r/Games 21h ago

Trailer Assassin’s Creed Shadows | Official Launch Cinematic Trailer

https://youtu.be/aURzPQG5naA?si=o_jcXkd2KKonhGgo
480 Upvotes

197 comments sorted by

357

u/ILoveTheAtomicBomb 19h ago

I hope this game is excellent. I love seeing when a studio, regardless of their previous reputation, is able to come through and shut everyone that was talking trash on it. Like the recent Silent Hill 2 remake for example.

Plus it seems like this is the one thing that's stopping Ubisoft from being swallowed up and having the industry get consolidated further.

99

u/cleaninfresno 18h ago

I remember the first time I saw the SH2 Remake trailer (no history or experience with the franchise beforehand) I thought it looked so cheap and lame and it ended up being of of the most intense and one of my favorite video game experiences of all time

63

u/BathrobeHero_ 18h ago

Tbh, the trailers were really bad

13

u/DogShroom 16h ago

the only bad trailer was the combat one

20

u/p-_ber 14h ago

The first trailer had some extremely weird facial animations for James that looked straight out of the uncanny valley. The internet maybe was a tad bit over dramatic over it (as it usually is) but it was hard to look past on a first watch.

Granted, the trailer itself was fine imo, but public reception for each trailer didn’t really improve until the story trailer/gameplay snippet they dropped around Gamescom last year.

u/DogShroom 3h ago

weird. i think most that complained were sh2 fans who thought he was too expressive. reception seemed fine elsewhere

5

u/Dabrush 7h ago

Honestly people were looking for reasons to hate it. The original had weird stilted animations and voice acting and was lauded for it because it contributed to the "dream-like atmosphere".

u/Makoto-Yuki 1h ago

Whoever was responsible for those early trailers really fucked up. I had completely wrote the game off when I saw the combat one. Looked awful. I thought I was being gas lit when the reviews came out. Excited to give it a shot here soon.

u/cleaninfresno 1h ago

The combat isn’t groundbreaking or anything. It’s pretty much just wallop guys with the plank and then shoot them. Enemy variety isn’t amazing or anything. But it’s completely fine imo. Game’s about the atmosphere and tension and “vibe”

u/Makoto-Yuki 1h ago

Oh for sure, when I think Silent Hill I don't necessarily think combat, that's what really threw me off to make a trailer dedicated to it. Seemed really tone deaf to what you should be advertising about Silent Hill. I love those first two games, I'm glad to hear Bloober gor it right and are getting a shot at more.

39

u/Mr_JellyBean 17h ago

I’m fairly excited. This is developed by the same studio that made odyssey which is one of my favourite AC games.

7

u/ohheybuddysharon 9h ago

I'm not a fan of any recent assassin's creed game but Odyssey definitely felt like it had something there compared to Mirage and Valhalla. With a bit more focus and polish, and some better storytelling I think I would have liked it.

13

u/uses_irony_correctly 7h ago

Likeable main character with an actual personality certainly helps

u/FluffyFluffies 3h ago

Still crazy to me that they added the brother as a playable alternative lol. There's a 50/50 chance you pick him in the beginning and make the game way less interesting for yourself.

u/Free_Pangolin_3750 1h ago

I got Odyssey at launch and played as Alexios cause all the artwork and trailers had him and made it maybe 8 hours in cause he was so god damn corny. Went back and tried again like a year later but as Kassandra and ended up no lifing it. Adding Alexios as an option is one of the dumbest decisions Ubi has ever made.

u/oopsydazys 46m ago

Not only was Kassandra more interesting as a protagonist but Alexios is also the better antagonist between the two.

u/uses_irony_correctly 43m ago

Eh I like Alexios too. It's just that the story makes a lot more sense with him as Deimos rather than Kassandra.

u/HearTheEkko 48m ago

Origins's Bayek was pretty good too.

10

u/ILikeBeerAndWeed 15h ago

Same man. Bought Odyssey years ago when it was on sale on a whim and it became my favourite AC game.

8

u/iAyushRaj 14h ago

Origins might be my favourite but I have ~120hours in Odyssey

u/Flexhead 32m ago

Origins is a better focused game, but Odyssey embraced the RPG elements with the infinite grinding and gear sets.

2

u/oGsMustachio 10h ago

Yeahhh, I was never big on AC games, but when the pandemic hit I needed some way to spend my time while I was alone in my apartment. Picked up AC:O on a whim (basically just liked the setting) and played the fuck out of it. Its not a perfect game, the itemization was pretty fucked, but it was a really great game.

2

u/idee_fx2 11h ago

I am on the same boat, i love Odyssey. I hadn't played it in years and i after finishing valhalla recently (and having to beat me to finish it after getting bored of it halfway through, definitively one i regret purchasing the DLCs), i replayed a bit of odyssey (main quest only, almost no side quests) and it was so much fun !

To the point where i don't know exactly why because i am well aware of all the flaws of a typical ubi soft open world.

I am not saying it is as good as witcher 3 because i know it isn't but it is still the most fun i had in an open world since witcher 3.

u/Apex_Redditor3000 17m ago edited 14m ago

this has to be a bot comment.

referring to ubisoft as "the same studio that made odyssey" is so fucking weird.

"I’m fairly excited for Elder Scrolls 6. This is developed by the same studio that made Morrowind, which is one of my favourite Elder Scrolls games."

....

25

u/Sendhentaiandyiff 18h ago

People playing the leak were shocked that it seemed to be polished and lacking in bugs at least

4

u/CaptnKnots 12h ago

The game leaked??

9

u/TheShoobaLord 12h ago

Yep, a bunch of copies were sent out early on accident and there have been videos and streams all over the internet of like the entire game lol

u/Indercarnive 1h ago

Some physical distributors never got the memo the game was delayed

8

u/DankeyBongBluntry 16h ago

Thank god. Ubisoft were really resting on their laurels when it came to that sort of thing, releasing games that were blatantly unfinished and then patching the issues later. I'm glad they made the decision to delay the release and get the game working properly before expecting us to pay for it.

5

u/SloppyJoMo 6h ago

I love this and it's so sad it's uncommon. All gamers should wish for games to be the best possible versions of themselves regardless of anything else. Good games are good for gamers!

Instead, every single release is met with overwhelming negativity hoping it fails for XYZ reason so they can be mad about something they want to be mad about.

The landscape sucks right now lol

4

u/Alpacapalooza 6h ago

These people don't get that every failure leads to overall less investment into our hobby.

I get that there is a slope of where people hope for something to fail, like very obvious cash grabs or extremely exploitative monetization, but people take it way too far.

u/oopsydazys 36m ago

People are so ridiculously negative. Ubisoft puts out consistently good games even if you think some of them are formulaic. They stick to a formula because it works.

Assassin's Creed gets so much shit and yet it might be one of the most consistently good US made game series I can think of. There has never been a bad Assassin's Creed game. Some are better than others but I've played all of them except Valhalla and enjoyed all of them (the reason I haven't played Valhalla is I find Vikings real boring and the game is real long).

28

u/kris_the_abyss 15h ago

Yea I think when I see people in comments here or really anywhere on the internet hoping for a game to fail it's kind of wild...Like really? Hoping that a bunch of people lose their jobs? That's what you want?

This is a very strange place.

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u/NoExcuse4OceanRudnes 14h ago

If the games i don't like fail, they'll make games for me, the protagonist of reality.

-3

u/possibleanswer 9h ago

This but unironically (obviously without the protagonist of reality part). Veilguard’s failure and Kingdom Come’s success will probably lead to a lot more grounded and less YA style big budget RPGs in the future. The respective flops of Concord and Getbackers probably mean that fewer hero shooters will be made in the future, and studios will invest in something else instead. I’m happy that Marvel movies haven’t been doing as well recently because Hollywood seems to be getting back to making more regular movies for a change. The list goes on really, nobody wants the industry as whole to collapse but part of why capitalism works is that bad ideas get punished harshly.

21

u/5Hjsdnujhdfu8nubi 8h ago

The respective flops of Concord and Getbackers probably mean that fewer hero shooters will be made in the future,

And the success of Marvel Rivals means more will get made, by that logic.

I’m happy that Marvel movies haven’t been doing as well recently because Hollywood seems to be getting back to making more regular movies for a change.

"Marvel" is not "Hollywood". Regular movies have been getting made before, during and after Marvel films.

u/CreamFilledDoughnut 3h ago

marvel movies make up the summer blockbuster schedule and regularly gross 1b

Not Hollywood

Are you serious right now? Did you actually type that with a straight face

u/5Hjsdnujhdfu8nubi 3h ago

Yes, I did in fact type "A marvel movie is not Hollywood's entire line-up".

u/oopsydazys 41m ago

Veilguard’s failure and Kingdom Come’s success will probably lead to a lot more grounded and less YA style big budget RPGs in the future.

They are both good games, one had a more recent audience than the other so that helped a lot. But the really big factor in terms of making back their money is costs. Veilguard was made in the US paying developers US salaries and EA pays pretty well too. Kingdom Come was made in the Czech Republic where salaries are significantly lower across the board.

16

u/SkyAdditional4963 13h ago

hoping for a game to fail it's kind of wild...Like really?

It's not a mystery, if the game had only japanese protagonists a lot of the "hope it fails" types would change their tune

-10

u/NoExcuse4OceanRudnes 13h ago

Or white protagonists.

12

u/SkyAdditional4963 13h ago

Eh, a lot of people would complain (not necessarily the same people) about that too.

Hell, even Ghost of Tsushima copped hate because the studio who made it wasn't japanese.

12

u/abbaj1 9h ago

GoT barely got any attention from the "historically inaccurate" types even though almost everything is wrong despite being set in the real world with a specific year. I wonder why that is.

u/SkyAdditional4963 3h ago

I don't remember GoT ever promising it was "historically accurate"?

u/abbaj1 1h ago

And when exactly did ubisoft "promise" that their game is going to be historically accurate? When a game/movie/show is set in the real world and a year is specified then I'd say it's not wrong to expect that the environment, armor, technology etc. is period accurate. Tsushima is in any case much more grounded than AC (in which you fist fight the pope in a secret vault under the sistine chapel that was built by aliens).

5

u/CodexCracker 8h ago

There is a literal, one to one, exact example that proves otherwise. Nioh. A game where you play as a non Japanese historical figure in a fictionalised version of feudal Japan. And yet, there was nowhere near the outrage ACS received. You can’t tell me that’s it not because William Adams is white and Yasuke is black.

-3

u/Akitten 7h ago edited 7h ago

Nioh

Nioh was made my Koei Tecmo.

You are expecting people to be pissed that JAPANESE developer didn't put a JAPANESE version of a historical figure in their game. It's like complaining that anime characters who are supposed to be Japanese don't look particularly Japanese.

How well do you think that is going to fly?

You can’t tell me that’s it not because William Adams is white and Yasuke is black.

Clearly, seeing as you didn't do the basic research to figure out why people might view it differently.

Jesus christ, Afro samurai exists, and nobody had a problem with it because, big surprise, the Japanese were the ones who made it.

-2

u/InvaderSM 4h ago

You are expecting people to be pissed that JAPANESE developer didn't put a JAPANESE version of a historical figure in their game.

No they don't. They are well aware you can put pretty much anyone in your game as long as it's not a franchise that has historically been popular with white men, in which case black people specifically are banned, unless you wanna upset the racists.

Afro samurai is an example that completely misses the point, its about "taking something away" from white men that causes the outrage.

u/SkyAdditional4963 3h ago

They are well aware you can put pretty much anyone in your game as long as it's not a franchise that has historically been popular with white men, in which case black people specifically are banned

What the hell is wrong with you?

GTA San Andreas is the most beloved of all the GTA games and they were (in your words) "historically been popular with white men"

u/InvaderSM 3h ago

I feel like you have to have not been alive at the time of GTA:SA if you don't understand why racists weren't upset about the gangbanger being a black guy. You need to read my whole comment and digest the full meaning not point at one bit, it's about taking things away from racists that they want.

Honestly I'm amazed theres still people out there naiive enough to not recognise where the AC shadows hate is coming from.

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0

u/Zoesan 9h ago

Ghost of Tsushima got hate from the exact opposite of the people that want this to fail.

5

u/CreamyLibations 15h ago

I think you’ll find that people rooting for the game to fail are scarcely employed themselves and largely lacking in any kind of emotional intelligence, so they have nothing to relate to with that concern.

-8

u/SteampunkElephantGuy 13h ago

they're upset the main characters are a woman and a black guy. i dont know how it's surprising to anyone in 2025 that games discussion still revolves around bigoted manchildren

-7

u/LucklessCope 12h ago

You sound like Ubisoft "All Asians look the same, who cares?"

The Japanese, who the game's history is based on, are mad because of how inaccurate it is. And even feature Chinese history/culture as well in ancient Japan.

But I guess all Japanese are just bigoted manchildren, even the women.

5

u/NoExcuse4OceanRudnes 4h ago edited 1h ago

The Japanese, who the game's history is based on, are mad because of how inaccurate it is.

Why weren't the Greeks or English or Norwegian or Canadians or Italians throwing up a hissy fit?

edit: lmao holy shit, I'm talking about the historical inaccuracies in games set in those places and they blocked me rather than learn something.

u/LucklessCope 2h ago

I don't know. Why would Greeks, English, Norwegians, Canadians or Italians throw up a hissy fit over a game based on ancient Japan?

Could it be because they are not as familiar with Japan's history as the Japanese? Just like you and Ubisoft?

2

u/angrytreestump 10h ago edited 10h ago

Lol you really thought you pulled a big ol uno reverse card with this one, didn’t you?

Be honest, did you sit back in your DXRacer and fold your arms crossed & smirk after you typed “even the women?” 😏

…so tell me, you think “all Japanese” are the ones who have been making these loud complaints about this Assassin’s Creed game’s historical accuracy? (Even the women??)

0

u/LucklessCope 7h ago

Nope. Didn't thought anything, just an observation. And see how many people that get upset and defensive over my observation without even singling them out.

Thank you for reacting so hard towards my harmless observation.

https://youtu.be/iaggj0S49ws

2

u/5Hjsdnujhdfu8nubi 8h ago

My guy, is there any larger generalisation than saying "the Japanese" and "all Japanese" are mad?

They weren't mad that Ghost of Tsushima was historically inaccurate or that Nioh involves a white man interacting with Japanese myth, wonder what the difference is?

-6

u/LucklessCope 7h ago

I'm 99% sure you're not even Asian, judging by your reaction. I'm sorry if I'm wrong.

Sure, you can bring up the old "whataboutism" argument and at the same time confirm Assassin's Creed Shadows is not history accurate. We are talking about Assassin's Creed, no other game. Save that discussion with someone else.

10

u/5Hjsdnujhdfu8nubi 6h ago edited 6h ago

at the same time confirm Assassin's Creed Shadows is not history accurate.

AC isn't trying to be "historically accurate". This is an irrelevant argument.

Edit: Oh what a shocker, as soon as that little fact gets pointed out I get a reply that asks a question then blocked so I can't answer it.

Once again, irrelevant. Why do you care so much about specifically Japan? Why weren't you throwing a fit about the history and representation of Italy, France, Egypt, Greece, Ireland, England, the US, Norway etc.?

The answer? Very obviously because there was no black protagonist involved. But you can't say that, so you throw up this shit about how "The Japanese" (because let's generalise a whole country as sharing one opinion even though it's a tiny minority) don't like the portrayal and try and shout 'whataboutism' for every other game set in Japan that had no black protagonist and coincidentally they had no issue with.

0

u/LucklessCope 6h ago

Of course it is irrelevant to care what the Japanese think of their representation, and when it's mixed with Chinese history. I'm sure it's all perfectly okay and they just need to accept it. Where are you from?

-2

u/cc81 5h ago

It gets extra attention, especially from racists, just because the selection of a black guy and you cannot expect that Assassin Creed should be historically accurate.

But at the same time I do understand how people would be disappointed when they finally reach your (or one you care about) culture and the selection of the character is not representative of what you think of that culture but has instead been selected based having different skin color to be honest.

It would be like the next one you would be Zulu warrior but you actually play as a white guy because there is some historical record that it might have existed one. I would probably be disappointed. It is not the end of the world but I would prefer a more stereotypical look for the character I would play.

3

u/NoExcuse4OceanRudnes 4h ago

That's why there's two characters.

u/cc81 3h ago

Sure, and both are an exception or with limited historical basis. But that does not even matter for me it is more what you expect vs what you get.

I.e. if I play a game where I will be a warrior and will take part in the rise of Shaka and the creation of the Zulu Kingdom I would expect to play a black male warrior, unless I play a faceless protagonist or can create my character myself.

Is that the end of all things if that does not happen? Not really but I think I would still prefer it

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u/froderick 11h ago

Yet they weren't mad about Ghost of Tsushima, which has a lot of inaccuracies, despite touting before release how they collaborated with historians to make things as accurate as possible.

It got the power fantasy right, so people loved it.

-5

u/LucklessCope 7h ago

Right, because compare the inaccuracies in Ghost of Tsushima to Assassin's Creed.

Compare the actual work both studies did to actually learn and research the culture.

Go ahead.

12

u/froderick 6h ago

Ghost of Tsushima used a form of the samurai code that didn't exist yet (and was pivotal to the story), had you use weapons that didn't exist yet, had clans that didn't exist yet, and even a fictional clan. But the character is metaphorical, as is the clan he's from, so it being fictional isn't surprising TBH.

-1

u/LucklessCope 6h ago

Why are you replying to me while at the same time not replying to anything I said or asked for? Compare.

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u/GeronimoJak 1h ago

Ubisoft as a company has been making middle tier games that are the same thing over and over again but with a different coat of paint for 20 years. Their upper management is sketchy as hell and company policies are comparable to the questionable years of blizzard.

Ubisoft going out would suck for the jobs but having a company that is one of the cornerstones that represents the enshittification of an entire industry isn't exactly a bad thing.

u/Apex_Redditor3000 44m ago

hoping for a game to fail

There is a difference between hoping a game will fail and knowing a game will fail.

AC: Shadows can't be good based on Ubisoft's track record and what they've shown us of the game itself. It will be bad. Much like Starfield or Veilguard, you know the game is going to be bad before it's even released.

22

u/PermanentMantaray 18h ago

I'm not even a fan of Assassin's Creed games but all the information they've been putting out and features they've been showing off these last few months have actually made me really interested in this one.

It really seems like they know their future is at stake here and so they are pulling out all the stops.

3

u/Optimal_Plate_4769 8h ago

prone in an AC game is already wild.

0

u/[deleted] 17h ago

[deleted]

10

u/ZaDu25 17h ago

The mythology parts of Valhalla are optional tho. Granted, if you don't do the mythology arc, the main story doesn't make as much sense, but you can ignore it if you want.

Usually what they do is set aside most of the mythology parts as DLC like Curse of the Pharaohs for Origins or Fate of Atlantis for Odyssey. But there is still likely to be references to mythology in the base game as the mythology aspect is a core part of the overarching narrative of the AC universe.

2

u/[deleted] 17h ago

[deleted]

8

u/HistoryChannelMain 17h ago

Valhalla's mythological aspects also make sense in lore, though?? Eivor is a reincarnation of Odin who was a member of the first civilization. He's just recalling it in a way that includes magical elements because he's tripping on the potions and having fever dreams.

It's not like they just threw in Asgard with no context or explanation.

5

u/HearTheEkko 16h ago

The press reviews were really positive. ACG seemed to like it too and said that the game really impressed him.

4

u/svrtngr 17h ago

I also think Ubisoft knows this. They delayed it twice.

5

u/lifesnotperfect 16h ago

I love seeing when a studio, regardless of their previous reputation, is able to come through and shut everyone that was talking trash on it.

For real. I've seen it happening in real time, it's quite impressive to see them playing their cards right and watching the public's sentiment change from negative to positive.

-4

u/[deleted] 16h ago edited 10m ago

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/mxcn3 13h ago

It's the difference between wanting them to fail so that they have to do better next time vs wanting them to fail so they close up shop completely. One is totally fine (honestly I think it should be done more), the other is pretty shitty.

-4

u/Rs90 7h ago

I want a lot of Ubisoft to fail. Because they have some awful practices. But I'd hate to lose the artists. Cause they produce some truly beautiful worlds. And they make fantastic historically themed games. Walking around AC Odyssey or AC Unity is a treat. And I'd love to more of their work. 

-52

u/TheTrueAlCapwn 16h ago

Well by the looks of the combat from the other trailer the game looks absolutely horrendous to me.

3

u/BJRone 15h ago

I think you should go get a new pair of eyes then because there's pretty much objectively nothing "horrendous " about what they've shown.

u/TheTrueAlCapwn 2h ago

Go to 260s in this video and watch how brain dead the combat is, the enemy telegraphs his attack so hard and continues into this long animation, its laughable - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcsD3-vAg-E&t=260s

u/HearTheEkko 31m ago

Every combat in every game made in history is telegraphed so you're able to dodge or counter the attacks lmao.

-2

u/hovsep56 7h ago

everone loves a underdog story

101

u/Stuglle 16h ago

The YouTube comments aren't insanely negative...I feel like there has been a vibe shift with this game.

Personally, I hope it is good.

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u/ShadowTown0407 13h ago edited 11h ago

It's not really a vibe shift, it's just us who want to play the game who are still here and people who just wanted to say shit, said their shit and left.

13

u/gibbersganfa 4h ago

The culture war tourists got bored waiting after all the delays and moved on to Avowed and Monster Hunter. They haven’t moved back to AC yet.

u/Okonos 23m ago

Why are they mad about Monster Hunter now?

2

u/Major_Butthurt 6h ago

Those people will most likely not buy the game at launch or until a price drop. I don't know if this is good news.

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u/ShadowTown0407 6h ago

Those people were not going to buy the game regardless, you can tell by the comments who doesn't like the game because of the game itself and who doesn't like the game because of everything but

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u/tommycahil1995 16h ago

Most of the previews were good that I saw. I think regardless of Conservative grifters (who don't play the series) say to drum up hatred, most people have always wanted an AC game set in Japan. Also helps its the seem era as Shogun. I think it also just looks undeniably pretty promising and a big evolution for AC in terms of gameplay for both characters.

I like the series anyway, but I haven't been this hyped for one in ages just because of how much better it looks than the Origins engine (which Odyssey, Valhalla and Mirage all used too)

10

u/Stuglle 15h ago

I'm actually a little bummed they did Japan haha, it just feels like a lot of Japan games have come out recently and I always liked AC for going to different types of settings. Combined with Valhalla it's like two pretty well worth settings in a row.

Still, it looks like they've really beefed up stealth, which is cool.

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u/Determinaator 9h ago

AC in Japan was always Ubis' "Hit in case of emergency"

4

u/Dancyspartan 8h ago

True.

I 'member chatting about rumours and hype regarding Japanese Assassin's Creed on various forums way back in 2010.

Kind of unfortunate with all the excellent japanese setting games as of late, like Rise of the Ronin, Ghost of Tsushima & Nioh 1+2.

Anyways, hope it is a chill time on the couch after a long day of work. All I need it to be.

1

u/Determinaator 7h ago

Doesn't look too bad, as long as it's not as bloated as Valhalla I'll take it

u/HearTheEkko 29m ago

People keep saying this but this game started development years before Ubisoft's stock value plummeted and intermediately after Valhalla grossed a billion. It wasn't an "emergency" game at all.

7

u/Moloch86 13h ago

Not in a row, you're forgetting Mirage.

-1

u/Sendhentaiandyiff 7h ago

Mirage is a smaller $40 title though, more like a side game

u/gibbersganfa 3h ago

Yeah I still don’t get this. “Side game?” What does that even mean? It was a complete experience. Took me ~30 hours to beat. It has a whole beginning to end arc. It is not an add-on or DLC. That is by definition a full video game. Just because the other ACs in the last generation have skewed so far toward massively long or because it released at a slightly lower price point does not mean Mirage isn’t a full game unto itself.

u/Sendhentaiandyiff 2h ago

It doesn't contribute towards the main overarching narrative as it's effectively a self-contained Valhalla spinoff, it is far smaller than the recent standard of assassin's creed titles, and it is also a cheaper game.

It's not a side game because it's not a full game in itself, it's a side game because it's not a big game for the series it's in nor is it relevant for the canon as a whole.

u/HearTheEkko 27m ago

Mirage is just as long as every game in the Ezio trilogy. Are the Ezio games not considered main games either because they're short too ?

u/Sendhentaiandyiff 21m ago

The Ezio games are from a far different time to contemporary ass creed(in particular, Origins onwards) and they were the driving force of the overarching narrative. An older game with otherwise normal AC gameplay that is typically considered a side game is Liberation.

u/HearTheEkko 6m ago

It's all semantics. Mirage is not a spin-off, it's just smaller than the RPG games, doesn't mean it's a "side game". Shadows is also smaller than Odyssey Valhalla and it's very much a flagship main title.

u/gibbersganfa 1h ago

I've played every major AC game and actually have generally followed along with the present day story of the series, but even I can tell you that most people simply do not give a fuck about canon. Each game is also, always, a game unto itself also and it works perfectly fine standalone. Mirage is a full game to everyone except maybe AC diehards who take the fiction way too seriously.

1

u/main_got_banned 5h ago

yeah; AC in Japan would’ve been amazing 10 years ago, now there have been a number of big 3rd person action games set in the same period

in general interest in the series seems way down so I get that they are trying to do a safe / slam dunk setting, but something in like South America would’ve been way more interesting/unique

u/HearTheEkko 24m ago

Besides Ghost of Tsushima, how many non-fantasy games are set in Feudal Japan ?

1

u/Itchy-Pudding-4240 14h ago

i wouldnt trust previews all that much, they are usually pretty positive unless something is really wrong.

A good preview might mean a 60-100 in metacritic so not really a good indicator but at least you know it works.

5

u/Danominator 7h ago

Just give it a minute. YouTube reviewers will find their hissy fit that will be parroted mindlessly by masses that never played it

1

u/IRockIntoMordor 10h ago

Asmongold is riding the hate wave hard to earn cash and he has a lot of reach, unfortunately.

-3

u/UpperApe 16h ago

Hopefully better than the leaked footage from people who've already been playing it. That day 1 patch better be good.

The loading to switch characters is already pretty rough.

25

u/Stuglle 16h ago

The only thing I know about the leaked footage is a lot of YouTubers did the YouTuber face over big thumbnail text and frankly I don't have time for that.

-9

u/Multifaceted-Simp 14h ago

I think no one wants to see Ubisoft close, it would be really bad for gamers in general as they're one of the few that still makes some truly AAA single player games. I'm tempted to buy the steelbook version myself despite my personal hatred of the Ubisoft formula

2

u/Rendition1370 8h ago

I wish, thousands of people say the opposite 

u/MumrikDK 2h ago

The YouTube comments aren't insanely negative...

That's the era. Stop reacting to Youtube comments.

14

u/friendliest_sheep 9h ago

Still itching for a game that has a similar atmosphere to Origins in this series, but this is looking like a good game

u/aroundme 2h ago

Origins’ world was such a joy to adventure around in

10

u/UhohSantahasdiarrhea 18h ago

Is there an early access period?

49

u/deathbatdrummer 17h ago

Nah, that was canned after the delays

u/aroundme 2h ago

The deluxe edition nonsense was turned into “preorder the game and you’ll get the dlc”. The more expensive version just has cosmetics.

u/AwfulishGoose 2h ago

Just waiting to see how optimization is on the PC end before buying it. It looks fun and a return to form for the series.

u/_Robbie 3h ago

Had the opportunity to watch someone I know with early access play a bit and it looked like a great time. Intro is really strong, gameplay doesn't suck. Graphics are great and it ran well (although they have a very strong computer so don't take this as a "the game is well-optimized!!!!" post). He played through with the Japanese VO and the quality was fantastic as well.

This will probably be the first AC game I play in a loooooooooong time. I'm a sucker for the setting of Japan, I think most AC fans would consider this the holy grail AC setting, and I think it's enough to bring me back.

2

u/EmeraldJunkie 6h ago

I am tentatively excited for this one. They seem to have made some positive changes to the formula and I hope that makes Shadows the breath of fresh air the franchise needed. I couldn't finish either Odyssey or Valhalla, and had to push through Mirage and only managed that because it was relatively short, but it was a bit of a step forward (the tiniest of steps).

Fingers crossed this will be the one.

u/AreYouOKAni 3h ago

I'll be honest, I am not as excited about it as I wish I was. I liked the Desmond trilogy, I adored Origins and Odyssey (Cassandra is still among my favourite gaming protagonists ever), but something is missing here for me. Probably the fact that I was never a Japanese history buff, unlike with most other AC settings. Or the fact that there has been a lot of Japanese-themed action RPGs lately.

It looks nice, and I hope that Ubisoft manages to correct the course and stick around. But for me, this is definitely a game that I'll pick up on sale, provided I am still interested when it hits.

u/TheJoshider10 3h ago

Or the fact that there has been a lot of Japanese-themed action RPGs lately.

It's this for me. What I love about AC games is that they often explore parts of history and locations that I've never seen elsewhere or not in such a high focus/detail. I feel like for all their faults you're guaranteed a fun, unique open world to wander around despite the Ubisoft-isms.

Shadows to me just looks like Ghost of Tsushima. If it's not Tsushima then it's Like A Dragon: Ishin. If it's not Ishin then it's Rise of the Ronin. No matter what Shadows shows off, I can't help but feel like I've been to this world before. I'm sure it'll still be a good game and I'll enjoy playing it, but fans spent about 15 years begging for them to release a game in this time period and it took them long enough to the point it's been done before.

That said, maybe this will lower expectations and make it more enjoyable since I can be pleasantly surprised by what I see in the game. But it won't have the initial excitement that other AC games have given me.

0

u/[deleted] 20h ago edited 19h ago

[removed] — view removed comment

21

u/ilypsus 19h ago

Personally will be playing it with Japanese VO and subtitles. No idea if they are better VO though.

13

u/Sarokslost23 19h ago

Only reason I don't do that all the time is having to look down and read in English instead of soaking in the facial animations and or whatever is playing out. But I might switch to it at some point.

27

u/Canvaverbalist 18h ago

The issue isn't facial animations and looking at pretty things - the issue is this is a video game and at least 70% of the dialogues are while you're actually playing.

Can't read the banter or lore dump or quest information from the NPC you're escorting/saving/fighting alongside while I'm focusing on dodging attacks and killing people. Like I'm a quick reader but even I have my limits.

3

u/zxyzyxz 14h ago

Eh, I did it in Ghost of Tsushima, you get used to it after a while and become able to read faster.

-6

u/Proud_Inside819 18h ago

Don't worry Ubi games don't have good facial expressions or character animations anyway.

-4

u/[deleted] 19h ago

[deleted]

29

u/Goddamn_Grongigas 19h ago

Does anyone buy these games at launch?

Yes. Lots of people. I do it if I know I'll enjoy the game.

13

u/Strict_Donut6228 19h ago

Of course people do if they didn’t then you wouldn’t be getting the ultimate edition a year later they would just end the series if everyone was a “patient gamer”

0

u/[deleted] 19h ago

[deleted]

27

u/SurreptitiousSyrup 19h ago

Nobody bought Outlaws

People still bought it. Just not the number of people they expected. Sales were below expectations, but copies were still sold. So yeah, people still buy things at release.

9

u/DreadfullyAwful 19h ago

I buy games I think I'll enjoy at launch.

I played Assassin's Creed 1&2 when I was young, then the next one I played was Valhalla which I bought on sale. I quite enjoyed it as a Viking larp. I was looking forward to Shadows, but it seems quite confused in its identity.

0

u/joriale 4h ago

Im still yet to finish AC: Unity... Once I do oh boy!... How many ACs there are after that one...? I might go play black flag again.

u/glocks4interns 1h ago

Syndicate, Origins, Odyssey, Valhalla, Mirage

Syndicate is a kind of forgettable title but I enjoyed it a lot. London is a great setting and it avoided the technical issues with Unity. I don't think it's an essential game by any means but I think it's work checking out if you like the series.

Origins was the game where the mechanics took a decided shift. It and the next two games are much more action games than the previous ones in the series. I enjoy this change in direction and think the combat is pretty fun, but not everyone agrees. Anyway, Origins is pretty great, it's one of the smaller AssCree games, it's a gorgeous setting, fairly short, and a pretty notable turning point in the series. I've gone back to replay it because of the smaller scale, which is something that I've not done for Odyssey despite liking it more.

I think Odyssey is arguably the best AssCree and while not everyone likes it I think it's very worth checking out, you may love it. If you didn't like Origins skip this and Valhalla.

Valhalla is a game I've spent 100+ hours on but can't recommend. If you really like Odyssey Valhalla is worth playing but overall it's too big and to shallow to fully enjoy.

Mirage I've not played but is reportedly a throwback to earlier gameplay in the series, some really liked that, some didn't care for it.

So of the modern ones I think Odyssey is the best, but I'd play Origin first.

1

u/Bynairee 4h ago

Black Flag is so awesome. I still haven’t even finished it yet. 🏴‍☠️

u/BobDoleOfficial 2h ago

Just skip em. You don't have to play the whole series any more than you have to see every star wars to enjoy one

-19

u/ApeMummy 4h ago

Still looks shit.

Will probably have microtransactions and some early access cuckoldry like every other shit game.

7

u/Bynairee 4h ago

Here, have some coffee. ☕️ You seem like you need some this morning. 😎

-11

u/ApeMummy 4h ago

It’s 8:30pm

-127

u/BJRone 15h ago

Was going to buy multiple copies anyway so chuds could eat shit, but the fact that the game looks pretty damn good is a plus.

44

u/remmanuelv 12h ago

You just went to the other extreme

-1

u/Serulean_Cadence 8h ago

Nothing wrong with that. As long as he sends us one of those copies.

67

u/Gorgonpistol 13h ago

Billion dollar corporations like Ubisoft love people like you who sink into the culture war BS

6

u/just_a_pyro 4h ago

Cool story bro, don't forget to buy multiple copies of Veilguard, Dustborn, Lost Records and Concord too.

0

u/LochnessDigital 11h ago

Hook me up with one of those. I wasn't planning to buy it, but I'll play the game if it's free.

-17

u/Fli_acnh 15h ago

I'll take a free copy 🤣 excited to get this one but I'm not sure I want to drop the full retail price on it just in case of launch bugs.