Discover the realism behind Assassin’s Creed Shadows' parkour as two professional parkour athletes from STORROR in the UK provide their insights. Dive into how the game captures the essence of Feudal Japan and the challenges faced by the developers in bringing this historical setting to life.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Gearing Up For Its Release
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Does A "Hate Crime Against Parkour"
In a detailed analysis featured in PC Gamer's Reality Check video on March 15, Toby Segar and Benj Cave from the UK's STORROR team, both avid fans of the Assassin’s Creed series, reviewed the parkour mechanics in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. They are also working on their own parkour-based game, STORROR Parkour Pro.
Segar highlighted a specific scene where the protagonist, Yasuke, uses an "alpine knee" to climb—a move considered a "hate crime against parkour" by the athletes. This technique, where the knee supports the body's full weight, is not only impractical but potentially harmful in real parkour situations.
Cave also critiqued the game's portrayal of endless stamina and the ability to perform parkour without assessing risks, noting that real parkour involves careful planning and execution. Despite these criticisms, Ubisoft has been committed to enhancing the realism of parkour mechanics, as confirmed by AC Shadows Game Director Charles Benoit in an IGN interview in January. The delay in the game's release was attributed to refining these mechanics.
Bringing Players Closer to Feudal Japan
Ubisoft aims to immerse players in the historical context of Feudal Japan through the new "Cultural Discovery" feature. According to Ubisoft Editorial Comms Manager Chastity Vicencio in a March 18 post, this in-game Codex will provide over 125 encyclopedic entries on the Azuchi-Momoyama period, crafted by historians and enriched with museum images.
Creating an authentic representation of Feudal Japan was not without its challenges, as revealed in a March 17 interview with The Guardian. Ubisoft Executive Producer Marc-Alexis Coté discussed the long-awaited decision to set the game in Japan, a choice that had been considered for 16 years. The development team, led by Creative Director Johnathan Dumont, conducted extensive research, including trips to Kyoto and Osaka, to ensure accuracy in depicting the era.
Despite technological hurdles, such as accurately capturing the unique light in Japan's mountains, the team's dedication and meticulous referencing enabled them to meet the high expectations set by fans eagerly awaiting an Assassin’s Creed game set in Japan.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is scheduled for release on March 20, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Stay tuned for the latest updates on Assassin’s Creed Shadows by checking out our related articles.
