Assassin's Creed Shadows is poised to introduce several new ideas to the franchise, including the rollout of 'Canon Mode.' This new gameplay option will be a franchise first, offering Assassin's Creed Shadows fans the choice to go hands-off on key narrative moments.
After one last Assassin's Creed Shadows delay to March 20, 2025, the series' latest entry aims to make the wait worthwhile. In particular, the game will feature two distinct gameplay perspectives in dual protagonists Naoe and Yasuke, offering unique shinobi and samurai-based playstyles. Assassin's Creed Shadows will also introduce crawling, a ground-up rework of stealth, and, of course, diving into a long-requested Japanese setting. Among other things, The Best War Games recently spoke with creative director Jonathan Dumont and associate narrative director Brooke Davies about the creation of the feature, its implementation, and how it impacts romance.
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Canon Mode Will Grant Fans A Lore-Accurate Playthrough of Assassin's Creed Shadows
How And Why Canon Mode Was Conceived
The Assassin's Creed series has adopted more RPG features in recent years, and this shift has influenced both gameplay and storytelling. In the latter case, the games have increasingly allowed fans more influence on the story, including dialogue and character choices. Dumont spoke about the benefits and drawbacks behind this approach, and how fan response to this new system drove the creation of Canon Mode:
"When we introduced a choice of characters and dialogue choices in AC Odyssey, many of our fans loved the idea, but some expressed their disappointment in not having a definitive and canon narrative for the game that could be embedded in the AC lore meta story. After speaking with our fans during development, we decided to add a mode that takes out all the choices for AC Shadows and that can serve as a reference story within the franchise. This way players can enjoy the more RPG style of narrative or a more linear one, if they prefer."
It's recently been confirmed that Shadows' Canon Mode will be locked in once chosen, so players won't be able to switch out from it once a playthrough has begun. With this in mind, and considering the stealth reworks made apparent when playing Naoe, it seems as if Ubisoft is offering fans a way to customize their playthrough to go all-in on a more classic experience, one that places a premium on gameplay and leaves the storytelling to the writers.
Dumont also emphasizes that Shadows' story will remain engaging without the element of choice, encouraging new and old fans to try this new approach. Dumont stated that "Assassin's Creed Shadows has very emotional and layered storylines that should keep players engaged, regardless of the narrative mode they choose," citing the story's twists and turns, as well as its themes and use of political intrigue.
Canon Mode Will Not Hinder Romantic Pathway
Davies added that Assassin's Creed Shadows' Canon Mode foregoes romance options, elaborating, "Because Naoe and Yasuke are different people, they each have unique romance possibilities and connections. None of our love stories is canon, so players can choose for themselves who—or who not—to pursue."
The absence of canon romances in Shadows makes sense when considering prior criticism the franchise has received, such as Assassin's Creed Odyssey offering players multiple romance options but only allowing one to be canon in later DLC. This further demonstrates how the new Canon Mode is based on fan feedback, providing fans a means to appreciate the intended narrative or opt for a more player-driven one.
Assassin's Creed Shadows
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 82%
- Released
- March 20, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Quebec
- Publisher(s)
- Ubisoft
