In the absence of new games from legendary series like Splinter Cell and Metal Gear Solid, Assassin’s Creed has staked its claim on the top spot of stealth games. But it’s undeniable that more recent games, like Odyssey and Valhalla, have strayed wildly away from the series' roots, embracing more of an action-RPG approach. And despite the great elements of those games, it’s easy to feel disappointed by that shift — which is exactly what makes Assassin’s Creed Shadows feel like it reinvigorates the series. Despite some lingering issues, Shadows does an admirable job of combining the series’ stealth origins with the RPG mechanics, all while providing a jaw-droppingly gorgeous recreation of Japan to explore. It’s a good Assassin’s Creed game in its own right, but also provides a fascinating glimpse of where the series could go next. Now that it’s on Nintendo Switch 2, it gives the series a strong and much-needed foothold to build on with Nintendo systems.
Shadows takes place in 16th-century Japan, near the end of the renowned Sengoku period. Taking a page from Syndicate’s book, this entry sports two different protagonists who each factor into the overarching narrative in a different way and lean into two distinct gameplay styles.
