Ubisoft says Assassin's Creed Shadows' open world will have a "unique sense of discovery"

Ubisoft has been offering Assassin's Creed fans deep dives of gameplay systems from the upcoming entry, Shadows, for some time now. So far, the studio has gone over the stealth, combat, and parkour elements that will be featured in the new game. The latest showcase is now available, and this time, Ubisoft is detailing the exploration elements.

The studio says that it wanted to make major changes and offer inquisitive players a "unique sense of discovery" when roaming the Japan-set open world of Assassin's Creed Shadows.

"We didn't want to hold the player's hand too much with icons and markers," says game director Charles. "We wanted to craft an open world where information was key and would become a form of reward. This made sense in the context of playing a shinobi and fighting for information."

The classic Synchronization Points have returned, available at the top of steep structures for players to reveal points of interest available nearby. Naoe and Yasuke will have different approaches for reaching these areas too. The locations will also serve as fast travel points.

As the Assassin companion eagle is not available here, players will have to observe areas using their own eyes from high points, tagging valuables, enemies, and other elements in areas manually.

Another type of fast travel point is the "kakurega." These mini safe houses let players refill their rations and tools, access the stash, manage allies, and accept new jobs, much like in the duo's primary hideout.

As an optional feature, Assassin's Creed Shadows also offers a Pathfinder option that will draw a line from the player to the objective when needed:

"Japan has many steep mountains that can’t be climbed, making the landscape one of the most unique in the series. Sometimes, you will be better off following roads to go from place to place and avoid false shortcuts that would increase your travel time. When lost, the Pathfinder is a very good optional tool to guide you around the world and increase your comfort."

Instead of having the player run around revealing the entire map, gather resources, and locate objectives, they can also utilize Scouts. These allies join the protagonist duo during the campaign, who can be used to gather information and resources from the World Map.

Some non-combat-related activities for the two protagonists, which can be unique to Naoe or Yasuke, are being introduced too. This will include meditation points to reveal backstories, special maneuver learning exercises from NPCs, horse archery events, and even painting sessions to capture wild animals of the region.

Following the most recent delay, Assassin's Creed Shadows is out March 20, 2025, across PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.

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