"AC: Shadows Campaign Intense, Shorter with Key Locations"

Fans of Assassin's Creed Valhalla have expressed concerns about the game's lengthy plot and the abundance of optional tasks, prompting Ubisoft to take action with Assassin's Creed Shadows. The developers have promised a more streamlined experience, with shadows that are easier to see and a more compact game structure.

In an interview, game director Charles Benoit revealed that completing the main campaign of Shadows will take approximately 50 hours. For those eager to explore every nook and cranny and tackle all side quests, the total playtime could reach about 100 hours. This is a notable reduction from Valhalla, where a main playthrough took at least 60 hours, and full completion could stretch to 150 hours.

Ubisoft has made a concerted effort to scale back on optional content, aiming to prevent player overwhelm. Shadows is designed to strike a better balance between the main story and additional activities, ensuring that gameplay remains engaging without becoming tedious. The goal is to preserve the richness of the world and the depth of the story while making the experience more manageable.

According to Benoit, players who enjoy deep gameplay won't need to compromise on quality for a shorter duration. Meanwhile, those who prefer a more focused narrative can complete the game without dedicating hundreds of hours.

Game director Jonathan Dumont shared that the development team's research trip to Japan significantly influenced Shadows. He remarked, "You're still struck by the reality of a place you've only ever read about or seen in movies. The size of the castles, the tiered mountain scenery, and the density of the forests all took us by surprise. The sheer size of these fortresses makes you say, 'I didn't expect this scale.' We came to the conclusion that much more realism and attention to detail were required."

One of the major changes in Shadows is the more realistic world geography. Players will now need to travel longer distances between points of interest to fully appreciate the open landscapes, but each location will be more specific and nuanced. This approach contrasts with Assassin's Creed Odyssey, where points of interest were often closely packed. In Shadows, travel will take more time, and the world will feel more open and natural. As players progress, the locations will become increasingly detailed and immersive. Dumont emphasized that Shadows boasts a significantly higher level of attention to detail, allowing players to fully immerse themselves in the Japanese atmosphere.