Fans of Assassin's Creed Valhalla have voiced concerns over the game's extensive storyline and the plethora of optional tasks, prompting Ubisoft to take action. In response, Assassin's Creed Shadows promises to be more streamlined and focused, with easier-to-see and more compact shadows enhancing the gameplay experience.
In an insightful interview, game director Charles Benoit revealed that the Shadows campaign is designed to be completed in approximately 50 hours. For players eager to delve into every region and tackle all side quests, the total playtime extends to about 100 hours. This is a significant reduction from Valhalla, which required a minimum of 60 hours for a playthrough and up to 150 hours for full completion.
Ubisoft's strategy for Shadows is clear: to reduce the volume of optional content and prevent players from feeling overwhelmed. The game will strike a more balanced blend of narrative and side activities, aiming to keep gameplay engaging without sacrificing the depth and richness of the world. This approach caters to players who crave a comprehensive experience without compromising on quality, as well as those who prefer to focus solely on the main storyline without needing to invest hundreds of hours.
Game director Jonathan Dumont shared that the development team's trip to Japan profoundly influenced the creation of Shadows. The real-life experience of Japan's vast castles, tiered mountain landscapes, and dense forests inspired the team to infuse the game with heightened realism and meticulous attention to detail. "The sheer size of these fortresses makes you say, 'I didn't expect this scale.' We realized that much more realism and attention to detail were required," Dumont explained.
One of the key changes in Shadows is the more realistic representation of world geography. Players will now need to travel longer distances between points of interest to fully appreciate the open landscapes, yet each location will be more specific and nuanced. This approach contrasts sharply with Assassin's Creed Odyssey's travel system, where points of interest were often closely spaced. In Shadows, the journey between locations will take longer, and the world will feel more open and natural, with an increased level of detail that allows players to immerse themselves fully in the Japanese atmosphere.
