If reports are true, Ubisoft has a lot riding on the success ofAssassin’s Creed Shadows. Recently, Ubisoft has experienced several disappointments, like the under-sellingStar Wars Outlaws, orSkull and Bonesbeing mocked after the company declared it an AAAA game. With how important it is forAssassin’s Creed Shadows' launch to go off without a hitch, it isn’t too surprising to see the game is getting a day-one patch to smooth out some of its rougher edges and head off what was likely to be some early points of criticism for the game.
AlthoughAssassin’s Creed Shadows' reviewshave come back about the same as previousAssassin’s Creedtitles, that isn’t to say it’s out of the water just yet. Rarely has anAssassin’s Creedgame been ascontroversial asAssassin’s Creed Shadows, even if not all of those controversies were well-earned. Still, true to the game’s title, there is a large shadow looming over the latestAssassin’s Creedrelease, so it makes sense Ubisoft wants to patch up any issues that would hurt the game’s reputation any further.
5AC Shadows Adds Indestructible Objects To Shrines
Concerns Over Real-Life Vandalism Encouraged This Change
One change that might not seem like a big deal in terms of gameplay is thattables and racks inAssassin’s Creed Shadows' shrines are now indestructible. However, this change isn’t about correcting any issues with how the game plays, but as a way to avoid any further criticism over its handling of Japanese culture.Assassin’s Creed Shadowspreviously came under scrutiny for things like its use of Chinese text and architecture in some early previews of the game where Japanese equivalents should have been used, and debates over Yasuke’s status as a samurai.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows: All Onryo Locations & Rewards (Shinbakufu Leaders)
There are 12 Onryo targets in Assassin’s Creed Shadows that comprise the main Shinbakufu leaders responsible for Naoe’s father’s death.
According toIGN, the latest controversy surrounding the game came from a member of the House of Councilors of Japan, Hiroyuki Kada, who expressed worries overAssassin’s Creed Shadowsallowing players to destroy objects like tables and racks in “real-world locations,” i.e. the game’s shrines.Kada raised concerns that this in-game behavior may translate to real-life vandalism. Ubisoft has therefore responded to these concerns by making it impossible to destroy certain objects in shrines.
4NPCs Without Weapons Don’t Bleed
This Was Possibly Done To Prevent Bloodshed In Shrines
As a further response to the concerns raised by Japanese officials,Ubisoft has also made it so NPCs who don’t carry weapons won’t bleed when attacked. The IGN report speculates that this change was made to avoid bloodshed in the game’s shrines, which could also be seen as a cultural concern. It seems understandable that Ubisoft would want to avoid these types of controversies clouding the release of the game.
It’s also worth noting that, while these changes may seem small to players outside of Japan, it’simportant that a company like Ubisoft is taking the time to ensure international audiences don’t feel their culture is being disrespectedby the game. Although realistically, Ubisoft is likely just trying to avoid further controversy, if the end result is thatAssassin’s Creed Shadowsdoes not leave any players feeling offended, it is ultimately a good thing. Any game seeking to represent a real-life culture and use historical landmarks should take the same level of care to do so respectfully.
When Do You Get To Play As Yasuke In Assassin’s Creed Shadows?
Yasuke is one of two main characters in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, but after the prologue, you actually have to complete some tasks before playing him.
The importance of respecting Japanese culture is perhaps even more relevant forAssassin’s Creed Shadowsthan some other games, due to the way it has marketed itself. Just today, I got an email advertising the game with the tagline “Don’t miss out on what’s happening in feudal Japan.” Clearly,Ubisoft wants to use the game’s setting as a major selling point for the game, so it would be in bad taste if they didn’t take care to respect that setting and its culture.
3Players Won’t Get Stuck In Kofuns Anymore
Previously, Players Were Getting Stuck In Movable Objects After Dodging
The rest ofAssassin’s Creed Shadows' day-one patch fixes are less a result of any real-life controversies, and seem more focused on shoring up its gameplay. One key example of this is the fix thatplayers won’t get stuck inside movable objects in the game’s kofuns.
Kofuns are burial mounds that originate from the Kofun period, which took place between the years 300 and 538 C.E. in Japan. A kofun is a mound of earth constructed in a distinct shape that covers a stone tomb.Assassin’s Creed Shadowsincludes 10 kofuns for you to find and explore, and they contain valuable gear.
The apparent issue withAssassin’s Creed Shadows' kofuns was thatplayers were getting stuck on movable objects when they would dodge forward to begin interacting with them. This seems like the type of frustrating issue that players wouldn’t be prepared to experience, and could possibly be forced to backtrack to become unstuck. It’s also the type of glitch that could be easily clipped and used as a source of criticism of the state of the game, so I can see why Ubisoft would want it gone before players get their hands on the game.
2Horse Navigation Has Been Improved
Horses Are Now Easier To Turn
Another fix that will likely improve theAssassin’s Creed Shadowsexperience isan update to navigating on your horse. AlthoughAssassin’s Creed Shadows' mapis a bit smaller than some of the previous open-worldAssassin’s Creedgames, it is still pretty large. Having a horse should, theoretically, make traversing a large space quicker and more manageable. However, if there are any major issues with how horses work in the game, they could be more of an annoyance than a convenience.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Should You Play Canon Mode?
Canon Mode completely changes how you play Assassin’s Creed Shadows, but the option could be very attractive for some and unappealing for others.
Luckily,Assassin’s Creed Shadows' day-one patch will be addressing issues with turning horsesand how they react to blocked paths. This will hopefully make traveling go a bit smoother, and avoid any frustrations that could come from finicky horse controls. While having completely less streamlined controls for a horse may be more realistic, and the concept of taming a digital horse isn’t entirely unappealing, it likely isn’t the experience most players want or expect from theAssassin’s Creedfranchise.
Having played my fair share ofThe Witcher 3, and getting so sick of Roach that I started walking most places, I’m happy to hear thatAssassin’s Creed Shadows' horses will be getting a bit of extra attention at launch. This is the type ofsmall fix that can have a huge impact on a game, just due to the amount of time one will likely spend on their horse. From an outside perspective, I do think trying to address the game’s potential cultural issues is more important, but horse mechanics will definitely impact my gameplay experience more.
1AC Shadows' Patch Fixes Issues With Clipping Textures And Glitching Through Walls
Going Prone Would Cause Players To Pass Through Boundaries
Going prone is a new mechanic thatAssassin’s Creed Shadowsintroducedto the franchise. Initially, when I saw this claim, I had to double-check because I was shocked that a series built around stealthy assassins would have included cyclopes and Thor’s hammer before it added the ability to crawl. Still, it’s better late than never, and the addition of going prone is a good one, granted that it works properly.
No new feature is without some growing pains, andAssassin’s Creed Shadows' prone mechanics aren’t an exception. Notes about the day-one patch forAssassin’s Creed Shadowsmention thatcharacters could previously leave the game’s built-in boundaries by going proneagainst objects. I never played an early build of the game, and I couldn’t find any footage from those who have detailing this phenomenon, but based on the description I would assume this included things like clipping through walls or other objects that should prevent you from moving through them.
Clipping in general seems to be a bit of an issue forAssassin’s Creed Shadows, as the day-one patch also includes a fix for the cloth on Yasuke and Naoe’s outfits, which was apparently clipping through objects while riding and crouching respectively. Though I wouldn’t consider these as big of a game-breaking issue as crawling through a barrier, they represent a similar issue with the game’s physics.
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Guaranteed Assassination in Assassin’s Creed Shadows has many pros and cons, and you’ll want to consider whether it’s the right setting for you.
Honestly, issues like this are the kind of thing that doesn’t typically bother me when I’m playing a new game, especially if I’m enjoying myself. I grew up in an era of video games where everything was pixels or crudely geometric 3D models, and part of me still marvels at what the average AAA game looks like now. That said, I can absolutely understand whyplayers would be frustrated or dissatisfied with a game likeAssassin’s Creed Shadowsbecause of issues with clipping.
Assassin’s Creed Shadowsis a full-price (which now means $69.99) AAA game, andit’s reasonable to have high expectations for what that means. While these patch notes don’t detail any issues as game-breaking as something likeCyberpunk 2077’s launch gave us, it still makes sense that Ubisoft wouldn’t want the game to be released with any bugs. It’s a little too early to know if issues with clipping will have been fully addressed, or if more will come to light as players have more time with the game, but it’s nice to see Ubisoft is concerned with fixing them.
In general, the day-one patch forAssassin’s Creed Shadowsdoesn’t deliver any earth-shattering changes to the overall experience. Still, I’m happy to see that Ubisoft is attempting to address both potential cultural issues and gameplay issues that would make the game more frustrating to play. Hopefully the game will continue to get timely fixes for any future bugs.
