Assassin’s Creed Shadows is in Need of an Unequivocal Win

Due to the substantial funds required for a AAA title’s development and release, such games often face immense pressure to perform exceptionally well just to validate their existence, especially when met with unfavorable reviews (and sometimes not even with positive ones). However, there are several compelling reasons why the upcoming “Assassin’s Creed Shadows” might carry more weight on its shoulders than the typical AAA game in terms of achieving success.

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but notice the challenges Ubisoft seems to be facing lately, with the situation appearing to worsen rather than improve. It’s easy to understand why one might think this way, given the company’s recent struggles. However, while Ubisoft’s current predicament is indeed a significant factor, it’s not the primary focus of our discussion here. Instead, we’re diving deep into the trajectory of the Assassin’s Creed franchise itself, examining its recent course and why it’s crucial for the upcoming game, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, to reverse a noticeable downturn.

Frankly speaking, it’s a bit astonishing that the Assassin’s Creed series has reached this point, considering its remarkable height just a few years back. After overcoming the slump following Unity, the series made a strong comeback by transforming into an immersive action RPG set in a vast world with 2017’s Assassin’s Creed Origins. The following year saw it soar even higher with Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, which built upon the action RPG foundation of Origins by incorporating choice and consequence mechanics, and is generally considered one of the best entries in the Assassin’s Creed series due to its engaging combat, expansive scale, compelling characters, naval gameplay, and much more. In essence, there was a multitude of reasons to adore the 2018 masterpiece.

Travel back to the months after the debut of ‘Odyssey’, and it would have been hard to imagine that ‘Assassin’s Creed’ wasn’t destined to soar even higher. With its unique formula refound in ‘Origins’, and then further developed with a game as excellent and popular as ‘Odyssey’, it seemed inconceivable at the time that the series wouldn’t maintain that level for some time.

From a business standpoint, the series undeniably thrived following its release. When Assassin’s Creed Valhalla debuted in 2020, it immediately outshone Assassin’s Creed Odyssey in terms of success. To date, Valhalla holds the record for the largest launch in the Assassin’s Creed series, one of the highest-selling games in its history, and even ranks among Ubisoft’s top sellers. This indicates that the game significantly surpassed commercial expectations. However, while Ubisoft would undoubtedly be thrilled with Valhalla’s performance, opinions among the audience remain quite divided regarding this open-world titan.

In the given text, “Open world behemoth” refers to Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and its large size was a major source of complaint among some players. While the size might seem appealing to many, it was problematic for others because the game wasn’t designed well enough. The world felt repetitive and overly expansive, making it hard to differentiate one area from another. The gameplay experience found in Odyssey was missing, which affected everything from movement to combat. Additionally, the story received mixed reviews, with as many people expressing dissatisfaction as those who enjoyed it. In simpler terms, some players found the game too big and not well-designed, while they also had issues with its storyline.

The game encountered numerous problems, and these issues were significantly worsened due to its excessive size and overstuffed nature. While no game is flawless, it’s harder to overlook imperfections when they persistently recur during a journey of more than 100 hours in a vast world that continuously showers you with content. Even before Valhalla was released, the highly acclaimed Odyssey received criticism for being perceived as bloated by many, so seeing its successor maintain and even amplify these traits was disappointing, at least.

So far, we haven’t seen a new major Assassin’s Creed release since Valhalla, but Ubisoft did provide additional content for the 2020 game (which didn’t necessarily require more enhancement). In 2023, they also launched the standalone title Assassin’s Creed Mirage. While this game returned to stealth and parkour elements that were more aligned with pre-Origins titles, it wasn’t a massive hit. People appreciated its streamlined design, but many felt it was just average in quality.

As a dedicated fan, I can’t help but express my excitement over the success of “Mirage” for Ubisoft. It’s clear that this game has proven itself as one of the rare unquestionable commercial triumphs in their recent lineup. To be honest, the Assassin’s Creed series isn’t exactly battling, and it’s certainly not in the dire straits it was in back in 2014 following the tumultuous launch of “Assassin’s Creed Unity.” However, as enthusiasts, we’ve been eagerly awaiting a new installment that truly lives up to the series’ potential, one that really pushes the boundaries when all systems are go.

It’s crucial that the game “Shadows” excels in delivering the ball out of the park, as there were initial concerns about its upcoming action RPG. During the pre-release period, some aspects of “Shadows” seemed less polished than anticipated. However, due to a couple of delays, it has noticeably improved over the past weeks and months. The intriguing gameplay and narrative elements revealed for “Assassin’s Creed Shadows” were compelling from the beginning, but now, the recent gameplay footage and feedback suggests that it might live up to those initial concepts.

As a dedicated fan of the Assassin’s Creed series, I must admit a glimmer of hope for Shadows, given its potential to right the ship after some rocky releases. However, Ubisoft has quite a few Assassin’s Creed projects in development simultaneously, so we could be seeing more games in the near future. If Shadows fails to impress, it might just deepen the series’ downward spiral. With several games releasing over the next few years, including rumored remake of Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag this year, we can only hope that the series regains its former glory before it becomes a shadow of its past success.

Please take note that the opinions presented within this article belong solely to the writer. These perspectives may not align with or be endorsed by GamingBolt as a whole.

2025-02-25 19:41

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