Parkour Athletes Review Assassin's Creed Shadows Movements

Discover the realism of Assassin’s Creed Shadows' parkour and how Ubisoft meticulously crafted the world of Feudal Japan in this highly anticipated game.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Gearing Up For Its Release

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

In a recent PC Gamer Reality Check video released on March 15, two renowned parkour athletes from the UK's STORROR team, Toby Segar and Benj Cave, offered their expert critique on the parkour mechanics of Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Both enthusiasts of the Assassin’s Creed series, they are also working on their own game, STORROR Parkour Pro, which focuses on authentic parkour movements.

During the video, Segar highlighted a scene where the protagonist Yasuke uses what they call an "alpine knee" to climb a ledge. This technique, where Yasuke supports his weight on his knee, was dubbed a "hate crime against parkour" by Segar, as it is considered impractical and potentially harmful in real-life parkour.

Cave also commented on the game's portrayal of parkour, noting the unrealistic endurance of the characters, who can perform continuous parkour moves without breaks. He emphasized the meticulous nature of real parkour, where practitioners take time to assess and prepare before executing movements.

While Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a work of fiction, Ubisoft has strived to inject a level of realism into its parkour system. In an interview with IGN in January, AC Shadows Game Director Charles Benoit mentioned that the game's release was delayed to refine its parkour mechanics.

Bringing Players Closer to Feudal Japan

Ubisoft aims to immerse players in the historical context of Feudal Japan with the addition of the "Cultural Discovery" feature within the game. As detailed on their website on March 18, Ubisoft Editorial Comms Manager Chastity Vicencio explained that this feature will include over 125 entries at launch, offering insights into the history, art, and culture of the Azuchi-Momoyama period, crafted with the help of historians and supplemented with images from museums and institutions.

Bringing Feudal Japan to life was no small feat for the developers. In an interview with The Guardian on March 17, Ubisoft Executive Producer Marc-Alexis Coté shared the long-standing interest in setting an Assassin’s Creed game in Japan, finally realized with AC Shadows. Creative Director Johnathan Dumont also spoke of the extensive efforts to authentically depict Japan, including trips to Kyoto and Osaka, and collaboration with in-house historians.

Despite challenges, such as accurately capturing the unique lighting in Japan's mountains, the team's dedication has paid off. Coté noted, "The expectations have been this high throughout. It’s been a challenge."

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is scheduled for release on March 20, 2025, and will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting new addition to the Assassin’s Creed series!