Summary
Assassin’s Creed Shadowsis one of the most highly anticipatedAssassin’s Creedtitles to date, simply because it was anticipated for years before it was even announced. AnAssassin’s Creedtitle set in Japan has been at the top of fans' wish lists for quite some time now, and they are finally getting what they want whenAssassin’s Creed Shadowsreleases on June 04, 2025. The nextAssassin’s Creedgame brings plenty of new features to the franchise, including an annual cycle featuring all four seasons. According to Ubisoft, this annual cycle will change the environment inAssassin’s Creed Shadowsand players will be required to change their playstyle as a result.
For example, during the winter inAssassin’s Creed Shadows, bodies of water will freeze, preventing players from hiding in the water during a stealth approach. While this will certainly make the game’s environments more interactive and dynamic, this degree of realism ultimately begs the question of how the seasons might also affectAssassin’s Creed Shadows' interchangeable protagonists, Naoe and Yasuke. Assuming they will,Assassin’s Creed Shadowswill need to ensure it balances the substance that its seasons bring to the game with the armor and cosmetic items necessary to accommodate it.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows' Protagonists Need Wardrobe Options to Match the Seasons
Assassin’s Creed Shadows' Dynamic Seasons Would Presumably Affect Naoe and Yasuke
An ongoing annual cycle is unprecedented in anAssassin’s Creedgameand will likely be one of its environmental highlights. Unfortunately, when a game’s world is designed with a certain amount of realism in mind, everything within the game’s world needs to be taken into consideration.Assassin’s Creed Shadowsisn’t the firstAssassin’s Creedgame to feature seasons, but it is the firstAssassin’s Creedgame to allow its seasons to directly impact the environment and, in turn, gameplay.
In theory, if water freezes during winter inAssassin’s Creed Shadows,Naoe and Yasukewould also be affected by cold. After all, temperatures at or below freezing would be harsh on anyone in the real world. As such, at the very least, Naoe and Yasuke will need to respond to these environmental changes with some sort of audio or visual cue that shows them affected by the world around them. A perfect example of this would be if Naoe and Yasuke were to both audibly and visually shiver during freezing temperatures. The same effect should be present in the summer as well, showing Naoe and Yasuke sweating and possibly panting if temperatures are high enough.
Aside from these cues to support the realism ofAssassin’s Creed Shadows' seasons, it would make sense for Naoe and Yasuke’s faculties to be affected by the weather as well. Perhaps if they are too cold, they move slower, or if they are too hot, they run out of stamina more quickly. Thankfully, there is a wayAssassin’s Creed Shadowscould work around this issue to allow for a less survival-like experience while also maintaining the realism that comes with its annual cycle.
Naoe and Yasuke Will Need the Appropriate Attire to Thrive in Every Season
Assuming seasons would also directly affectAssassin’s Creed Shadows' dual protagonists, the two could simply be given the appropriate attire to thrive during hotter or colder temperatures. For example, they could wear less burdensome armor during the warmer seasons and heavier armor during the colder seasons. An assassin clad in a fur-lined cloak making their way through snow-covered hills would be appropriate, all while serving to reinforce the environmental realism stemming from its seasons.
Cosmetics in video gameshave become increasingly popular over the last decade, andAssassin’s Creed Shadowshas every reason to provide players with plenty of options that account for every in-game season. There is a balance thatAssassin’s Creed Shadowsneeds to strike here if it wants to feel as real as it seems to be on the surface.
