Parkour Athletes Review Assassin's Creed Shadows Movements

The parkour mechanics of Assassin’s Creed Shadows have been put to the test by two seasoned parkour athletes, giving us a fascinating glimpse into the realism of the game's movement and how Ubisoft has endeavored to bring Feudal Japan to life within this latest installment.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Gearing Up For Its Release

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

In a detailed review video by PC Gamer released on March 15, Toby Segar and Benj Cave from the renowned UK parkour team STORROR provided their insights on the parkour realism in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, as well as in the broader series. As avid fans of the franchise, they're also working on their own parkour-based video game, STORROR Parkour Pro.

During their analysis, Segar highlighted a particular scene from AC Shadows where the protagonist Yasuke uses an "alpine knee" to ascend from a ledge. This technique, deemed a "hate crime against parkour" by the athletes, involves using the knee as a crutch, which could lead to injury by placing undue stress on the knee joint.

Cave also critiqued the game's portrayal of parkour, noting unrealistic elements like climbing structures without ledges and perfectly balancing on tightropes. He emphasized the fictional nature of the protagonist's endless stamina, which allows for continuous parkour moves without the need for rest or planning that real-life parkour demands.

While AC Shadows is a work of fiction, Ubisoft has strived to inject realism into its parkour mechanics. In an interview with IGN in January, Game Director Charles Benoit mentioned that the game's release delay was partly due to the team's efforts to refine these mechanics.

Bringing Players Closer to Feudal Japan

Beyond the parkour, Ubisoft aims to immerse players in the historical setting of Feudal Japan through the new "Cultural Discovery" section in the game. According to Ubisoft Editorial Comms Manager Chastity Vicencio in a March 18 post on their website, this feature will include a detailed in-game Codex with over 125 entries on the history, art, and culture of the Azuchi-Momoyama period, crafted with the help of historians and featuring images from various institutions.

The journey to authentically represent Feudal Japan has not been without its challenges, as shared by the developers in an interview with The Guardian on March 17. Ubisoft Executive Producer Marc-Alexis Coté explained the long-standing interest in setting an Assassin’s Creed game in Japan, a decision finally realized with AC Shadows. Creative Director Johnathan Dumont detailed the team's commitment to historical accuracy, involving trips to Kyoto and Osaka and collaboration with in-house historians.

Despite the technological challenges, such as accurately rendering the unique lighting of Japan's mountains, the team's dedication to capturing the essence of Feudal Japan has been unwavering. Coté acknowledged the high expectations and the effort required to meet them.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is scheduled for release on March 20, 2025, across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Stay tuned for more updates on this eagerly anticipated game.