Details on Assassin’s Creed Shadows are continuing to come in thick and fast as its launch draws closer, with recent days having brought yet more information on the upcoming action RPG- plenty of which we’ve covered in past features, and plenty that we haven’t. This feature right here, then, is for the latter. A host of new information has emerged on the game’s progression mechanics, customization options, base building systems, and more, so as we count the days down to Shadows’ release, here, we’re going to talk about more key gameplay details that we have learned about it.
MASTERY
Ubisoft had touched on Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ progression systems in the past, but with a recent deep dive, more elaborate details have also now emerged. As Naoe and Yasuke level up and gain Mastery points, they’ll both be able to unlock new abilities and boosts in their Mastery trees, with both having unique ones. Through weapon trees, players will be able to unlock new abilities, increase weapon proficiency, and learn new combos, while archetype trees will let Yasuke and Naoe develop their skills as a samurai and assassin/shinobi respectively. It’s also been confirmed that players will be able to reset Naoe and Yasuke’s Mastery points at any time, which should allow for some flexibility as far as your play style goes.
KNOWLEDGE RANKS
Your character’s Knowledge level will also have an important role to play in their progression, with their Knowledge Rank determining whether certain upgrades are available for unlocking. Like XP and Mastery Points, any and all Knowledge gained by either character will be shared by both. And how exactly will it be earned? That’ll be done through specific activities, like tracking down and acquiring items known as Lost Pages, praying at certain shrines, learning new Kata while playing as Yasuke, or meditating at specific points as Naoe.
GEAR
Like its predecessors, Assassin’s Creed Shadows will make your gear another crucial component of its progression systems, with each character equipping a headgear piece, two different weapons, an armour piece, and either a trinket or an amulet. Unlike other progression elements, gear – which will come in one of five tiers ranging from Common to Legendary – obviously won’t be shared across both characters. The game will also allow players to save different loadouts so you can easily swap between your personal favourite sets rather than having to manually change things out each time. Also, yes, equipment will also be upgradable at the forge in the Hideout, your central hub.
PERKS
If you’re looking to build further on your characters’ progression and customization on top of skills and equipment, perks will be your next main area of focus. Found on dead enemies (specifically, on capital T Targets), in chests, at merchants, by completing specific in-game challenges, or by crafting your own at the Hideout, Perks will allow you to modify and enhance your equipment and continue to tailor your play style. From basic stat improvements to applying afflictions on enemies to special passive buffs and more, Perks will come in several different shapes and sizes.
ENDGAME PROGRESSION
If there’s one thing the Assassin’s Creed RPGs pride themselves on, it’s having plenty of content to keep players busy for hours upon hours even after rolling credits. Unsurprisingly, then, Shadows will also have systems in place specifically for endgame progression. After hitting Knowledge Rank 6, players will unlock a completely new Knowledge tree with a fresh set of passive boosts to make their way through and unlock. As Ubisoft puts it, this new tree will allow players to “maximize specific stats to fully embrace your ideal playstyle.”
TRANSMOG
For those more concerned with the visual and cosmetic aspects of character customization, fret now- Assassin’s Creed Shadows is offering plenty of flexibility on that front as well. As soon as players have unlocked the aforementioned Forge (which is clearly going to be pivotal to progression as a whole), you’ll be able to apply transmog, which means keeping your gear’s stats but making it look like other equipment that you own. In Shadows, transmog will extend to weapons and even different weapon parts as well, courtesy of which players will be able to customize the visual style of, say, a katana’s blade, handle, and guard without affecting its stats or attributes.
ASSASSINATIONS
Assassinations will obviously be an important part of Shadows’ gameplay loop – it’s called Assassin’s Creed, after all – but how exactly will it work? Well, as the game starts off, your Hidden Blade will be able to deal two chunks of health bars’ worth of damage, which means enemies that have more health will be able to survive assassination attempts, while those that don’t will perish instantly. Using the Observe mechanic, players will be able to learn whether an enemy can be instantly assassinated. Perks, special equipment, Mastery skills, and more will let you upgrade your Hidden Blade damage. If, however, all you want is one-hit-kill assassinations with no caveats like in older Assassin’s Creed titles, Shadows will let you simply toggle that on by heading into its accessibility settings.
HIDEOUT
Players will be returning time and again to the Hideout throughout Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ runtime, and apparently, there’s going to be a lot to see and dive into. Nestled in the Izumi Settsu province, the Hideout will be unlocked early on in the game’s story- specifically, not long after you’re done with the prologue. Expansions and customizations, meanwhile, will require three different resources – crops, minerals, and wood – that players will find throughout the open world. That, of course, will be in addition to mons, the currency that you’ll be using throughout your time in feudal Japan. Customization elements, meanwhile, will be unlocked in a variety of ways, including unique side activities found in the world, completing quests or contracts, or purchasing them at vendors and shops.
HIDEOUT CUSTOMIZATION
The Hideout will afford players a great degree of freedom when it comes to customization, based on everything that Ubisoft has said about how things will work. Central among customization options will be different rooms and building types- the ever-so-important Forge to assist with your gear and progression, a study with which to expand your network of scouts, a Kakurega to allow you to unlock safehouses across the map, a dojo where you can enhance Naoe and Yasuke’s skills, a stable where you’ll be able to smuggle resources, and more. Players will also be able to join rooms and buildings together, place a variety of interior decoration elements, and more. On top of that, exterior elements such as paths, light sources, fences, and more will also be available.
HIDEOUT DENIZENS
As the Hideout grows and expands, it will, as you might imagine, also grow increasingly populous. Many of its denizens will be animals, added to your hub in several ways. Petting different species of cats and dogs around Japan will bring those furry buddies to your abode, as will engaging in a specific side activity that tasks players with sketching animals in the wild. The latter will allow you to bring foxes, tanuki, and deer to your Hideout. Beyond that, you can, of course, expect new vendors, scouts, blacksmiths, and of course, special allies to populate the Hideout as it expands throughout the game’s runtime.
