AC: Shadows campaign: Intense, shorter, packed with meaningful locations

Fans of Assassin's Creed Valhalla have expressed concerns about the game's extensive plot and the abundance of optional tasks. Ubisoft has taken these criticisms to heart and is making significant changes with the upcoming release, Assassin's Creed Shadows. The game director, Charles Benoit, revealed in an interview that the main campaign of Shadows is expected to take around 50 hours to complete. For those eager to explore every region and tackle all side quests, the total playtime could extend to approximately 100 hours. This is a notable reduction compared to Valhalla, which required at least 60 hours for a main playthrough and up to 150 hours for full completion.

Ubisoft's focus with Shadows is to streamline the optional content, aiming to prevent player overwhelm. The game will strike a more balanced mix of story and side activities, ensuring that gameplay remains engaging without becoming tedious. The developers are committed to preserving the richness of the world and the depth of the narrative, ensuring that players who value comprehensive gameplay won't have to compromise on quality for a shorter experience. Meanwhile, those who prefer to focus on the main storyline can complete the game without dedicating hundreds of hours.

Game director Jonathan Dumont shared insights into the development process, highlighting the team's research trip to Japan. This journey profoundly influenced the creation of Shadows. The team was particularly struck by the scale of Japanese castles, the layered mountain landscapes, and the dense forests. Dumont noted, "The sheer size of these fortresses makes you say, 'I didn't expect this scale.' We came to the conclusion that much more realism and attention to detail were required."

One of the key changes in Shadows is the more realistic representation of world geography. Players will need to travel longer distances between points of interest to fully appreciate the open landscapes. However, this approach allows for more specific and nuanced locations. Unlike Assassin's Creed Odyssey, where points of interest were often closely packed, Shadows will feature a more open and natural world. Traveling will take longer, but the locations will become richer and more detailed as players progress. Dumont emphasized that Shadows boasts a significantly higher level of attention to detail, enabling players to immerse themselves fully in the Japanese atmosphere.