Moons, give me strength…
Sega has filed trademarks for Skies of Arcadia and Eternal Arcadia in Japan — and plenty of Dreamcast and GameCube fans are going wild worldwide.
The trademarks — one for the game’s English name, and the other for its Japanese name — were made on 16th January, and then made public on 24th January (thanks, Gematsu).
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
The wait is nearly over! Tomorrow, on January 28, our new game, Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter, will be released into the wild, returning players to its gritty, medieval, and anthropomorphic world of epic battles and visceral executions.
Set several rat years after the conclusion of the original, the story follows the paws of Arlo, heir to the Warden of the Wastes, as he journeys across the far stretches of the Ratdom’s northern frontier in a valiant effort to overcome a devastating and ancient evil that’s spreading across the land.
When Tails of Iron first launched in 2021, we were blown away by the overwhelming support from players and critics alike; it was truly humbling. So, when it came to developing the second instalment in the Tails of Iron saga, we wanted to expand the experience in several ways – and that’s what we’ve done!
We’ve added further gameplay and combat mechanics, revised systems, and introduced fearsome new challenges, while keeping the same brutal charm you loved in the first game. There’s much to gnaw on in this sequel, but today we’re going to briefly look at the new beast hunt gameplay, how Arlo is preparing to fight back against the giant creatures and the Dark Wings.
As the ice-cold shadow of the Dark Wings, an old and near-mythical enemy of the Rats, drapes across the northern frontier, leaving a wanton trail of destruction, the Rat gods of old grow ever fearful. And so, in a desperate attempt to turn the tide, they gift their elemental powers to Arlo.
One of the new additions we’re bringing to combat in Tails of Iron 2 is the Elementa spellcasting system, which brings a further layer of strategy to combat. Unlocked during Arlo’s quest across the Wastes and beyond, he’ll be able to harness four devastating forces to help vanquish his foes:
Elementa abilities can also become more powerful when their upgrade shines are discovered, giving Arlo more devastating powers to wield against enemies.
Spellcasting isn’t the only combat system embracing the power of the elements. Enemies in Tails of Iron 2 have specific weaknesses to certain types of elemental damage, making tactical preparation crucial. Knowing when to equip a fire-infused weapon or wear poison-resistant armor can mean the difference between glorious victory and deadly defeat. The same goes for in-game crafting: Weapons and armor will need to be forged and tailored to an enemy’s weaknesses to support Arlo in battle.
We’ve also introduced elemental traps into the game, essential for trying to control the impending onslaught from a group of enemies. With the expanded arsenal of weapons and armor types, from venomous swords to frost-resistant plate mail, it’s crucial to think strategically to dominate the battlefield. The Northern Wastes demand cunning as much as strength!
Across the Northern Wastes are colossal monsters that antagonise and threaten the peoples of the frontier, and naturally, as you’d expect from any hero, Arlo’s journey wouldn’t be truly complete without taking on these terrifying beasts. As he explores the world beyond Winter’s Edge, from The Golden Forest to the White Whiskers and further afar, Arlo can accept contracts from locals and embark on epic monster hunts to rid the land of its most deadly threats.
And these hunts are no pushover. Each is a battle for survival, with cunning enemies that will test Arlo’s skills and resolve. But the rewards are worth every risk. Defeating these beasts yields rare resources to craft some of the game’s rarest and most powerful equipment, strengthening more than Arlo’s resolve against the tyrannical Dark Wings. And of course, every victory comes with the glory of solidifying a legacy as the ultimate monster hunter!
We’re really excited for the release of Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One tomorrow, January 28, and we hope you enjoy experiencing the expanded combat and gameplay we’ve touched upon. There’s more across the Ratdom to discover, so whether you’re wielding elemental magic, rebuilding Winter’s Edge, or hunting ferocious beasts, this is a ‘tail’ for the ages. The Northern Wastes await!
United Label
Step into the fray clad in the legendary Draugr armour of old, forged in the fires of the elder wars between Rat and Bat, before choosing between six different, warrior-worthy hair and beard styles. For those who seek to claim victory over winter’s shadow, only the fiercest attire will do.
Deluxe Edition
• Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter base game
• Augur of the Draugr pack: Features exclusive items, including three new helms, three armours, and three pauldrons, together with three new shields and three new axes.
• Hair to the Throne pack: An exclusive collection of six beards and hairstyles to further customise Arlo’s battle-readiness.
United Label
As Arlo, young heir to the Warden of the Wastes, journey through the vast, snow-ravaged lands of the North in an epic quest to overcome the Dark Wings once and for all. Hunt down giant beasts. Unite disparate clans. Upgrade your settlement. And discover a terrible secret of blood and crown…
The time for heroes is over. For the Kingdom needs a warrior; forged of the North and as cold as the snow that shrouds these lands. A rat… carved from iron.
And so, a new tail begins.
Explore a Vast, Wintry Kingdom
Fully narrated by RPG-legend, Doug Cockle, prepare to embark on an epic adventure across the northern realms of the Ratdom; an expansive, frost-bitten land on the brink of all-out war.
Hunt down Giant Beasts
Track down and defeat the legendary monsters of this realm, and be rewarded with rare resources with which to craft devastating equipment. But be warned, these colossal creatures won’t go down without a fight… and then some.
Master Brutal Combat
The lands of the North are a perilous place, so you’ll need to master the fast, challenging combat for any chance of survival. Evade attacks with a dodge roll, nail split-second parry bashes, and unleash an array of gruesome executions.
Customise your Attack
Craft your own extensive arsenal of upgradeable weaponry, ready to fight as you see fit; strike quick with a spear, afar with a bow, or go claw-to-claw with a heavy-hitting mace. Alternativity, gain a tactical advantage with a range of new, deadly traps…
Upgrade your Settlement
As Warden of the Wastes, defending your lands is only half the battle. Construct and upgrade your settlement with hard-earned gold to gain access to more powerful items from the Smithy, tastier meals at the Kitchen, a wider range of powerful traps from the shoppe, and more!
The post How Tails of Iron 2 Builds Upon Its Predecessor with Brutal Combat, Powerful Magic, and More appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Baldur’s Gate 3’s long-awaited Patch 8 is currently available to players on PS5…but it’s not supposed to be.
In a social media post today, the official Larian Studios account revealed that PS5 players do indeed have access to Patch 8 through what seems to be an accident somewhere, as the patch itself isn’t ready for prime time.
“No, the Patch 8 stress test hasn’t yet begun,” the post reads. “Yes, PS5 players do currently have access to Patch 8. While we work with our partners to understand what’s going on, please note that any new saves made while on Patch 8 will not be compatible with Patch 7.
“How’s your Monday going?”
Patch 8 was first announced back in December and is the final major update expected for Baldur’s Gate 3. It’s planned to add cross-platform progression and play, photo mode, and 12 new subclasses, as well as new abilities, animations, VFX, summons, cantrips, and even voicelines. It’s a massive update that promises to really shake things up a year and a half after launch, and while it’s seemingly due out this month, today’s PS5 release seems to have jumped the gun a bit.
Late last month, Larian opened registrations for a stress test of Patch 8, which it opened to players on PC via Steam and on console via Xbox and PlayStation. However, that stress test hasn’t actually happened yet, and as Larian wrote, this release on PS5 is not the stress test.
For now, it’s probably recommended for PS5 players not to download this patch just yet in case it comes with unintended bugs or other issues, and as Larian says, saves won’t be compatible with Patch 7 if you need to roll back for any reason. Proceed with caution here.
But the good news is that even if this was an error, it sounds like Larian is inching much closer to releasing Patch 8 in earnest. We’ll be keeping an eye out for news of the actual stress test and the release itself, which seems likely to make what we called a 10/10 game at launch even better.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
Assassin’s Creed publishers Ubisoft are making another round of layoffs as part of wider efforts to persuade their investors to stop yelling at them. They’re letting 185 people go across their European operations, and will be closing UK-based Ubisoft Leamington, whose recent projects include supporting development of Star Wars Outlaws and Skull And Bones. All this less than two months after jettisoning the hundreds of people who worked on free-to-play shooter XDefiant.
Pokémon TCG Pocket is warning players of the consequences for cheating, just ahead of the expected release of in-game trading later this week.
In an announcement pushed to the app yesterday, players were warned about violations of the Terms of Service that specifically relate to cheating:
“We are aware that some players have engaged in data tampering, real money trading, and other behaviors that violate the Terms of Use,” reads the in-game notice. “If we confirm that a player has engaged in behavior that violates the Terms of Use, we will warn them, suspend their account, or take other action.”
No further details were offered as to what behaviors, specifically, are being targeted. Players on r/PTCGP have been speculating that this warning is related to a few different behaviors. One of these, referred to as Wonder Pick Farming, is a practice where individuals mass-create new accounts to take advantage of the many free packs available for new players, and try to roll a “god pack,” or a super rare pack of cards with five very rare cards. Then, they offer their friend code to others for money, so that buyers can add them as friends and then see the “god pack” in the game’s Wonder Pick function and be guaranteed a very rare card.
Another behavior speculated to be the target of a crackdown is a practice where players will grind accounts to level 50 with plenty of banked currency by participating in PvP battles over and over, using the game’s timeout function to stall games until the opponent concedes so they can win repeatedly.
Beyond that, it’s possible that the warning was simply published because of the game’s upcoming trading feature release, which could potentially kickstart a new wave of inappropriate behavior, especially where “real money trading” is concerned. The trading feature, which was panned by fans upon announcement, allows players to trade cards of one star rarity and below with friends. Players have expressed frustration with both the rarity limit on trading, as well as the need to spend some sort of currency to make the trade happen in the first place.
The feature is planned to go live later this week on January 29, alongside the new expansion Space-Time Smackdown.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
Today I learned about balut, a street food of the Philippines. It’s a fertilized duck egg, boiled or steamed, in which you can still see the duck embryo as you munch. I’m too old to discover this acquired taste on a gap year, but I’m not too old to waltz down the horror aisle in Itch.io, throwing retro jumpscarers into my basket. Which is where first-person Filipino suspense game Hapunan can be found. You play a young street food vendor hawking the eggs on a quiet corner late at night. Naturally, something alarming is afoot. There is talk on the radio of dangerous folk out at night…
The Marvel Rivals community was sent into a frenzy last week after the rumor spread that developer NetEase Games may be planting misleading information in the game’s code to catch leakers — even if there’s little evidence to suggest such a thing is actually happening.
Video games sometimes leave behind traces of in-development content as developers work tirelessly to publish updates for the public. Sleuths known as dataminers spend their time sifting through code to uncover these traces and often report them back to excited fans, with one Marvel Rivals example including references to the Fantastic Four being discovered before their official confirmation earlier this month. It started with inclusions like Blade and Ultron and quickly ballooned to the point that there are now around 20 names rumored to join the hero shooter’s roster of playable characters. As the list has grown, players have let the excitement carry them from patch to patch while they wait to see what NetEase has up its sleeve. That anticipation turned into confusion and suspicion last week.
So a bunch of the Rivals leaks are fake lol pic.twitter.com/hzlVvkkx1C
— Worm (@Saulman11835779) January 23, 2025
Alarm bells rang when Marvel Rivals Leaks Discord user and content creator KeoneSpirit shared a post suggesting that NetEase is using a few elaborate tricks to throw dataminers for a loop. In their now-viral post, they accuse the developer of setting up “fake characters to catch leakers” both in the code and “potentially” with other sources, too. With so many Marvel heroes rumored to be included post-launch, fans have now found themselves questioning if any of the leaks they’ve seen are real or “plants” part of a larger scheme. Keone attempted to clarify by sharing a lineup of characters they had “been told” were “very likely fake.”
The list includes:
If accurate, it would mean many hopeful X-Men inclusions and comic book deep cuts were simply rumors or maybe even planted in the code to mislead would-be leakers. Keone’s post could result in months of speculation coming to an end as thousands of excited fans regroup — or it could mean nothing at all. While Keone’s comments spread like wildfire, a few dataminers from the self-taught group at X0XLeak say they aren’t so sure NetEase is intentionally working to throw fans off its scent. They believe there’s enough evidence to suggest that the aforementioned list of heroes isn’t off the table.
“Could they be intended troll by NetEase? I guess,” X0X member and dataminer VISCERAL told IGN. “Would it make sense, in my opinion? No. The way I see it, they could have made it way easier if their goal was to troll us.”
In light of the news surrounding potential hero plants, VISCERAL published a lengthy X/Twitter thread to provide evidence that some rumored characters can be found in Marvel Rivals’ code. It’s a series of examples lined with proof that many of the characters mentioned in Keone’s Discord post are included with more than just their names but ability tables, too, and as you might have guessed, finding this information wasn’t simple.
X0X’s matfacio told IGN that, if NetEase had truly tucked away bait to trick leakers in this way, it would need to know exactly how dataminers are rummaging through the Marvel Rivals backend, explaining: “I think it would require reverse engineering a reverse engineer.”
The existence of new, hidden hero names in Marvel Rivals doesn’t totally poor cold water on the idea that the developers are attempting to mislead, but some believe the studio would have to go through a lot of trouble — likely more trouble than it’s worth — just to keep the more dedicated fans on their toes.
This is not a 100% confirmations that they are all coming or when they will come.
This is just to show off that these actually exist. 🧵All Hero tags can be found in: Marvel/Content/Marvel/Data/DataTable/MarvelHeroTable
Ability Tables are to long to fit the screenshot, will… https://t.co/9uMZsQ8xK5 pic.twitter.com/g7oCnkunha
— VISCERAL (@zvis_ceral) January 23, 2025
While rumors of NetEase’s tampering haven’t been squashed among fans, X0X has several other theories that might hold more weight. There is always the chance, for example, that NetEase didn’t actually intend to ship an update with mentions of an army of unannounced playable heroes, and that they may still be added to the game eventually. VISCERAL and matfacio also aren’t ruling out that a few heroes may have been left on the cutting room floor after a major, pre-launch development shift, such as NetEase’s rumored switch from Unreal Engine 4 to Unreal Engine 5.
“I have a new theory that every hero discovered was most likely in a ready to go state when the game was reportedly still on UE4,” matfacio adds, “then they switched to UE5 and took their time to fix several performance issues between presumably porting over characters they already made.”
X0X isn’t convinced that NetEase is toying with Marvel Rivals fans, but if the developers aren’t leading everyone on, then how did this start? Although the trail leads back to Keone’s post, fears of tampering also stem from Marvel Rivals Leaks Discord admin and popular Marvel Rivals X user @Rivals_Leaks. When new leaks were discovered suspiciously grouped together in the code earlier this month, one of their sources claimed they had no knowledge of the characters in question being included. With a reliable source’s information not matching up with dataminers’ findings, a theory was born: what if NetEase is planting fake heroes?
“I had gained info from a reliable inside source that they had once again not heard of any of these characters before they were leaked, leading to the possible theory that they were all plants along with some possible evidence,” Rivals_Leaks explained, “so I had decided to warn the Discord server about the possibility of plants and I had Keone make an announcement, which was a bit poorly worded and several people around the internet took it the wrong way.”
The post shown in that screenshot has been taken down. There is a very low chance that most of the characters are bait just for the amount of work that would have to go into faking them. For some characters there are voice line events between characters and gameplay tags related…
— Marvel Rivals – Leaks & Information (@RivalsInfo) January 23, 2025
Keone said their post spread before edits could be made, creating a snowball effect that saw many members of the Marvel Rivals community latching onto a message that was founded on a “misinterpretation.” While Keone and Rivals_Leaks had their suspicions regarding NetEase’s potential involvement in recent leaks, neither of them intended to start the chain reaction that resulted in large portions of the community accepting their theory as fact. This latest Marvel Rivals drama sent so many leak-obsessed players back to square one, but its origin boils down to one thing: a miscommunication.
“The primary assumption from the main leakers (separate from me, the ones who have most info) now is that the ‘plants’ are in fact still real. And the developers did not intend for us to find them,” Keone says. “That’s why I edited the original post and since deleted it, and have worked to help clear up confusion surrounding it.”
If you’re reading this piece to find out if Colossus or Professor X are going to be added to Marvel Rivals, I’m sorry to say there’s still no answer for that, and there probably won’t be one for a while. So far, NetEase has only confirmed The Thing and Human Torch as the next new heroes to join the fight. When they release in the coming weeks, they’ll team up with the already-released Mister Fantastic and Invisible Woman, who launched as part of Season 1 earlier this month. Season 2, which is (still) rumored to include Blade, is expected to launch sometime this April, with more updates and skins set to drop in the meantime.
NetEase has set high expectations by promising to release at least one new playable superhero every half-season, but with or without leaks, we won’t really know who’s coming until NetEase is ready to talk. At the very least, the Marvel universe is packed with memorable superpowered characters, so as long as Marvel Rivals continues to find success, there’s a good chance you’ll see your favorite face show up at some point down the line.
Even if every rumored and datamined character really is in development at NetEase, the team could scrap any of the aforementioned names for any reason at any time. Regardless of how certain you might be about the validity of a leak for any game, it might be a good idea to take some of what you hear online with a grain of salt. Keone, at least, wishes they had been a bit more cautious before sharing their findings and theories.
“A server that started small to spread information has now become a cornerstone of information across the entire community, and sometimes we can misinterpret things or make mistakes,” Keone added. “We’re a group of people working hard to find and share information, and there’s never malice behind what we post. We’ll work hard to make sure things don’t spread like wildfire again unless it’s been verified first, and are grateful for everything we’ve been able to share thus far.”
IGN has asked NetEase for comment.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP.
Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
I reckon you’re likely to be in one of two camps with precision platformer Bauhaus Bonk – which I instantly appreciate for giving me an excuse to use the word “bopping” – either finding it so easy you wonder what the point is, or getting genuinely sucked in by its deceptive trickiness. It’s a single-button affair, having you navigate levels by alternating a pivot-point on a shape I don’t know the name of so I’m just going to call a spinny stick.
There are moving background elements in some stages – in others, you make your own pace. Except I can’t really make my own pace, can I Bauhaus Bonk? Because the swing soundtrack makes me feel like a plodding buffoon if I’m not responding with appropriate gusto. This is entrapment, game. I am devilishly compelled by swing, like a Reefer Madness extra.
Violent vermin.
After releasing the first Tails of Iron in 2021, developer Odd Bug Studio seemingly hasn’t taken a moment to rest, returning to its bleak world of anthropomorphic rats, frogs, and bats with a sequel that looks to offer fans a slightly expanded experience in Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter. And while it’s certainly an incredibly well-realised fantasy world with stunning visuals, atmospheric sound design, and thoughtful combat, it’s unfortunately also held back from greatness by lacklustre level design and excessive backtracking.
Presenting what may well be a good entry point to the world of Tails of Iron if you happened to miss out on the original, Whiskers of Winter shifts the perspective over to an entirely new protagonist called Arlo, an heir to the Warden of the Wastes who must travel to multiple biomes on a quest to defeat the malicious Dark Wings clan.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
When I visited Ubisoft Quebec last year to see Assassin’s Creed Shadows for the first time, I was encouraged by the development team’s enthusiasm for stealth. While I’ve enjoyed Assassin’s Creed’s foray into RPG territory, after hundreds of action-heavy hours I think it’s about time the series rediscovered its sneakier genes. Not by way of Mirage’s “back to basics” approach, but by reaching forward to provide some much-needed evolution in the series’ stealth design. Shadows’ promise of a Splinter Cell-style lighting system had me excited, but after playing a three-hour demo build, I’m not quite convinced that it’s delivering a meaningful change for Assassin’s Creed.
The demo’s quest chain, set in Harima Province, had me infiltrating a variety of strongholds, from small gardens with just a couple of guards to towering castles packed with opponents. If you’ve played an Assassin’s Creed before, the fundamental approach to all this is practically unchanged; you’ll be scaling to highpoints to identify guard placements, using simple distraction techniques to create opportunities, and stabbing a lot of people in the neck with a hidden blade. All of this can be achieved using the same techniques you’ve relied upon for years, and many of the flaws that have previously hampered such techniques also make a return. For example, the hidden blade can once again be foiled by high-level opponents, neutering planning and positioning in favour of skill points and upgrades. Incredibly sticky environments continue to be the norm, which ensures you never fall from a rooftop or slip during an ascent, but being glued to surfaces often proves catastrophic when it comes to quickly reacting to enemy threats. Emergency escapes feel like you’re fighting against a magnetic leash that really wants to lock you in a bad place.
If you’ve read IGN’s recent hands-on preview you’ll know that our writer, Alessandro, really enjoyed Shadows’ revamped take on stealth. While I feel differently, having left Ubisoft’s playtest room somewhat disappointed, it’s important to note that Shadows is fulfilling its promise of taking stealth seriously. One of its two playable characters is Naoe, a ninja wholly dedicated to stealth. Aside from the prologue in which I had to play as combat-focused Yasuke for tutorial purposes, I was able to play as Naoe for the entire duration of the demo. While Shadows often asks if you’d like to switch roles, it had no issue with me choosing Naoe every single time.
Standing notably shorter than her heavily armoured companion, Naoe is able to avoid enemy sightlines more easily. Her slender frame allows her to do things the bulkier Yasuke can not, such as slip through narrow gaps and hide in boxes, while her grappling hook opens up access to rooftops and ledges that have no climbing handholds. Playing as Naoe opens up new routes and pathways through Shadows’ world… or perhaps, more accurately, playing as Yasuke closes the door on many established Assassin’s Creed traditions. He’s unable to perform any of the series’ staple stealth actions, aside from using his bow for silent ranged attacks.
Those stealth staples become more interesting (at least on paper) thanks to refreshed ideas. Shadows’ title partly refers to its new approach to detection. Staying in the dark renders you invisible to enemies, and the closer you move towards a light source the more visible you become. This is clearly spelled out by a meter on your HUD that fills and empties as you move around. The clever bit, though, is that you can manipulate the environment to create advantages. Lanterns can be destroyed with blades or thrown shurikens, plunging rooms into darkness so that you may draw blood completely unseen. It’s an idea that was prevalent in the era of Thief and Splinter Cell, but has fallen by the wayside since stealth largely became an optional approach in action games rather than its own dedicated genre.
The adoption of this approach sounds like a complete game changer, but in reality it had minimal impact on a playstyle I’ve honed across 13 prior games. I don’t doubt that, under the hood, the engine’s enemy AI routines are influenced by this new simulation. But when it comes to actually playing Shadows, I found the presence of light rarely impacted my progress or forced me to devise smarter methods of approach. I could stand on rooftops with a full visibility meter and no one would see me. Traditional sightlines seemed to be the only factor I truly had to consider.
This sense of same-but-different persists across many of Shadows’ ideas. Naoe is able to lie prone and crawl on her stomach, which certainly did make a difference when it came to invisible repositioning. But the environment I encountered in the demo made little creative use of this ability. For example, I was disappointed to discover that a tunnel beneath a house didn’t have a hatchway into the room above. Instead of acting as an alternative entry point, all this crawlspace offered was the same pathway that could be faster accomplished by simply scaling across the rooftop.
A more positive shift can be found in the positioning of enemies, with encounters offering an increased challenge over Mirage’s overly-simple arrangements. I was caught out more than a couple of times by overlapping vision cones and patrols, and the resulting high alert state does seem to make guards more persistent in their hunt for you than in previous games. Simply hiding on a roof and tracking foes using eagle vision did seem enough to easily avoid them, though, at least on the default difficulty.
Because of the better guard placements, there is an increased and welcome emphasis on assessment and planning. Gone is the drone-like bird of the last few games, replaced with an over-the-shoulder zoom, meaning scouting and marking enemies can only be done from your own sightline. It’s a good change, one that forces you to explore an area on foot and spend more time considering your angles of approach. But when it comes to executing a plan, things return to the very familiar.
Naoe’s toolbelt holds kunai throwing knives for insta-kill headshots and smoke bombs for concealing attacks and escapes, both of which are necessary but vanilla stealth tools. The same can be said for repositioning guards, which is done either by luring them to your position with a whistle, or baiting them to a specific spot with a thrown bell. There’s the obvious combos, such as encouraging a guard towards an explosive barrel that you then detonate with a throwing knife. But beyond that, at least in this demo, there didn’t seem to be the canvas for anything more experimental or exciting.
Shadows seems reliant on a lean and familiar set of abilities, at least as far as stealth goes. Even options that initially seem to be fresh are repackaged tools from the past; you can call on an allied brawler to charge at a designated target, which works as both a distraction and a method of remotely eliminating enemies, but this is really just a thematically different take on the berserk darts that have appeared in a number of prior Assassin’s Creed games.
Naoe does have a detailed skill tree, allowing you to build and hone her abilities beyond those standard tools. But all the exciting options are combat focussed, such as the elaborate nine-strike Guard Breaker, or Eviscerate with its kick-flip finisher. When it comes to stealth, the most exotic option I could find was the ability to slow down time for a few seconds. As far as this demo was willing to show me, there’s nothing along the lines of traps, disguises, or other more advanced stealth ideas. Perhaps the changing of the seasons, which I didn’t get to experience and is promised to change the landscape considerably, is where Shadows’ more interesting stealth challenges lie.
Instead, the toughest challenges I faced were direct clashes. Shadows effectively has two combat systems; Yasuke’s feels like a direct continuation of Valhalla, but tuned up to feel significantly swifter and a little more tactical. I liked it a lot, at least as far as I could tell in the limited time I played as him. Naoe, meanwhile, is nowhere near as strong as her samurai counterpart and so takes considerably more damage and cannot block as effectively. This forces her fight style to prioritise dodging and staying nimble. I really like the concept that drives this – that each character provides a distinctly different version of the same experience – but on the battlefield I found myself frustrated. Playing as Naoe, it feels like the rhythm of combat runs at a different tempo to the attack animations, and so I constantly tripped up over awkwardly-timed dodge and parry windows.
In most instances, the brutal punishment inflicted by combat forced me to take stealth seriously. Its classic carrot vs stick stuff, and an effective stick at that. What I’m less enthusiastic about is my pure stealth playthrough being derailed by mandatory bosses with huge health bars. I wish, when playing as Naoe, these bosses were reconfigured as stealth-focused assassination challenges in the mould of Assassin’s Creed Unity’s centrepiece missions. Instead I’m forced to defeat my foe in a one-on-one duel that’s clearly designed to fulfill the samurai fantasy side of Shadows’ offering. I appreciate that Shadows always gives you the option to switch to Yasuke (and prior to one of these fights even prompted me to), but to choose a stealth character and then be forced to engage in direct combat does feel like being told your decision is invalid. Maybe, with several more hours of practice and a combat tune-up prior to release, duelling with Naoe will feel less like a punishment.
After three hours of play, I’m fairly confident in saying that Assassin’s Creed Shadows will be the best stealth experience of the series’ RPG era. Having a character and toolkit entirely dedicated to the approach signifies that Ubisoft is taking this fundamental part of the franchise seriously for what feels like the first time in many years. But, as dedicated fans will know, stealth never actually went away – it was just eclipsed by the action. Shadows lets that stealth step back into the limelight. However, just because stealth now has prominence doesn’t mean it’s undergone any meaningful change. For all the studio’s talk of Splinter Cell-like detection systems, Shadows feels like Assassin’s Creed getting back to business as usual rather than exploring a new, sneakier frontier. For many exhausted by the reign of Spartans and Vikings, that will likely be enough. But if what I’ve played is representative of Shadows as a whole, I think Ubisoft has missed a huge opportunity to capitalise on the advanced stealth potential of one of history’s most recognisable clandestine assassin groups.
Matt Purslow is IGN’s Senior Features Editor.
