Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Claws of Awaji Gets “Mostly Negative” User Reviews on Steam

by

The first downloadable content for *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, called *Claws of Awaji*, was released earlier this week, but the PC version hasn’t been well-received. As of today, the Steam page shows “Mostly Negative” reviews, based on 230 user submissions. Only 34% of those reviews are positive, meaning most players have expressed dissatisfaction.

Most negative reviews for the *Claws of Awaji* DLC focus on technical problems. Players are reporting frequent game crashes and bugs that prevent them from starting the DLC’s quests. While some players also dislike the DLC’s content, calling it too short or underwhelming, the majority of complaints center around these technical issues.

The new story chapter, *Claws of Awaji*, launched for *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* on September 16th and can be played on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. Although you can buy it separately, it’s also included as a bonus for those who pre-ordered the main game. *Claws of Awaji* follows the two playable characters, Naoe and Yasuke, as they travel to Awaji Island to uncover the story of Naoe’s mother.

The new DLC for *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* introduces a Bo staff weapon for Naoe, adding a unique fighting style based on stances that change how attacks affect enemies. Ubisoft says players can expect over 10 hours of new content to explore.

In addition to the new area and its gameplay challenges, *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* content director Simon Arsenault discussed the difficulty of re-engaging players who have already invested significant time-50, 70, or even 100 hours-in the main game. He explained that the downloadable content addresses this by featuring a distinct setting, separate from the original game’s locations, and presenting its own set of obstacles.

Arsenault described their vision for the game’s setting as an isolated island. They were drawn to the idea of natural borders creating a contained and secluded space, which would heighten the sense of tension and danger. Introducing a new faction made the island feel like *their* territory, shifting the power dynamic and making players feel like outsiders with less control.

Arsenault explained that the DLC’s new boss battles encourage players to experiment with different strategies to overcome them.

He was considering how to adapt his approach. Should he change his tactics, stop sending scouts, or send them to different locations? He found this challenge engaging, explaining that it involved taking established patterns and adding a slight variation. They’d done this with many game elements: players were accustomed to helping civilians and merchants, but now some could unexpectedly attack – a new element that hadn’t existed before.

Read More

2025-09-18 18:15