I Can Already See a Critical Gameplay Flaw in Assassin’s Creed Shadows After Ubisoft Drops Exclusive First Look at Kyoto

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I Can Already See a Critical Gameplay Flaw in Assassin’s Creed Shadows After Ubisoft Drops Exclusive First Look at Kyoto

After multiple delays and months of anticipation, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is finally releasing on March 20th. While there were many hurdles and some unpopular design choices the studio has implemented, I am still somewhat excited to try out the game, it’s the first time the franchise is stepping foot in Japan.

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The studio has revealed its first look at the game’s city. | Image Credit: Ubisoft

For a moment, it seemed like Ubisoft was on the right track. But now that the first official look at Kyoto has been unveiled, I’m already starting to see a critical gameplay flaw that could seriously affect the game’s core experience. It’s not something that can be easily patched or fixed through updates.

The Kyoto I was hoping for vs. The Kyoto we’re getting in Shadows

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I am very concerned after taking a look at the city. | Image Credit: Ubisoft

In a recent interview with

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, Ubisoft revealed some footage of Kyoto. While the visuals and design of Kyoto look authentic and impressive, there’s one glaring issue that stands out to me: the city feels small and lacks the kind of verticality that has defined the Assassin’s Creed series for years.

Kyoto was supposed to be bustling with dense buildings, winding alleyways, and various towering structures, making it a perfect playground for parkour, one of the signature features of the franchise. Yet, in Shadows, the city seems almost too flat and small.

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The absence of verticality dramatically limits the parkour gameplay that I’ve always been fascinated by. The rush of jumping off rooftops, performing death-defying leaps between buildings, and free-falling from great heights made the franchise exciting to play.

Now, without those high-rise buildings or cliffs to jump from, the parkour experience will lack the thrill that made the series stand out in the first place. The best example is Valhalla, despite the gripes about its pacing, I still managed to get those dopamine hits from some incredible vertical moments.

I was scaling massive towers and climbing snowy mountains simply to explore and perform the iconic freefalls that defined the series for over a decade. But Shadows seems to be missing that.

If Kyoto is the only major city and what seems like little to no high buildings, except for the main castle, this could be a huge blow to the game’s sense of scale and excitement.

Is the franchise losing its roots?

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The game needs to have various high locations. | Image Credit: Ubisoft

The selection of Yasuke as the protagonist already raised some eyebrows among fans, with some worried about the potential for historical inaccuracy or the handling of such a prominent historical figure.

Now that I’m noticing the lack of verticality in Kyoto, those concerns are only going to amplify. The game is teetering on the edge of alienating its fanbase, and these issues could leave a lasting mark on the game’s reputation.

To be clear, I’m not saying that Shadows is doomed to fail, but the lack of proper parkour opportunities could seriously limit its appeal. Especially, when fans are actively looking to call out the game for even small details. This, however, feels like a massive neglect.

I’m hoping that this is just a small portion of the map that has been shown, maybe just a section of the city or a limited part. But if this is truly what the entire game will feel like, the game may lose the very essence of what made the series great in the first place.

At this point, even the most promising aspects of Shadows like the destructible environments and multiple seasons won’t be enough to make up for all the issues and lack of content. I don’t want to be overly critical, especially when so much of the game is still under wraps, but I can’t help but feel concerned.

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#Critical #Gameplay #Flaw #Assassins #Creed #Shadows #Ubisoft #Drops #Exclusive #Kyoto

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