Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ parkour mechanics have been put to the test by two renowned parkour athletes, offering a unique perspective on the game's realism and the developers' efforts to authentically represent Feudal Japan.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Gearing Up For Its Release

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

In a recent PC Gamer’s Reality Check video released on March 15, Toby Segar and Benj Cave from the UK's STORROR team, both avid fans of the Assassin’s Creed series, provided their expert analysis on the parkour realism in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. These athletes are also working on their own video game, STORROR Parkour Pro, which aims to showcase authentic parkour movements.

During the video, Segar highlighted a scene from AC Shadows where protagonist Yasuke uses an "alpine knee" to climb, a move considered impractical in real parkour due to the risk of injury from bearing full body weight on the knee. This technique, dubbed a "hate crime against parkour" by Segar, underscores the differences between game mechanics and real-life parkour.

Cave also critiqued the game's portrayal of parkour, noting the unrealistic aspects such as climbing without ledges and balancing on tightropes. He emphasized the fictional nature of the protagonist's endless endurance, stating, "In parkour, no one ever just runs and commits to stuff without looking. In parkour in real life, you check, you measure, you prep, and it’s such a slower process."

While Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a fictional game, Ubisoft has made significant efforts to enhance the realism of its parkour mechanics. In a January interview with IGN, AC Shadows Game Director Charles Benoit explained that the game's release delay was to refine these mechanics further.

Bringing Players Closer to Feudal Japan

Beyond the parkour, Ubisoft is committed to immersing players in the historical context of Feudal Japan through the "Cultural Discovery" feature. As detailed on their website on March 18, Ubisoft Editorial Comms Manager Chastity Vicencio described how this in-game Codex will provide players with over 125 encyclopedic entries on the Azuchi-Momoyama period, crafted by historians and enriched with images from museums and institutions.

Creating an authentic representation of Feudal Japan has not been without its challenges. In an interview with The Guardian on March 17, AC Shadows developers discussed the complexities of bringing this setting to life. Ubisoft Executive Producer Marc-Alexis Coté shared the long-standing interest in setting a game in Japan, stating, "I've been on [this] franchise for 16 years and I think every time we start a new game, Japan comes up and we ask, is this the time?"

Ubisoft Creative Director Johnathan Dumont emphasized the team's dedication to authenticity, mentioning extensive collaborations with historians and research trips to Kyoto and Osaka. Despite technological challenges, such as accurately depicting light in Japan's mountains, the team's efforts have paid off in capturing the essence of Feudal Japan.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is set to launch on March 20, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Stay tuned for more updates on this highly anticipated game!