Assassin's Creed Shadows

By sharpening the edges of its existing systems, Assassin’s Creed Shadows creates one of the best versions of the open-world style it’s been honing for the last decade.

Tonight I'll be back in Shadows' open world, as I have done every night for the past couple of weeks. It's currently winter in my game, and while the seasons didn't impact my gameplay much pre-credits, my post-game returns to certain areas are finally allowing me to see its impact versus the last time I was in town. It's another thing that Shadows' lengthy run-time is finally bringing into focus - and another example of the need to enjoy things while they're around. It'll be time for Sakura blossoms again soon.

While its open world is stunning, its combat is robust, and its dual-protagonist design is somewhat novel, Assassin’s Creed Shadows proves too repetitive and dramatically flat to wholeheartedly recommend taking its trip back in time.

I don't think Shadows is something to marathon. You could completely ignore the story, come back six months later, and still be up to speed (the heads gotta roll). I know I'll still be picking away at its 30+ castles later in 2025 and 2026, because I get the itch for a great stealth game every few months, and now I have a new one with a whole lot of stuff to do.