A number of fans of Assassin’s Creed Shadows have been vocal about missing certain features from previous games in the series. Among the most lamented are the capability to control the passage of time, the ease of having your horse automatically follow roads, and the way synchronizing viewpoints used to clear the fog of war.
When Ubisoft first shared some of this news, players hoped there might still be room for tweaks in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, although the odds are slim. This latest installment, developed primarily by Ubisoft Quebec with a collaborative effort from 15 other studios, made its debut on March 20 for PC and current-gen consoles, drawing in over three million players during its first week, as reported by Ubisoft.
The game has generally received acclaim from fans and critics alike, but some early players have expressed their longing for features from earlier entries. One notable absence is the ability to meditate and adjust the in-game time, which was available in previous titles like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Odyssey, and Origins (the last one required the Dawn and Dusk skill to use this feature). Even Assassin’s Creed Mirage included this, allowing players to pass time while sitting on benches.
Additionally, players miss the option to have their horse effortlessly follow roads, a feature present in all modern iterations until now. Although Shadows includes a system to guide players to map markers with visual cues, some believe expanding this to allow horses to follow would be a logical enhancement. However, when it comes to the more ninja-like stealth style current in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the absence of social stealth isn’t expected to change, as Ubisoft has stated this was an intentional design choice.
Another beloved feature not carried over is the bird companion from recent games that assisted in scouting, replaced by Naoe’s expansive Eagle Vision, capable of detecting enemies through walls from afar. This new capacity partly fills the void left by the lack of an avian ally.
As for what fans are longing to see back in the game, here are the main features that they feel are missing:
– Automatic road-following while on horseback
– The bird companion for reconnaissance
– Clearing fog of war via viewpoint synchronization
– The ability to meditate or pass time
– More varied side activities
– Incorporation of social stealth elements
A segment of the player base has also expressed a wish for the return of fog-clearing viewpoints, a rewarding element in past games. Some criticism has also been directed at the current diversity of side activities, with claims it doesn’t quite match the richness found in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. However, these concerns are primarily raised by a small fraction of the player community.
