Fans of Assassin's Creed Valhalla have expressed concerns about the game's extensive storyline and plethora of side quests, prompting Ubisoft to take note. In response, the upcoming title Assassin's Creed Shadows aims to offer a more streamlined experience with improved visibility and a more compact design.
In an insightful interview, game director Charles Benoit revealed that the main campaign of Shadows will take approximately 50 hours to complete. For those eager to delve into every region and tackle all side quests, the total playtime could extend to around 100 hours. This is a notable reduction compared to Valhalla, which required a minimum of 60 hours for the main storyline and up to 150 hours for full completion.
Ubisoft has made a concerted effort to trim down the optional content in Shadows, aiming to prevent players from feeling overwhelmed. The game promises a well-balanced blend of narrative and side activities, designed to enhance the gaming experience without making it feel tedious. The developers are committed to preserving the depth and richness of the game's world while ensuring a more focused gameplay journey.
For those who value intricate gameplay, Shadows will not compromise on quality for the sake of brevity. Conversely, players who wish to focus primarily on the storyline can complete the game without dedicating hundreds of hours.
Game director Jonathan Dumont shared that the development team's trip to Japan played a significant role in shaping Shadows. The real-world experience left a lasting impression, with the grandeur of castles, the layered mountain landscapes, and the dense forests inspiring a commitment to greater realism and detail.
One of the key enhancements in Shadows will be the more realistic representation of world geography. To fully immerse players in the expansive landscapes, the distance between points of interest has been increased, requiring longer travel times. However, this adjustment allows each location to be more distinct and richly detailed.
Unlike the travel system in Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Shadows does not feature points of interest every 50 meters. Instead, the world is designed to feel more open and natural, with travel taking longer but offering a more immersive experience. Dumont emphasized that the heightened attention to detail in Shadows will enable players to fully embrace the authentic Japanese atmosphere.
