New parkour mechanics in Assassin's Creed Shadows look promising

GAMING NEWS Rine Ikarus - Jan 10, 2025, 13:53 - 39 comments

As we step into 2025, Assassin's Creed Shadows is just few months away from its highly anticipated release. For Ubisoft, this is more than just another installment—it’s a pivotal title that could shape the future of the franchise, especially following the recent backlash the company has faced. Assassin's Creed Shadows might very well determine the series’ trajectory.

Ubisoft has promised a return to more traditional gameplay, reminiscent of the earlier Assassin's Creed titles, emphasizing stealth and a deeper “assassin” experience. In the latest gameplay reveal, Naoe, described as Ubisoft’s "fastest assassin ever", showcases a variety of changes, improvements, and additions that aim to elevate the series in this upcoming entry.

Parkour!

Read more about Assassin's Creed Shadows parkour in this new gameplay overview article: https://t.co/wLcwbVRpMz #AssassinsCreed pic.twitter.com/0iYEMEmsNZ
— Assassin's Creed (@assassinscreed) January 7, 2025

A recent blog post by director Simon Lemay-Comtois outlined several exciting updates and tweaks to the parkour system in Assassin's Creed Shadows.

You will like the new parkour system

Parkour has always been a core aspect of Assassin's Creed's identity. In earlier titles, parkour felt almost like a mini-game, where mastering the mechanics allowed skilled players to traverse the map with speed and finesse. Many fans still consider Assassin's Creed Unity to have some of the best parkour mechanics in gaming history.

In contrast, the newer generation of Assassin's Creed games has adopted a more straightforward traversal system, simplifying parkour and allowing players to scale vertical surfaces to their heart's content. However, Assassin's Creed Shadows seems poised to return to the more intricate parkour systems of earlier titles, recapturing the essence of what made exploration in the series so rewarding.

"It is important to note that Naoe and Yasuke will not be able to climb on surfaces that do not have physical handholds for them to grab onto.

This means we had to be more thoughtful about creating interesting parkour highways and afforded us more control over where Naoe can go, and where Yasuke can't, making our two playstyles even more contrasted."

Ubisoft has promised distinct gameplay experiences for the two protagonists in Assassin's Creed Shadows. Yasuke focuses on brute force and close combat, drawing parallels to the combat systems of "new generation" Assassin's Creed titles like Assasin's Creed Odyssey and Assasin's Creed Origins. Naoe, on the other hand, represents a more traditional Assassin's Creed approach, prioritizing stealth, parkour, and fast-paced combat.

The blog post elaborates on the unique features accessible to Naoe but unavailable to Yasuke. This suggests that Naoe will excel at traversal with her advanced parkour skills, complementing her stealth and agility-focused playstyle. Conversely, Yasuke’s raw strength makes him the ideal choice for players who enjoy direct and powerful combat.

Assassin's Creed Shadows is set to launch on March 20 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Don’t forget to use our comparator tool to secure the best deal on Assassin's Creed Shadows and prepare for this exciting addition to the Assassin's Creed saga.

Sharp

Jan 23, 2026, 21:25

While Shadows' parkour boasts impressive animations, it often defaults to predictable auto-climbs that strip away player agency. Traversal lacks the precision of older titles, with finicky ledge detection causing slips during tense stealth sequences. Yasuke's heavier build hinders agility, making dual-protagonist switches feel unbalanced for parkour-focused missions. Repetitive rooftop paths and cluttered environments amplify input delays in crowded urban areas. It prioritizes spectacle over control, leaving parkour functional but uninspired.

Mirlaco

Jan 29, 2026, 09:34 on dlcompare.es

Shadows is not only based on modern RPG mechanics, but tries to rescue and perfect the classic parkour that many fans longed for. This allows us to explore environments and plan routes to be more interesting and fun, and that every move will have meaning. The contrast of styles between Naoe and Yasuke also suggests that parkour will not be monotonous, but varied and challenging.

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Balas

Jan 28, 2026, 10:44 on dlcompare.es

The parkour mechanics of Assassin's Creed Shadows feel like a very positive thing to me. That Ubisoft is bringing back a more intricate and meaningful approach to parkour makes me feel like this title could be one of the most memorable in terms of exploration and movement. This return to more complex techniques and routes designed to challenge the player is just what the saga needed to feel more alive, strategic and rewarding in every jump and climb.

Th4n0s

Jan 27, 2026, 21:06 on dlcompare.es

I love that parkour is central to the Shadows experience. Ubisoft has tweaked and improved the systems to give it more depth and control, which could translate into more fluid and satisfying movements. Also, knowing that Naoe's parkour will be distinctive and more traditional than Yasuke's, which motivates you to try both styles and discover how each route can be unique depending on your choice of character and tactics.

SalsaJapi

Jan 27, 2026, 14:01 on dlcompare.es

I like that Assassin's Creed Shadows was able to recapture some of the magic of the classic titles, but with modern enhancements. The idea that not everything climbs automatically and that you have to study the environment well to move around smoothly sounds really exciting. This makes movement an integral part of the experience, not just a procedure to get to the objective.

MrWild

Jan 26, 2026, 08:37 on dlcompare.es

I've found the direction they've taken with AC Shadows to be very positive. I get the feeling that they've listened to the criticisms of oversimplified mechanics and worked to make something deeper. The fact that Naoe stands out for his agile style promises a compelling playable contrast to Yasuke, and the traditional parkour has the potential to make every run around the map special and full of strategy.

Atem

Jan 24, 2026, 20:05 on dlcompare.es

Parkour in Assassin's Creed Shadows promises to bring back a style of movement that many of us missed. The focus on characters not being able to just climb everything, but having to use handholds and specific routes, adds a layer of realism and learning that will make exploring the environment that much more rewarding. I'm convinced this will lead to memorable infiltration and escape scenes, making each mission more intense.

M0ЯĐRΕĐ

Jan 24, 2026, 18:57 on dlcompare.fr

On paper, the new parkour looks promising, with a real effort to return to something more "Assassin's Creed" and less automatic, and the difference between the two characters is a good idea. But honestly, I find it hard to believe: Ubisoft has already sold this kind of return to basics several times, and in the end, parkour often remains rigid, situational and highly dependent on level design. Mostly, I get the impression that it sounds good in theory, but that with the controller in hand, it's unlikely to change much, or really make the movements any more fluid.

draikyn

Jan 24, 2026, 17:04 on dlcompare.fr

The parkour on Assassin's creed Shadows shows that Ubisoft has finally understood some of the criticisms made by fans. No more automatic, thoughtless climbing. Here, every move counts, especially during infiltration phases. Cities are clearly the system's strong point, with well-thought-out routes. The difference between the two characters is interesting, but not always balanced. There's a real sense of infiltration, especially with Naoe. This is a good direction for the series, but it still needs to be refined.

MissyBunny

Jan 24, 2026, 16:26 on dlcompare.es

These improvements to Shadows' parkour make me trust Ubisoft again as a developer that listens to its community. After years of more simplified mechanics, they seem to have taken a step back to recapture that sense of surprise and mastery you had when playing the classics. That Naoe moves with agility and requires more strategy for movement seems like an exquisite evolution to me. I'm looking forward to jumping, climbing and planning clever routes all over the Japanese map.