Parkour Athletes Review Assassin’s Creed Shadows Movements

Discover the realism behind Assassin’s Creed Shadows' parkour, as reviewed by two professional athletes. Dive into how Ubisoft brings the immersive world of Feudal Japan to life in this eagerly awaited game.

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 on March 15, Toby Segar and Benj Cave from the UK's STORROR team, both avid fans of the Assassin’s Creed series and creators of the upcoming STORROR Parkour Pro game, provided their insights on the realism of Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ parkour mechanics.

Segar specifically critiqued a scene featuring protagonist Yasuke, labeling his climbing technique as a "hate crime against parkour." He pointed out Yasuke's use of an "alpine knee" to ascend, a move considered impractical in real parkour due to the risk of knee injury from bearing the full body weight.

Cave highlighted another unrealistic aspect: the protagonist's endless endurance, performing continuous parkour without breaks. He noted, "In real-life parkour, you check, you measure, you prep, and it’s a much slower process." Despite these critiques, Ubisoft has strived to enhance realism in the game's mechanics, as confirmed by AC Shadows Game Director Charles Benoit in an IGN interview, explaining the delay in the game's release to polish these elements.

Bringing Players Closer to Feudal Japan

While set in a fictional universe, Assassin’s Creed Shadows aims to immerse players in the history of Feudal Japan through its "Cultural Discovery" feature. Ubisoft Editorial Comms Manager Chastity Vicencio detailed on March 18 how this in-game Codex will offer over 125 encyclopedic entries on the Azuchi-Momoyama period, crafted by historians and enriched with museum images.

Bringing Feudal Japan to life presented significant challenges, as shared by the developers in a March 17 interview with The Guardian. Ubisoft Executive Producer Marc-Alexis Coté explained the long-standing interest in setting an Assassin’s Creed game in Japan, finally realized with AC Shadows. Creative Director Johnathan Dumont discussed the extensive efforts, including collaborations with historians and trips to Kyoto and Osaka, to authentically capture the essence of the era, despite challenges like replicating the unique lighting in Japan's mountains.

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