Fans of Assassin's Creed Valhalla have expressed concerns about the game's extensive plot and the abundance of optional tasks, prompting Ubisoft to take note. In response, the upcoming title, Assassin's Creed Shadows, promises to be more streamlined and focused. Game director Charles Benoit revealed in an interview that the main campaign of Shadows is expected to take around 50 hours to complete. For those eager to explore every region and tackle all side quests, the total playtime could extend to approximately 100 hours. This is a notable reduction compared to Valhalla, which required at least 60 hours for a main playthrough and up to 150 hours for full completion.
Ubisoft has made a conscious effort to trim down the optional content in Shadows, aiming to strike a better balance between the story and additional activities. The goal is to create a less overwhelming experience while preserving the depth and richness of the game's world. This approach is intended to cater to players who value quality gameplay without sacrificing it for brevity, as well as those who prefer to focus primarily on the narrative without committing to hundreds of hours of play.
Game director Jonathan Dumont shared insights into the development process, highlighting the team's research trip to Japan, which significantly influenced the creation of Shadows. The team was particularly struck by the scale of the castles, the layered mountain landscapes, and the dense forests. Dumont noted, "The sheer size of these fortresses makes you say, 'I didn't expect this scale.' We came to the conclusion that much more realism and attention to detail were required."
One of the key changes in Shadows is the more realistic representation of world geography. Players will need to travel longer distances between points of interest to fully appreciate the open landscapes, but each location will be more detailed and nuanced. This approach differs significantly from Assassin's Creed Odyssey's travel system, where points of interest were often closely spaced. In Shadows, the world will feel more open and natural, with travel taking longer but offering richer, more detailed locations. Dumont emphasized that this increased attention to detail will allow players to immerse themselves fully in the Japanese atmosphere.
