Assassin’s Creed Shadows – 10 Things to Do After Rolling the Credits

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Assassin’s Creed Shadows offers a more toned-down experience compared to Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Valhalla, but it’s definitely not a small game. Ubisoft’s feudal Japan epic features an expansive world filled with activities, which is characteristic of Assassin’s Creed (and Ubisoft) games. This means that even after completing the main story, you’ll find plenty more to do and explore in Shadows’ version of feudal Japan. So, if you’re keen on continuing your exploration and immersion beyond the ending credits, here are some activities and content that will allow you to do just that!

FIND ALL LEGENDARY LOOT

Treasures await discovery in the world of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, as expected, and some of this treasure is more extraordinary than the rest. Unique Chests hidden within specific castles are the only chests in the game that aren’t randomly generated; instead, they come with predetermined, custom loot, which often turns out to be quite rare. This legendary loot can vary from deadly weapons to valuable armor, from intricate engravings to gear boasting unique perks that can significantly alter battle outcomes. Essentially, it’s always wise to seek out castles where you can eliminate all the enemies so you can then open the legendary chest. If you haven’t cleared every single castle before finishing the main story – which is quite possible given the numerous castles scattered across the expansive map – we suggest starting on that as soon as possible.

CHECK OUT THE SHIPS

In Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the focus on naval gameplay isn’t as prominent as in some previous versions, but there are still numerous ships to discover throughout its open world. You’ll often find these ships docked at bays and harbors across the map. While some ships are visited during main and side quests, many others are simply waiting to be explored as optional content. Our recommendation? Make sure to locate all of them. There’s valuable loot hidden on numerous ships in Shadows’ map, although it may not be as valuable as that found in castles. Additionally, finding the loot shouldn’t take as long as some other activities mentioned here.

FULLY EXPLORE THE MAP

To clarify, Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ Japan, as stated, doesn’t have the vastness of Odyssey’s Ancient Greece or the expansiveness of Valhalla’s 9th century England. However, it still offers a substantial map to explore, ensuring that you’ll likely find unexplored areas even after completing the main storyline. Given the enjoyable exploration and traversal mechanics in Shadows, revisiting the game to uncover hidden parts of the map following the completion of the critical path could be an enticing reason to continue playing.

DO ALL HIDDEN TRAILS

If you’re captivated by the traversal mechanics in “Assassin’s Creed Shadows” just like us, you might find Hidden Trails to be among the game’s most enjoyable optional activities. Accessible only in Naoe, these tasks are entirely platform-based, making them incredibly fun to tackle. Plus, they consistently reward you with valuable Epic gear. Since there are only ten of these trails hidden across the map, it’s possible you’ve already completed them all by now, but if not, we recommend trying to find each and every one of them.

HORSE ARCHERY

In contrast, Naoe explores parkour-centric secret paths, whereas Yasuke enjoys archery on horseback at specific locations. Discovering these horseback archery spots and overcoming their unique hurdles and puzzles often makes for an enjoyable experience. There are ten such activities to choose from, much like the hidden trails, allowing you to complete them all within the game’s main narrative if desired.

MAX OUT ALL MASTERY TREES

In the tradition of its previous RPG-style games, Assassin’s Creed Shadows offers a wide array of advancement systems and mechanics, providing ample opportunities for fine-tuning and optimization even after completing the main storyline. A popular approach to further developing your characters is to fully master all skill trees for both characters, which can be particularly rewarding, especially with an additional postgame Knowledge tree offering its own passive rewards as you delve deeper into the game.

CONTRACTS

As a gamer, I can’t help but feel that open-world games often serve up contracts like junk food – they’re everywhere and you can’t resist them. However, the core gameplay of Shadows makes these contracts irresistible even when they seem commonplace. You can find these tasks at safehouses (or kukurega) dotted all over the map, offering enticing rewards like loot, cash, gear, and more. If you’re ever in need of something to keep you busy, contracts are usually just a short journey away.

RECRUIT AND TRAIN ALL COMPANIONS

As a dedicated fan, I must share my experience with Assassin’s Creed Shadows. This game introduces several companions that you can recruit to aid you during stealth or battles, but not every companion will be recruited by the end of the story unless you specifically seek them out. Since some allies are optional and potentially missable, if you find yourself missing any, it’s a good idea to grab them after the credits roll, and then make use of your Hideout’s dojo to train them as much as they can be trained. And let me tell you about the Hideout…

CONTINUE CUSTOMIZING THE HIDEOUT

In the midst of all the action in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, it might be easy to overlook a hidden gem: a customizable hideout that serves as the game’s central hub. As you progress through the game, many rewards are earned specifically for decorating this hideout. Although the main story may keep you engrossed, once completed, there’s a wealth of content waiting to be explored. You can construct buildings, enhance them, adorn them, and even redesign the layout of your hideout – essentially transforming it into a tailor-made little town for you and your group of assassins. It’s like having Animal Crossing in Assassin’s Creed, which might seem strange, but if you ask me, it’s a welcome addition!

KILL ALL REMAINING TARGETS

Similar to its previous versions, the game Shadows offers a multitude of side missions involving targets for players to locate, engage, and eradicate, even beyond the main narrative. Although you’ll likely complete some assassination tasks from your mission board as you progress through the primary storyline, many of these targets are scattered across the map and have no connection whatsoever to Naoe and Yasuke’s broader quest. Once you’ve completed that main quest, eliminating these corrupt criminals who inflict so much suffering on Japan and its populace can easily consume several hours of your time. If you enjoy the combat, stealth, or observation aspects of this game, these optional targets provide a fantastic means to continue playing even after you’ve ostensibly finished the game.

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2025-03-29 06:11