Assassin's Creed Shadows review roundup: 'better than many expected it to be'
After two high-profile delays, Assassin's Creed Shadows finally emerges from the darkness
👍 Assassin’s Creed Shadows has a Metacritic score of after 71 after 84 critic reviews
👏 The game has 82% positive reviews, 18% mixed and 0% negative
✋ Assassin’s Creed Shadows is the first AC game to take place in feudal Japan
📅 Assassin’s Creed Shadows releases on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC on March 20
Ubisoft’s storied Assassin’s Creed franchise continues to draw millions of players with each new entry. However, the series has become more polarizing in recent years, with many hoping Assassin's Creed Shadows will put the series back on track.
Based in feudal Japan, Assassin's Creed Shadows certainly has its admirers, though it seems to be held back by repetitive gameplay and some underwhelming story telling.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is currently sitting on a Metacritic score of 81 after 74 critic reviews, which is higher than the 76 Assassin’s Creed Mirage scored, but one point higher than Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.
Here’s what critics made of Assassin’s Creed Shadows ahead of its release on March 20.
VG247 gave Assassin’s Creed Shadows a perfect score, and said the game’s flaws are easy to overlook because of how fun it is.
“There are problems with Assassin’s Creed Shadows, for sure. But it’s so fun to play, it’s telling a gripping story, and there is so much sense of progress and reward for every little thing you do that it actually feels like an open world game that’s taking its cues from a modern roguelike, or something. Every action has meaning, and the breadcrumbs that tempt you to clean up all the icons on the map are moreish. This may be one of the biggest Assassin’s Creed games ever made, but it also feels like the most well put-together.”
While TheSixthAxis didn’t think Assassin’s Creed Shadows did enough to warrant a perfect score, the outlet gave Ubisoft’s latest AC entry 9/10 and said: “Fans of Assassin’s Creed have waited an era or two for a series entry that lets you be a ninja and explore Feudal Japan. Thankfully, the wait has been absolutely worth it. Assassin’s Creed Shadows is an astonishing achievement. Vast, impossibly detailed, immaculately researched, and enormously fun, Shadows is easily one of the best games in this storied franchise.”
GamesRadar+’s score of 8/10 aligns with the majority of reviewers, who praised the game’s more stealth-focused mechanics compared to previous entries. The reviewer said: “Assassin's Creed Shadows thrives on boldness. Its dual protagonists improve on the series' stealth-driven roots and modern RPG leanings, though they're let down by a vague story that fails to make full use of either character.”
VGC also gave Assassin’s Creed Shadows an 8/10, and said: “Assassin's Creed Shadows finally takes the main series to Japan, and does so in some style. With excellent gameplay, a compelling narrative and a massive, beautiful world to explore, it is so much better than many expected it to be. Even if it's not the game that saves Ubisoft, it did exactly what it needed to, bringing confidence back to one of modern gaming's biggest and most troubled franchises.”
Not everyone was as keen on AC: Shadows, however. PlayStation LifeStyle gave the game 7/10 and said: “There’s certainly room for improvement when it comes to its presentation and performance, but it’s hard to deny that Assassin’s Creed Shadows does so much so well. From its wonderfully realized world to its wealth of engaging quests and distractions, there’s plenty to enjoy here, regardless of whether you’ve fallen off the franchise in recent years.”
DualShockers were one of the more scathing outlets and gave the game 5/10. The reviewer said the game was “bloated”, “uninspired” and that the game “collapses under its own weight”. The review reads: “Assassin's Creed Shadows is a bloated collection of uninspired quests that quickly turn into a repetitive, boring grind. While the art and history teams deserve recognition for their efforts, it's all unfortunately wasted on a narrative that goes nowhere, is poorly explained, and has no satisfying resolutions.
“None of the changes and tweaks that Ubisoft brought to the table move the needle, and the game is ultimately more frustrating than it is fun. This is a game that desperately needed to succeed, and instead, collapses under its own weight. Future Assassin's Creed releases need to innovate instead of being yet another rehash of games we've already played in different locations. There are other open-world games in similar settings that are much more worthy of your time.”
Assassin’s Creed Shadows isn’t the critical darling that Ubisoft may have been hoping for then, but it isn’t a disaster either. After two delays and controversy about the game’s interpretation of Japan and historical figures, it seems like a solid entry for those who still enjoy the series.
However, if you’re looking for another open-world RPG set in feudal Japan, check out our Rise of the Ronin PC review. The game is held back by poor performance, though the developer seems keen to improve things.
Want to know what to play next? Check out our upcoming PS5 games and upcoming Xbox games lists to see what’s on the horizon for Sony and Microsoft’s consoles.
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.
