Dive into the world of Assassin’s Creed Shadows as two real-life parkour athletes, Toby Segar and Benj Cave from the UK's STORROR team, give their expert take on the game's parkour realism. Their insights shed light on how Ubisoft has strived to bring Feudal Japan to life in this much-anticipated title.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Gearing Up For Its Release

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

In a detailed review featured on PC Gamer’s Reality Check video dated March 15, Toby Segar and Benj Cave, seasoned parkour athletes and fans of the Assassin’s Creed series, critiqued the realism of Assassin’s Creed Shadows' parkour mechanics. Both are actively involved in developing their own parkour-based game, STORROR Parkour Pro.

In the video, Segar highlighted a scene from AC Shadows where the protagonist Yasuke uses an "alpine knee" to ascend a ledge. This move, according to Segar, is a "hate crime against parkour" due to its impracticality and potential for injury, as it puts undue pressure on the knee.

Benj Cave further commented on other parkour aspects, noting the series' tendency to showcase protagonists with seemingly endless stamina, performing complex moves without pause. He emphasized that real-life parkour involves careful planning and checking, contrasting sharply with the game's more fantastical approach.

While Assassin’s Creed Shadows operates in a fictional realm, Ubisoft has made significant efforts to enhance parkour realism. In a January interview with IGN, AC Shadows Game Director Charles Benoit mentioned that the game's release delay was partly due to refining these parkour mechanics.

Bringing Players Closer to Feudal Japan

Beyond parkour, Ubisoft aims to immerse players in the historical setting of Feudal Japan through the "Cultural Discovery" feature. On March 18, Ubisoft Editorial Comms Manager Chastity Vicencio detailed how this in-game Codex will educate players about the Azuchi-Momoyama period, boasting over 125 entries at launch, crafted with the help of historians and enriched with museum imagery.

Bringing this historical era to life wasn't without challenges. In an interview with The Guardian on March 17, developers discussed the complexities of recreating Feudal Japan. Ubisoft Executive Producer Marc-Alexis Coté highlighted the long-standing demand for a Japan-set Assassin’s Creed game, stating, "I've been on [this] franchise for 16 years and I think every time we start a new game, Japan comes up and we ask, is this the time?"

Creative Director Johnathan Dumont added that the team went to great lengths, including trips to Kyoto and Osaka, and collaborated with in-house historians to authentically represent the period. Despite technical challenges, such as capturing the unique light of Japan's mountains, Ubisoft's dedication to realism remains unwavering.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is slated for release on March 20, 2025, and will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Keep up with the latest updates by checking out our dedicated article below!