"Parkour Athletes Review Assassin's Creed Shadows Movements"

Discover the realism behind Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ parkour, as reviewed by two seasoned parkour athletes. Dive into how the game captures the essence of Feudal Japan and what it took to bring this world to life.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Gearing Up For Its Release

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

In a detailed Reality Check video by PC Gamer, published on March 15, two parkour experts from the UK's STORROR team, Toby Segar and Benj Cave, offered their insights on the realism of Assassin’s Creed Shadows' parkour mechanics. Both avid fans of the Assassin’s Creed series, they are also developing their own parkour-based video game, STORROR Parkour Pro.

In the video, Segar criticized a specific move in AC Shadows where the protagonist Yasuke uses an "alpine knee" to climb up a ledge. This technique, where the knee bears the climber's full weight, is deemed impractical and potentially harmful in real parkour, earning it the label of a "hate crime against parkour."

Cave highlighted additional unrealistic elements, such as climbing structures without ledges and maintaining perfect balance on tightropes. He also pointed out the game's portrayal of unlimited endurance in parkour, contrasting it with the real-life need for checking, measuring, and preparing before executing moves.

While Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a fictional game, Ubisoft has strived to infuse realism into its parkour. In a January interview with IGN, AC Shadows Game Director Charles Benoit explained that the game's release delay was due to efforts to refine the parkour mechanics.

Bringing Players Closer to Feudal Japan

Beyond its parkour, Assassin’s Creed Shadows aims to immerse players in the historical context of Feudal Japan through its "Cultural Discovery" feature. As detailed on Ubisoft's website on March 18, Editorial Comms Manager Chastity Vicencio elaborated on how this feature will educate players about the Azuchi-Momoyama period. The in-game Codex includes over 125 encyclopedic entries at launch, crafted by historians and enriched with museum and institutional images.

Creating an authentic depiction of Feudal Japan presented significant challenges for the development team. In an interview with The Guardian on March 17, Ubisoft's developers discussed their efforts to meet fan expectations for a Japan-set Assassin’s Creed game. Executive Producer Marc-Alexis Coté shared the team's long-term consideration of Japan as a setting, finally deciding it was the right time with AC Shadows.

Creative Director Johnathan Dumont emphasized the team's commitment to authenticity, including collaborations with historians and research trips to Kyoto and Osaka. The team faced unique challenges, such as accurately rendering the light in Japan’s mountains, but their dedication paid off in capturing the country's essence.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is scheduled for release on March 20, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Stay updated with the latest news on Assassin’s Creed Shadows by checking out our comprehensive article below!