Ubisofthas shared a new blog post onAssassin’s Creed Shadows, revealing more details about the upcoming title’s gameplay. The highlight this time is an overview of the stealth systems, which the company regards as an ambitious revamp in some key areas that will change how players approach furtive action.
A New Take on Stealth
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is the latest entry in the action-adventure franchise by Ubisoft, taking players to feudal Japan. In the game, we have the chance to play as two very different characters: on one side, we have the shinobi Naoe, who uses stealth and agility to her favor; on the other, a powerful samurai called Yasuke uses all his strength and precision to cut down his foes.
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In the new blog post, we get a closer look at various of Naoe’s skills which tie back to her shinobi status. As an assassin, she must be fast and quiet, so that she can take down her enemies while they’re still unaware of her presence. According to the developer, while stealth has always been part of the series, the new game will demand a more tactical approach with players having to deal with situations as they come using Naoe’s senses.
One of the new features is the Observe system. It allows players to tag enemies and highlight other elements in the environment, displaying additional information on screen. It will be useful to identify targets, and to keep quest objectives and collectibles in mind when planning the next actions.
Meanwhile, the Eagle Vision system, which fans will remember from previous Assassin’s Creed games, will also be a part of the experience. While it allows players to see hidden enemies behind walls, it’ll be important to combine it with tagging to keep track of enemies and properly plan out the best way to invade certain locales and accomplish risky missions.
Another new addition is how players can hide in the shadows, becoming invisible to enemies. Under the cover of the night, it’s possible to hide inside buildings and even outside, creating dark areas by destroying any sources of light in the environment.
While moving, players can reduce the sound of their footsteps by crouching, and it’s even possible to go further, lying down on the ground to make yourself even less likely to be seen. Naoe can also roll to the side to quickly deal with guards before they have the chance of looking back. As the smallest assassin to date, she’ll have the chance to hide in confined spaces and explore small cracks too.
According to the developer, while stealth has always been part of the series, the new game will demand a more tactical approach with players having to deal with situations as they come using Naoe’s senses.
Double Assassinations are also back as part of the arsenal for Naoe if she equips the Tanto and unlocks a specific skill. Other tools that she’ll have access to include the smoke bomb, shinobi bells to lure enemies to specific areas, kunai and shuriken. Finally, players may grab enemies to take them down, but it’ll be necessary to do this move manually, unlike previous games. Yasuke also has a ranged option with the bow that can lead him to a more stealthy gameplay approach as well.
Meanwhile, enemies also have unique tactics to keep in mind. For instance, there are servants who are experts at getting help if alarmed, making it much tougher to proceed if you’re caught. Even if the player manages to outsmart enemies, alerted enemies will remain vigilant and act in pairs. It’ll also be important to keep up with upgrades, as strong enemies may negate assassinations.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is coming to PC (Steam, Ubisoft Store and Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on June 15, 2025.
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