Parkour Athletes Review Assassin's Creed Shadows Movements

Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ parkour mechanics have been put to the test by two renowned parkour athletes, offering a unique perspective on the game's realism and the developers' efforts to authentically represent Feudal Japan.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Gearing Up For Its Release

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

In a detailed review featured in PC Gamer’s Reality Check video on March 15, Toby Segar and Benj Cave from the UK's STORROR team, both avid fans of the Assassin’s Creed series, provided their expert analysis on the parkour realism in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. These athletes are also working on their own parkour-based video game, STORROR Parkour Pro.

During the video, Segar highlighted a scene where the protagonist Yasuke performs a move dubbed a "hate crime against parkour." He specifically critiqued Yasuke's use of an "alpine knee" to ascend a ledge, a technique that places undue stress on the knee and is considered impractical in real parkour.

Cave further elaborated on the series' portrayal of parkour, noting the unrealistic endurance of the protagonists who perform continuous parkour moves without rest. He emphasized the real-life necessity of assessing and preparing for each move, contrasting it with the game's portrayal of non-stop action.

While Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a fictional game, Ubisoft has made significant efforts to enhance the realism of its parkour mechanics. In a January interview with IGN, Game Director Charles Benoit explained that the game's release was delayed to refine these mechanics, showcasing Ubisoft's commitment to delivering a more authentic experience.

Bringing Players Closer to Feudal Japan

Beyond the parkour, Ubisoft aims to immerse players in the historical context of Feudal Japan through the "Cultural Discovery" feature. As detailed on Ubisoft's website on March 18, Editorial Comms Manager Chastity Vicencio described how this in-game Codex will provide players with over 125 encyclopedic entries on the Azuchi-Momoyama period, crafted with input from historians and enriched with museum images.

The development team faced significant challenges in authentically recreating Feudal Japan, as shared in an interview with The Guardian on March 17. Ubisoft Executive Producer Marc-Alexis Coté discussed the long-standing interest in setting an Assassin’s Creed game in Japan, finally realized with Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Creative Director Johnathan Dumont highlighted the extensive research and trips to Kyoto and Osaka that helped capture the essence of the period, despite challenges like accurately depicting the unique lighting in Japan's mountains.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is poised for release on March 20, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Stay tuned for more updates on this highly anticipated title!