Parkour Athletes Review Assassin's Creed Shadows Movements

Discover the authenticity behind the parkour in Assassin’s Creed Shadows as two professional parkour athletes provide their expert analysis. Delve into how the game brings the world of Feudal Japan to life with immersive realism.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Gearing Up For Its Release

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

In a compelling Reality Check video by PC Gamer released on March 15, two renowned parkour athletes from the UK-based team STORROR, Toby Segar and Benj Cave, provided a detailed critique of the parkour mechanics in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Both enthusiasts of the Assassin’s Creed series, they are also developing their own game, STORROR Parkour Pro, which focuses on real-life parkour movements.

In the video, Segar pointed out a particular scene from Assassin’s Creed Shadows where protagonist Yasuke performs a move that they termed a "hate crime against parkour." This move, known as an "alpine knee," involves Yasuke using his knee to support his weight while climbing, a technique considered impractical in real parkour due to the risk of knee injury.

Cave also critiqued the game's portrayal of continuous parkour without rest, highlighting the unrealistic endurance of the protagonists. He explained, "In parkour, no one ever just runs and commits to stuff without looking. In real-life parkour, you check, you measure, you prep, and it’s such a slower process."

While Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a fictional game, Ubisoft has strived to infuse realism into its parkour mechanics. In an IGN interview in January, Game Director Charles Benoit mentioned that the game's release delay was to refine these parkour elements.

Bringing Players Closer to Feudal Japan

Despite its fictional setting, Assassin’s Creed Shadows aims to immerse players in the historical context of Feudal Japan through its "Cultural Discovery" feature. On March 18, Ubisoft Editorial Comms Manager Chastity Vicencio detailed on the company's website how this feature will integrate the history, art, and culture of the Azuchi-Momoyama period into the game. The in-game Codex will include over 125 entries at launch, crafted with the help of historians and supported by museum and institutional images.

Bringing Feudal Japan to life was no small feat, as discussed in a March 17 interview with The Guardian. Ubisoft Executive Producer Marc-Alexis Coté shared the journey of selecting Japan as the game's setting, 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?" He noted that it was only with Assassin’s Creed Shadows that they progressed beyond the conceptual stage.

Creative Director Johnathan Dumont emphasized the team's dedication to authenticity, collaborating with historians and visiting Kyoto and Osaka to gather detailed information. Despite challenges, such as accurately depicting light in Japan's mountains, the team's commitment to realism paid off. Coté remarked, "The expectations have been this high throughout. It’s been a challenge."

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is scheduled for release on March 20, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Stay tuned for more updates by checking out our related articles!