the protagonists “less compelling”, and PCGamesN that finds Assassin’s Creed Shadows “too repetitive and dramatically flat” in their 6/10 review.
So, in total, it seems critics are enjoying Assassin’s Creed Shadows, but with a resounding message that it’s still an Assassin’s Creed game. If you’re not a fan of Ubisoft’s formula and the gameplay they’ve been working on for decades now, then Shadows might not be for you. For fans of the franchise though, the number of critics citing refinement of series staple gameplay elements make Assassin’s Creed Shadows worth a try.
What do you make of Assassin’s Creed Shadows reviews? Will you be looking to pre-order soon or will you be waiting to hear more? Sound off in the comments below, and be sure to check back on our Assassin’s Creed Shadows game page for our review in future to help make your decision!
