Assassin’s Creed Now Takes us to a New Scenario, Japan

In the 17 years since its inception, Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed series has transported fans to various historical periods, from Ancient Greece and Egypt to Victorian London and even the Civil War period of the United States, and now we go to Japan.

Despite numerous requests from fans, the series has never ventured into Japan.

Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, known previously by its project name Assassin’s Creed: Red, finally dives into Japan’s 16th-century Sengoku Period.

So why the wait?

In an interview with the BBC, Game director Charles Benoit explained that each new Assassin’s Creed game involves assessing potential settings and considering fan feedback.

“So there’s a lot of people involved,” he states.

“We’re looking at certain past projects, future projects, and we felt that, this time, it was the perfect moment for Japan.”

A first look at Shadows

Last week, fans got a first look at the game through a cinematic trailer featuring dual protagonists Naoe, a female ninja, and Yasuke, based on the historical figure known as “the African samurai.“

Charles explains that having these two distinct characters allows the team to implement two gameplay styles: a stealthy approach with Naoe, akin to Assassin’s Creed: Mirage, and a combat-focused style with Yasuke, familiar to those who have played the Viking-themed Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla.

Fans were significantly excited when they first saw Shadows.

Developers at Ubisoft are hoping for success after the lukewarm reception of its earlier 2024 release, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown.

Another major release, the pirate-themed Skull & Bones, which originated as an Assassin’s Creed spin-off, received generally low review scores.

However, the trailer also sparked controversy among some gamers, who criticized the choice of Yasuke over a native Japanese protagonist.

People opposing this have accused critics of racism and emphasize that Yasuke is a very popular and respected historical figure in the Japanese community.

The quest for authenticity

Charles, speaking to Newsbeat prior to the trailer’s release, stated that the developers “put a lot of emphasis on authenticity and making sure we depict Japan and the culture right.”

Charles added that the team “(…)had a historian with us from day one.”

He says the team listened to weapons experts and traveled to Japan to experience the landscape and locations firsthand.

The Assassin’s Creed series has increasingly focused on authenticity in recent titles.

Last year’s installment, Mirage, set in Golden Age Baghdad, featured a meticulous recreation of the 9th-century Iraqi capital and included an Arabic language option reflecting the dialect of the time.

Mirage represented a shift for the series towards a more concentrated game experience, similar to earlier titles, in contrast to the expansive, open world of Valhalla. Despite this, it still faced criticism for adhering too closely to the franchise’s established format.

Charles asserts that Shadows will introduce new features to keep the gameplay fresh, such as a prone ability for crawling towards targets and “dynamic seasons” with changing weather affecting gameplay.

“Heavy rain has a big impact on noise,” he says, “covering your footsteps, in a way.”

“Perception, also, is impacted by light and shadows. You can vanish in the shadows; you can extinguish the light. So, a lot of different things are impacted by the dynamic world,” he says.

Read the original article on: BBC Nwes

Read more: GTA VI Data Hack, Rockstar to Continue Development Despite Leaks

Watch the official trailer here: Assassin’s Creed Shadows