Ubisoft has surprised fans of the Assassin’s Creed saga with the expansion of the game Assassin’s Creed Shadows, which presents an unusual approach to storytelling. Instead of typical cutscenes, the DLC content unfolds through a puppet theater, offering a visual experience that recalls the best of classical theater. This change is complemented by side-scrolling gameplay, similar to iconic titles like Rayman and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, representing a significant departure from the main entries in the franchise.
Great similarities with recent successes of the company
The mission called The Claws of Awaji lasts about 20 minutes and allows players to control both a soldier and an assassin, evoking the style of characters like Yasuke and Naoe. During this experience, players can enjoy a varied set of activities, including direct combat, stealth assassinations, parkour, and alternative routes, all in an artistic style reminiscent of period theater. This unexpected proposal has been well received, suggesting that it could be a nod to the underrated Assassin’s Creed Chronicles trilogy, which also aligned with a side-scrolling gameplay style.
The similarities with Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Ubisoft’s most successful game in recent years, fuel expectations that a title in this style for Assassin’s Creed could find a warm reception. Some experts suggest that this mission could be an experiment to assess the viability of developing a full game along these lines. Many in the gaming community express a desire for the franchise to return to more concise installments, around 20 to 30 hours, a duration that would resonate with the classics of the series.
The reception of The Claws of Awaji and its similarity to past works could be a sign that Ubisoft is considering an interesting future for the series, sugesting that the time for metroidvanias in the Assassin’s Creed universe might be closer than many think.
