It’s an over-simplifaction to say that Assassin’s Creed Shadows takes place in feudal Japan. That covers a long period of history and a lot of land. Every entry in the Assassin’s Creed franchise takes place during a period of unrest, change, and foreign influence. In Shadows, after a century of civil war, there are men who seek to unify Japan. But, foreign influences from Portugal mingle with the domestic power struggles. It’s a fascinating and violent time in Japanese history.
When does Assassin’s Creed Shadows take place?
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The game begins in 1579 during the Azuchi-Momoyama period. During this period, which succeeded a hundred years of civil war during the Sengoku period, three men attempted to unify Japan under their swords. Assassin’s Creed Shadows begins with the campaign of the first of the Great Unifiers, Oda Nobunaga. Nobunaga, his clan, and their allies believe that violence is a necessary tool for quelling the violence across the nation.
Under his one brutal sword, Nobunaga hopes for a better future for Japan. But while he conquers the nation, a foreign power seeks to influence it for themselves. Portuguese missionaries and traders arrived in Japan not long ago and have set up their own communities throughout the island. They bring foreign ideals and weapons that help shape the already tumultuous country.
In the grand scheme of the Assassin’s Creed timeline, Assassin’s Creed Shadows takes place between Assassin’s Creed Revelations and Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. However, it bears little relation to either game. There is a passing reference to the Borgia family and their quest for power in Rome that shaped the narrative of Assassin’s Creed II and Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood earlier in the 15th and 16th centuries. However, no characters from those games appear in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. There is also no modern day component to the game like most previous games in the series had.
Where does Assassin’s Creed Shadows take place?
Assassin’s Creed Shadows takes players across a sizable sliver of central Japan. The game begins in Iga, a province famous for birthing the shinobi, but soon expands to include the provinces of Wakasa, Omi, Tamba, Yamashiro, Harima, Settsu, Yamato, and Kii. These locations are home to famous cities like Kyoto and Osaka, the massive Biwa, Mount Hiei, and many castles, pagodas, and forests.
The environments throughout the game are varied. Port cities like Obama feel distinct from wooded shrines. Some areas are desolated by war while others are under construction. Even if some areas share the same assets, the environment around them, the lighting, and the weather are distinct from one location to the next.
The seasons also change regularly in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, giving a sense that time passes as you play. Season changes bring different weather, including heavy rain, billowing windstorms, and snowfall. The environment changes with the seasons, from powdery white landscapes in the winter to beautiful blossoms in the spring. You cannot control the passage of time; it must come naturally.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows has a narrow but critical timeline right at the heart of a massive moment of change in the nation’s history. Domestic and foreign powers vie for control and influence. Their impacts can be seen and felt across the game’s diverse locations.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is available now on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC.
