Assassin's Creed Shadows provides multiple difficulty options for players, allowing them to cater the stealth action series to their liking. Expert Mode is the toughest, and under this designation, stealth is the series at its very best; still, sickos will always crave more challenge from their games, and we're glad to know Ubisoft is "actively looking at" adding an even more challenging mode.
GamesRadar+ spoke to Shadows' creative director, Jonathon Dumont, who seemed to taunt those seeking additional challenge. Dumont noted that the team is "actively looking at" the numbers and "making even a tougher setting for difficulty for some of our players". Dumont said: "How challenging do you want it? We're looking at these things and monitoring what people say about the game."
Comparisons with Sucker Punch's stealth action game Ghost of Tsushima are almost inevitable, considering both games' feudal Japan setting and focus on samurai and shinobi. While Shadows has got Ghost beat on the stealth front, it could learn much from the way it handles combat.
In particular, we'd love to see Ubisoft take a stab at Ghost's Lethal Mode. This means increased damage dealt to and from enemies, enhanced aggression, and tighter parry windows to add a palpable sense of danger to every encounter. Just thinking out loud here, but Shadows' rations could be a bit more limited, and its passive health regeneration could be done away with. Hell, get rid of fast travel too; like we said, proper sicko stuff.
How are you finding the difficulty in Assassin's Creed Shadows? Would you welcome the option to dial things up even further? Face actual danger in the comments section below.
[source gamesradar.com]
Comments 9
Really hope it gets the same support Valhalla got. Say what you will about the game you can't deny they supported it hard.
Finding it pretty good so far, levelling up nicely and keeping the legendary weapons upgraded at the forge 👍
Some may remember that Unisoft faced criticism that Star Wars Outlaws was too tough and forced stealth elements were bad.
Now they're facing criticism in Shadows for making it too easy and pushing people away from the stealth mechanics.
People are just going to criticise anything and everything.
I've found Shadow's combat harder than previous Assassin's Creed games and while it's very much like Ghost of Sushi 🍣 (good thing) because of the level system its 2 hit deaths in some instances. The perfect dodge window is pretty tight and parry seems much tighter than Ghost and even Sekiro lol.
OBS once I level up and get better gear the challenge will be mitigated somewhat but I wouldn't say it's easy if you try and confront enemies even slightly above your level.
Sushi had very cinematic combat but it was easy peasy, very very fun (hence my shameful amount of hours in the legends mode) but very easy.
@Stale-Bread I'm just a Normal difficulty player and not very good at games, but yes comparing with Normal mode on the previous RPG AC's, it's definitely harder.
I recall in Odyssey killing a hundred odd enemies and dozens of those mercenaries in one town square. Bodies everywhere!
With Mirage and even more so with Shadows, I find I can't just stroll into an enemy location and kill everyone hand to hand.
I'm sneaking around, taking out ranged damage dealers, then formulated a strategy for stealth takedowns on the bigger armoured enemies before fighting the boss/quest objective.
Expert feels pretty much perfect in terms of challenge and yet not being too challenging. Although Yasuke is kind of OP in combat so maybe if they could make combat feel a bit tougher for him then I could get behind that. Naoe feels just right in combat though so I don't think they need to change anything there.
Oh but if fast travel is taken away I absolutely wouldn't bother with a tougher mode. That's just truly sicko behavior there! 🤣
The problem I have is that at least during combat, Ubisoft higher difficulties seem to be limited to make enemey sponges. Like for example, a headshot with a bow an arrow should always be a insta-kill, no one can survive one. Yet some enemies take two or three, and that's playing in normal difficulty.
I'll take whatever you got Ubisoft keep em rolling in, thanks guys, this game is a hidden gem me reckons, top notch.
@Cornpop76 That's my thoughts exactly. I haven't played an assassin's creed since Odyssey but I recall in that game taking on the mercs that came after you and demolishing strongholds with relative ease even when under levelled. This not so much, granted I'm not far in as I'm addicted to Space Marine 2 but even at level 5 a lvl 6 samurai can whup my arse if I'm sloppy.
Difficulty is a strange thing with gamers. Some people can find fun only in the hardest of games, some only in the absolute easiest. I'm in the middle because it's all about the gameplay loop and how much I resonate with it.
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