Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ parkour mechanics have been put to the test by two professional parkour athletes, offering a unique perspective on the game's realism and the developers' efforts to authentically represent Feudal Japan.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Gearing Up For Its Release
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Does A "Hate Crime Against Parkour"
In a recent PC Gamer’s Reality Check video released on March 15, Toby Segar and Benj Cave from the UK's STORROR team, both avid fans of the Assassin’s Creed series, provided their expert analysis on the parkour realism in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. These athletes are also working on their own parkour-based video game, STORROR Parkour Pro.
During the video, Segar highlighted a scene from AC Shadows where protagonist Yasuke uses an "alpine knee" to climb, a move considered impractical in real parkour due to the risk of knee injury from bearing full body weight.
Cave further critiqued the game's portrayal of parkour, noting the unrealistic endurance of the characters and their ability to perform continuous parkour moves without rest. He emphasized that real parkour involves careful planning and assessment, contrasting with the game's more fluid, non-stop action.
While Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a fictional game, Ubisoft has made significant efforts to enhance the realism of its parkour mechanics. In a January interview with IGN, AC Shadows Game Director Charles Benoit mentioned that the game's release was delayed to refine these mechanics.
Bringing Players Closer to Feudal Japan
Beyond the parkour, Ubisoft aims to immerse players in the historical context of Feudal Japan through the "Cultural Discovery" feature. As detailed on their website on March 18, Ubisoft Editorial Comms Manager Chastity Vicencio explained that this in-game Codex will include over 125 entries at launch, covering the history, art, and culture of the Azuchi-Momoyama period, crafted with input from historians and enriched with museum images.
The development team faced significant challenges in authentically recreating Feudal Japan, as shared in an interview with The Guardian on March 17. Ubisoft Executive Producer Marc-Alexis Coté discussed the long-standing interest in setting an Assassin’s Creed game in Japan, finally realized with AC Shadows. Creative Director Johnathan Dumont highlighted the team's dedication, including trips to Kyoto and Osaka and collaboration with historians to ensure accuracy.
Despite challenges like accurately depicting the unique lighting in Japan's mountains, the team's commitment to detail has been unwavering. Coté acknowledged the high expectations and the effort required to meet them.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is scheduled for release on March 20, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Stay tuned for more updates on this highly anticipated game!
