Assassin’s Creed is heading to feudal Japan Nov. 15..
Set in 1579, during Japan’s great unification driven by daimyo Oda Nobunaga, Assassin’s Creed Shadows will have players take on the dual roles of an adept shinobi assassin from Iga Province named Naoe, and Yasuke, the powerful African samurai of historical legend.
The intertwined stories take place against the backdrop of the turbulent civil wars of the late Sengoku period, when Nobunaga and two of his retainers fought the other ruling powers of the country to unify Japan. The period, which took place about 20 years before the events of the wildly popular TV show Shogun, also had a deep impact on trade, government, society and culture.
The game underscores the unrest growing in the country as new coalitions appear and corruptive foreigners infiltrate the land.
After the brutal invasion of the peaceful province of Iga, a young shinobi embarks on a journey to fulfill an impossible promise while a legendary samurai finds new purpose confronting the demons of his past, according to Ubisoft.
“This remarkable duo will discover their common destiny as they usher in a new era for Japan.”
Shadows will deliver all of the features players expect from the historical, open-world, action-adventure stealth game. That includes the ability to immerse yourself in the world of feudal Japan, exploring castle towns, bustling ports, peaceful shrines, and pastoral landscapes, all as the weather and seasons change around you.
Both of the playable characters in the game promise to be fully realized protagonists with unique playstyles. Naoe is a quick-witted, agile, stealth-focused shinobi who can use noise, light, and shadows to evade detection. Yasuke is a charismatic, powerful, combat-oriented samurai, who is adept at brutally precise strikes. Having access to both characters allows players to decide how best to approach quests. And each character also has their own progression, stats, skills, and gear.
As you travel the world as either character, you’ll be able to explore and scout surroundings to gather intel. You can also build your network of spies to be your eyes and ears across locations to unveil new areas and hunt down your next target. The game will also support recruiting allies with highly specialized skills and abilities to help players accomplish their missions.
While building out your network and recruiting allies, you can also create and customize your own hideout. Upgrading and investing in it allows you to enhance your network, train crew members, and craft new gear. Interact with key companions and characters you meet throughout your adventure, be they warriors, peasants, monks, or even animals and pets, as you choose your base’s buildings, layout, decorations, and accessories.
The game releases on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Windows PC on Nov. 15, but you can pre-purchase Assassin’s Creed Shadows starting today.
There are three editions of the game, and pre-purchasing grants you the bonus quest Thrown to the Dogs. Shadows will also have a season pass which includes a bonus quest on day one with additional unlockable content as well as two upcoming expansions.
The Gold Edition of the game lets you play three days early and includes the season pass. The Ultimate Edition of the game lets you play three days early, and includes the season pass, the Sekiryu Character Pack, Hideout Pack, and five skill points, as well as the Red Dragon filter in Photo mode.
