Assassin’s Creed Shadows Movements Reviewed by Two Parkour Athletes

Two expert parkour athletes recently put the parkour mechanics of Assassin’s Creed Shadows under the microscope, offering valuable insights into the game's realism and the developers' efforts to bring Feudal Japan to life.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Gearing Up For Its Release

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Does A "Hate Crime Against Parkour"

In a detailed review featured on PC Gamer’s Reality Check video, released on March 15, Toby Segar and Benj Cave from the UK-based parkour team STORROR shared their expert critique on Assassin’s Creed Shadows. As dedicated fans of the series, they also highlighted their involvement in developing STORROR Parkour Pro, a game focused on real-life parkour moves.

During the review, Segar pinpointed a particular move by the protagonist Yasuke, labeling it as a "hate crime against parkour." He critiqued the "alpine knee" technique, where Yasuke uses his knee to support his weight while climbing, a move considered impractical and potentially harmful in real parkour due to the strain it places on the knee.

Cave further discussed other unrealistic elements, such as characters climbing structures without ledges and maintaining perfect balance on tightropes. He emphasized the fictional nature of the protagonists' seemingly endless endurance, contrasting it with real-life parkour, which requires careful planning and pacing.

Despite these critiques, Ubisoft has worked diligently to enhance the realism of Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ parkour. In an interview with IGN in January, Game Director Charles Benoit mentioned that the game's release delay was to refine these mechanics further.

Bringing Players Closer to Feudal Japan

Ubisoft is not only focusing on gameplay mechanics but also on delivering a rich historical experience with the "Cultural Discovery" feature in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. According to Ubisoft Editorial Comms Manager Chastity Vicencio, as detailed in a March 18 post on their website, this feature will include over 125 entries on the history, art, and culture of the Azuchi-Momoyama period, crafted by historians and enriched with images from museums.

Bringing Feudal Japan to life has been a challenging yet rewarding journey for the Assassin’s Creed Shadows team. Ubisoft Executive Producer Marc-Alexis Coté, in an interview with The Guardian on March 17, explained the long-standing demand for a Japan-set Assassin’s Creed game and the meticulous process of selecting Japan as the setting.

Ubisoft Creative Director Johnathan Dumont highlighted the team's extensive efforts, including trips to Kyoto and Osaka, and collaboration with historians to authentically recreate the period. Despite challenges such as capturing the unique lighting of Japan’s mountains, the team's dedication has paid off in creating a vivid representation of Feudal Japan.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is slated for release on March 20, 2025, and will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Stay updated with the latest news on Assassin’s Creed Shadows by checking out our related articles.