Assassin's Creed Shadows: The return of parkour and a course correction for the series
In a move aimed at reconciling with old fans and restoring the series' classic appeal, the Assassin's Creed Shadows intensively on reviving the parkour system and putting it at the heart of the gameplay experience, after years of marginalizing this mechanic in favor of RPG elements in recent releases.
Simon Lemmy Komteus, the game's assistant director, stated that the biggest lesson the team learned during the development journey was realizing that climbing and smooth transition movements (parkour) must remain a fundamental pillar and an indispensable element in any release bearing the name of this prestigious series.
Challenges of the RPG era: Why did parkour disappear?
Komteus explained that the approach Ubisoft adopted in the last three games (Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla) directly impacted the quality of movement. With the maps becoming enormously vast to represent entire countries like ancient Egypt, Greece, and England, the geographical nature of the environment changed. Distances between cities became enormous, and the urban density that allowed for surface travel decreased, forcing players to rely on horses and walking in open spaces, thus depriving the series of one of its most important competitive advantages.
Back to the Roots: Parkour as a Visual Identity
Historically, parkour wasn't just a means of transportation in Assassin's Creed games; it was an integral part of the series' visual and narrative identity since its inception with "Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad" and "Ezio Auditore." The ability to scale skyscrapers and swiftly escape through narrow alleyways was what distinguished the Assassin from other warriors. Therefore, the decline of this element in recent years has frustrated a large segment of players who feel the game has lost its soul in favor of becoming a more general action game.
What will Assassin's Creed Shadows offer?
The development team confirmed that Assassin's Creed Shadows , set in feudal Japan, will take this challenge very seriously. The Japanese environment, with its towering castles, densely populated villages, and temples boasting intricate architecture, provides the perfect setting for the return of parkour. The developers consider this mechanic a cornerstone of the upcoming game's identity and plan to continuously refine it to deliver a more dynamic and interactive experience that allows players to feel light and in control.
The future of the series and the diversity of its releases
This move coincides with other ambitious projects from Ubisoft, such as the mobile version of Assassin's Creed Jade Codename Hexe from Montreal Studios, and strong rumors of a remake of the beloved Black Flag . This diversity suggests a new strategy for the company, attempting to balance RPG fans with fans of classic stealth. The question remains: will Shadows be the true beginning of the series' golden age of parkour? Only time will tell.
