Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ blend of old and new is a recipe for success

digitaltrends.com:

This story is part of our Summer Gaming Marathon series.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows was officially revealed a couple of weeks ago in a beefy cinematic trailer showing off its dual protagonists, Yasuke and Naoe. It’s a big moment for fans of the series, as Shadows is finally the Feudal Japan Assassin’s Creed game fans have been asking for since it was teased back in the very first entry in the franchise in 2007.

Does it live up to that long wait? Ahead of today’s Ubisoft Forward stream, I saw an extended gameplay presentation for Assassin’s Creed Shadows that gave me a much better sense of what to expect this fall. The team behind it is looking to blend newer series entries like Valhalla, Odyssey, and Origins into the more traditional Assassin’s Creed titles from over a decade ago. And that seems like it could be a winning formula.

Out of the shadows

During the presentation, I saw both of Shadows‘ playable characters in action — and they’re quite different from one another. Yasuke’s Samurai stature and hulking physique command respect from villagers when he walks by. They bow to him, move out of his way, and clearly show signs of admiration. His combat skills also match this, giving him access to actions like a shoulder charge to break down doors or knock enemies off balance.

His attacks are brutal, precise, and deadly. During the presentation, I saw him battle some corrupt samurai in the streets. Their lifeless bodies piled up as he knocked them over and tossed them around. He’s a force of nature; breaking pots and other parts of the environment. The street was left in ruins by the time he was done.

• XDefiant is getting some massive updates for its Season 1 launch
• Sonic X Shadow Generations’ new levels are surprisingly cinematic
• We went hands-on with Sonic X Shadow Generations (the milkshake)

Yasuke seems to get his own musical motifs too, making him even more distinct. The battle was accompanied by a funky musical track with a strong beat, with classical