Assassin's Creed Shadows: Kyoto's Parkour Potential Unveiled

A new gameplay video for Assassin’s Creed Shadows has recently been released, providing fans with their first glimpse of Kyoto from a synchronization viewpoint. The footage, shared by the Japanese media outlet Impress Watch, features protagonist Naoe climbing a rooftop to unveil a panoramic view of the city. Despite the stunning visuals, some fans have noted that Kyoto appears smaller than anticipated, leading to discussions about its design and functionality within the game.

Reddit users who viewed the video have been vocal about their mixed feelings. While many appreciate the city's aesthetic appeal, concerns have been raised regarding the core elements of the Assassin's Creed series, particularly the climbing and parkour mechanics. The video suggests that Kyoto may not provide extensive opportunities for free-running, which has sparked a variety of responses from the community.

Here are some reactions from Reddit users:

Isn't Kyoto supposed to be about half the size of Paris from Unity? Don't get me wrong, it looks beautiful, and exploring it will definitely be enjoyable, but I was hoping for at least one densely populated city designed for parkour.

It looks great, but it's disappointing that we might be limited to restricted parkour instead of full-on freerunning. Hopefully, the grappling hook will make up for it.

Looks nice, but there aren't enough structures for proper parkour.

While it's visually appealing, it doesn't quite feel like a city. I'm sure it's historically accurate, but it seems lacking when it comes to parkour potential.

Assassin's Creed Shadows is slated for release on March 20, 2025, and will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. As the release date approaches, fans are keenly anticipating further details on how the game will incorporate the series' iconic mechanics into this unique historical setting. While Kyoto may emphasize historical accuracy over extensive action-packed traversal, it remains to be seen whether the developers have successfully balanced aesthetics with engaging gameplay.