Katarzyna Petru
Ubisoft Quebec is once again leading the way. In a recent interview with GamesRadar, Simon Lemay-Comtois — one of the directors of Assassin’s Creed Shadows — expressed his pride in the studio's work. And it's hard to blame him. According to the developer, nine months have passed since the release, and the team is still genuinely surprised at how well the game performs visually compared to the competition.
Graphic design? "It's hard to beat us"
Lemay-Comtois claims that Shadows presents such a level of graphics that the studio… surprised itself. Especially on PS5 Pro, where the game is set to look the best in the history of the series. The developer emphasized that this is the result of years of investment in technology and the experience of the team, which knows how to extract much more from their proprietary tools than other major players in the market show.
Ubisoft Quebec believes that it has visually set a bar that will not be easy to surpass. And what's most interesting — this is just the foundation for future installments.
Two heroes? A perfect shot and the future direction of the series
The second important point of the conversation was the concept of two protagonists — Naoe and Yasuke. Ubisoft has known from the beginning that the contrast between the characters must be clear, even extreme. Ninja versus samurai. Shadow versus steel. Subtlety versus brute force.
And while the studio is aware that a dual hero system can be controversial, it considers it one of the most important and valuable solutions in Shadows. There were already divided opinions in Syndicate — here it is similar, only more intense. But according to Lemay-Comtois, it is a price worth paying for freshness and artistic courage. Moreover — Ubisoft does not intend to abandon this idea. If the next installment again justifies the existence of two protagonists, the studio very willingly will repeat it.
Movement system, animations, and combat. Shadows sets a new standard
However, the most interesting part is that working on two such diverse characters demanded significant improvements to the systems within the game. Lemay-Comtois revealed that it is Shadows that has become the foundation of the technology that will be developed in future installments of the series. In particular:
animations — smoother, more flexible, better aligned with the character's physicality,
movement dynamics — from the light jumps and acrobatics of Naoe to the heavy, momentum-driven strikes of Yasuke,
sneaking and combat system — designed so that both characters provide vastly different experiences.
Ubisoft is particularly proud of Naoe's moves, described as “ninja-inspired acrobatics,” which — according to the developer — could inspire future protagonists of the brand.
Divided players, conscious decision
The creators openly admit that the contrast between Naoe and Yasuke has led to strongly polarized fan opinions. Some love the quiet, intricate gameplay. Others prefer the brutal, heavy samurai style. Ubisoft not only does not mind this but considers it evidence that the artistic decision was bold and on point. The developers are convinced that this diversity gives Shadows a unique identity, allowing the Assassin's Creed series to explore more varied narrative and gameplay areas.
