AC: Shadows breakdown: campaign will be more intense but shorter, with ton of meaningful locations

Assassin's Creed Valhalla's extensive playtime and numerous side quests drew criticism, prompting Ubisoft to refine its approach for the upcoming Shadows of… [ttpp] The developers aim for a more balanced experience, addressing player feedback regarding overwhelming optional content.

Game director Charles Benoit estimates a 50-hour completion time for the main story, expanding to roughly 100 hours for full completion, including all regions and side quests. This contrasts with Valhalla's 60-hour minimum and potential 150-hour completion time. Ubisoft's focus on streamlining optional content aims to reduce tedium without sacrificing the rich world and narrative depth. The goal is a more satisfying experience for both completionists and story-focused players.

Game director Jonathan Dumont highlighted the team's research trip to Japan as a pivotal influence. The sheer scale and realism of Japanese castles, mountains, and forests profoundly impacted their design choices, leading to a greater emphasis on detail and authenticity.

This commitment to realism manifests in a redesigned travel system. While travel times between points of interest will be longer, reflecting the natural distances of the open world, each location will be significantly more detailed and nuanced. Unlike Odyssey's densely packed points of interest, Shadows of… [ttpp] prioritizes a more expansive, natural feel, enhancing immersion and the overall Japanese atmosphere. Dumont emphasizes the significantly higher level of detail, promising a more authentic and immersive Japanese experience.