Parkour Experts Analyze Assassin’s Creed Shadows Gameplay Realism

Two professional parkour athletes evaluated the parkour mechanics in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, offering insights into their realism and how the game portrays Feudal Japan.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Prepares for Launch

Parkour Pros Call Out Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ Moves

In a PC Gamer Reality Check video released on March 15, UK-based parkour athletes Toby Segar and Benj Cave from team STORROR reviewed the parkour in Assassin’s Creed Shadows and earlier titles. Both are avid fans of the series and are developing their own game, STORROR Parkour Pro, inspired by real-world parkour techniques.

Segar highlighted a scene where protagonist Yasuke uses an “alpine knee” move to climb a ledge, calling it a “serious misstep for parkour.” He explained that this technique, which shifts body weight onto the knee, is impractical and risks injury in actual parkour practice.

Cave noted other unrealistic elements, such as the protagonists’ ability to scale smooth structures, balance effortlessly on tightropes, and perform relentless parkour sequences without fatigue. He remarked, “Real parkour involves careful planning, measurement, and preparation—it's much slower than the game depicts.”

While Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a fictional game, Ubisoft aimed to infuse realism into its parkour system. In a January IGN interview, Game Director Charles Benoit shared that the team delayed the release to refine these mechanics.

Immersing Players in Feudal Japan

Despite its fictional narrative of Assassins versus Templars, Ubisoft enhances historical immersion with the “Cultural Discovery” feature. On March 18, Ubisoft’s Editorial Comms Manager Chastity Vicencio detailed on their website how this feature integrates Feudal Japan’s history into the game.

She explained, “The in-game Codex includes a cultural encyclopedia with curated entries on the Azuchi-Momoyama period’s history, art, and culture, crafted by historians and featuring images from museums.” Compared to AC Mirage’s History of Baghdad, Cultural Discovery offers over 125 entries at launch, with more planned.

Recreating Feudal Japan posed challenges, as developers shared in a March 17 interview with The Guardian. Fans have long requested a Japan-set Assassin’s Creed, and AC Shadows aims to deliver.

Executive Producer Marc-Alexis Coté explained the decision to set the game in Japan: “In my 16 years with the franchise, Japan has always been a consideration. This time, we fully committed.” Creative Director Johnathan Dumont added that the team collaborated with historians and visited Kyoto and Osaka to ensure authenticity.

Technical hurdles included accurately rendering Japan’s unique mountain lighting. Through dedication and detailed research, the team captured the region’s essence. Coté noted, “Meeting these high expectations has been demanding.”

Assassin’s Creed Shadows launches on March 20, 2025, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Stay informed with our latest updates on the game below!