Hello everyone! Assassin’s Creed Shadows will now be released on March 20, 2025.
As we prepare to show you more about the game in the coming weeks, we are excited to unveil more about our key exploration mechanics in Shadows.
So far, we have broken down
stealth,
combat, and
parkour. This week, we are taking a look at Shadows' exploration loop. Our open world is vast and full of things to discover, so learning how to get your bearings as you explore its numerous mountains and valleys will be key to your adventure.
For additional insights, we'll once again be joined by Charles, Shadows' Game Director.
All footage is from a work-in-progress build. Please note that some of the videos in this article may be compressed, which could affect their quality. Make sure to watch in 4K for the best quality. HUD settings may vary depending on the capture to showcase examples of customizable options.
When it comes to Shadow's exploration features, there's a lot to discover. Alongside the return of existing gameplay loops and mechanics, we made major changes and additions to foster a unique sense of discovery as you roam the world.
"We didn't want to hold the player's hand too much with icons and markers" says Charles. "We wanted to craft an open world where information was key and would become a form of reward. This made sense in the context of playing a shinobi and fighting for information. In Shadows, information is something you need to look for and earn, whether through your spies, NPC encounters, or through your own eyes. In short, we want players to discover all our cool secrets on their own terms through investigation, their spy network, or by observing the world."
Let's take a deeper look!
THE CALL FOR EXPLORATION
WORLD MAP
The World Map is the backbone of exploration.
You will start the game with a map that only reveals region names and drawings hinting at the potential nature of key locations. Moving around the world will slowly reveal a significant radius around your character, uncovering more and more details as you go. Each new region, sub-region, and local landmark you encounter will deepen the clarity and richness of your map: in short, the more you explore, the more information the map will provide.
When navigating in the menu, the world map offers different zoom levels, each toggling different sets of information. From provinces' names at the farthest zoom to local landmarks and relevant icons at the closest. This map will be the cornerstone of your journey, your best ally in choosing where your next adventure lies, or where to find your quest objectives.
"When exploring the world, you should look out for undiscovered locations (i.e. "?" icons)" says Charles, "because there are so many interesting places to seek out, whether in a destroyed camp or a hidden shrine, we want you to always feel a sense of discovery."
Before we expand on the additions made to the map, let's briefly look at other features to better contextualize the whole exploration loop.
VIEWPOINTS
Viewpoints (i.e. synchronization points) are back in Shadows but work a little differently compared to past entries of the series. Rather than unveiling large sections of the world map along with all its opportunity icons, climbing viewpoints now reveal nearby points of interest as you observe your surroundings from the top of the high point: city districts, temples, shrines, castles - most of which are tied to quests or activities you'll want to engage in.
By using the observe mechanic - first shown in our
stealth overview article - you can move the camera manually through a 360-degree range to contemplate these points of interest and tag the nearby places that you wish to add to your compass. If you have visited them before, their names will appear. If you haven't, they'll be listed as "undiscovered locations" which you can mark for future exploration. Our goal in evolving the way viewpoints work was to give players a more intentional and active way to find their next adventure.
For our long-time fans, you'll be pleased to know that on top of the new manual camera move feature, the iconic synchronized camera movement will also return. This will let you fully appreciate the stunning scenery around you.
While each viewpoint unlocks a Fast Travel point, players will have to be careful about using them, as some of these viewpoints will be located in the heart of enemy-controlled territories, like on top of a tenshu – the largest and tallest tower in any castle - which can be challenging to escape.
Most viewpoints are accessible with both characters, but their approach may vary. In some instances, Naoe can easily climb outside of the structure using her grappling hook, whereas Yasuke will likely need to take the stairs and go through the guards to reach the top.
Fukk Japan. These fakkits need to do AC: Rome.
We’ll see
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