As a huge fan of the AC Franchise since the beginning, i was at first hesitant to play this game bc of all the controversy surrounding it , specifically when it came to Yasuke and the lackluster post-launch content (looking at you Attack Of Titans 🤢). Also originally i had planned to move on from the series after Mirage , but after i finally got a chance to buy PS5 early this year for a decent price , i finally thought to myself that maybe i should just give this game a chance, play it with an open mind & see it for myself if its good or not rather than rely on other peoples opinion. And after 33 hrs of finishing the main game and it's story , i can honestly say.......it is not bad as many people made it out to be.
Sure it has it's flaws here and there (like the open story structure and many typical RPG elements from the past few games) but overall, i had a really good time exploring the open world of feudal japan playing as Naoe and Yasuke. Seeing both of their stories from their perspective unfolding during a time of conflict , destruction and war was very compelling for me. Also i liked the backstory of the Kakushiba-ikki and how its connected to the assassins, that was a nice touch. Obviously i kinda wished there was more stuff in the story they could have fleshed out more, but other than that, I enjoyed it. And thank god they added a CANON MODE , which was a great feature for people like me who want to experience the full story from start to finish without being distracted by these unnessecary dialogue options. Now when it came to the Open World of Feudal Japan , Ubisoft never fails. It was so beautifully crafted with interesting and breathtaking locations and areas to explore. Combine it with the music & the dynamic weather system they created (a feature which i really loved) , its so damn good. On the gameplay side , it has one of the best combat mechanic, stealth system and parkour movements of this franchise, like its really TOP NOTCH ! Now , the animus hub and its modern day storyline ........ I think it has alot of interesting ideas and concepts that i hope they improve and build upon in the upcoming games. We'll see how its gonna continue with BF Resynced & Hexe.
In conclusion , AC Shadows is a good game. Not on par with my favorites or the most beloved ones of the series, but its not a terrible entry as supposed to Odyssey. If i could decide where to rank it , i could put it on the same place as AC Syndicate.
I'll give it a 6.95/10
One question left: Should i start with the Claws of Awaji DLC and how does it compare to the main game ?
Let me know your thoughts.