Summary

  • Ubisoft shared a new Assassin's Creed Shadows video featuring Naoe doing parkour.
  • The clip offers the longest uninterrupted look at AC Shadows parkour to date.
  • Compared to the past Assassin's Creed protagonists, Naoe is much more flashy in how she moves across the environment, largely because she has a sizable arsenal of flips for every occasion.

Ubisoft has revealed some fresh Assassin's Creed Shadows footage depicting Naoe doing parkour in feudal Japan. The newly shared video offers the longest uninterrupted look at Assassin's Creed Shadows parkour to date.

While parkour has always been synonymous with Ubisoft's long-running franchise, the RPG trilogy simplified it quite substantially, which didn't sit well with all fans. Rumors of Assassin's Creed Shadows revamping the series' parkour system have been circulating the industry since before the game was fully unveiled, back when it was still only known as AC Codename Red. Although Ubisoft has yet to outright confirm that, the gameplay footage that the company showed to date has been consistent with those reports, not least because it offered glimpses of some brand-new parkour animations.

Assassins Creed Shadows Yasuke Naoe Combat Puzzle
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Assassin's Creed Shadows Shows Silky-Smooth Naoe Parkour

Even more evidence pointing to such an overhaul emerged online on August 12, when Ubisoft shared a new AC Shadows gameplay clip entirely focused on silky-smooth parkour. The video shows Naoe running, jumping, and grappling over rooftops for 35 seconds straight. Compared to the parkour abilities of the past Assassin's Creed protagonists, Naoe's movement looks notably more flashy, largely because she is all too happy to perform various flips and turns at every opportunity.

The video reveals that she has different flips for descending from a hanging position and jumping down, as well as launching forward while swinging with the Assassin's Creed Shadows grappling hook. She can also perform a flashy flip while vaulting over objects or descending from small heights. As for the grappling hook itself, its animations seamlessly blend into Naoe's movement and don't look too gamey. The video also indicates that Assassin's Creed Shadows might offer some improvement in terms of cloth physics, as there's very little clipping seen in it. Granted, this is a highly curated sequence that may not be representative of moment-to-moment gameplay in the finished product.

One thing that Ubisoft has yet to showcase is how parkour will work for Yasuke, the game's other protagonist. The company previously confirmed that Yasuke and Naoe will play differently in Assassin's Creed Shadows, both in terms of combat and movement. As far as the latter is concerned, the samurai won't be nearly as agile as the shinobi, with Ubisoft stating that he's not meant to run across rooftops so much as cut through enemies. Even still, Yasuke will have some opportunities to be stealthy and will be able to climb things like (suitably angled) trees.

Assassin's Creed Shadows will reach the current-generation consoles and PC on November 15. Those who buy one of its higher-tier editions or subscribe to Ubisoft+ will be able to play it starting November 12.

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Assassin’s Creed Shadows

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Open-World
Action-Adventure
RPG
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Systems
PlayStation-1 Xbox-1
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Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 82%
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Released
November 15, 2024
ESRB
m
Developer(s)
Ubisoft Quebec
Publisher(s)
Ubisoft
Engine
AnvilNext
Franchise
Assassin's Creed
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
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Experience an epic historical action-adventure story set in feudal Japan! Become a lethal shinobi Assassin and a powerful legendary samurai as you explore a beautiful open world in a time of chaos. Switch seamlessly between two unlikely allies as you discover their common destiny. Master complementary playstyles, create your shinobi league, customize your hideout, and usher in a new era for Japan.

Genre(s)
Open-World, Action-Adventure, RPG