Ubisoft has released a new series of videos breaking down the various open-world activities players can expect in the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Shadows. There’s a lot of emphasis being placed on the different experiences between the main protagonists, Naoe and Yasuke. Each character will have their own unique activities to engage with in the open-world and during exploration, giving players more reasons to walk both paths.
One of the first activities that Naoe and Yasuke can do is create art. This doesn’t necessarily buff their skills or stats but it is an activity that players might find rewarding. While out exploring the open-world, both protagonists will have unique activities to take part in. For example, Yasuke can find experts who will teach him how to use his Kata, granting him special attack moves, while Naoe can meditate to reveal more of her backstory.
One significant feature in Assassin’s Creed Shadows is the inclusion of scouts. These recruits can help Naoe and Yasuke find points of interest on the map without the player having to go out of their way to find them. Of course, if you still wish to explore the world organically, you don’t have to use scouts. More importantly, scouts can also raid enemy strongholds one at a time, taking out key targets silently and efficiently. Once a location has been raided, Naoe and Yasuke can use resources gathered from scout raids to customise their safe houses.
If you enjoyed finding the highest locations in past Assassin’s Creed games, viewpoints make a return in Shadows. This time, players can use a 360-degree to observe their surroundings and spot other key locations in the distance, marking them on the map. It’s a similar mechanic used in Immortals Fenyx Rising and we’re glad it has been carried over here. Naturally, viewpoints will also unlock fast travel but if an area is still controlled by enemies, you’ll have to fight them and clear the area before fast travelling to that spot.
The final mechanic talked about in the video is the pathfinder feature, which can be activated while on horseback. Similar to GTA V, this will guide players towards their next destination by marking the ground with a clear path forward.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows launches on 20 March 2025 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC (initially delayed from 14 February). Watch the full exploration videos below:
Source: Ubisoft
