Assassin's Creed Shadows, Ghost of Tsushima's Year Cycle and Seasons Compared

Summary

The gaming industry has seen no shortage of games set in feudal Japan as of late, especially after the release of Sucker Punch’s acclaimed action-adventure title,Ghost of Tsushima, which seemingly popularized the setting in 2020. Now, after being highly requested for some time,Assassin’s Creed Shadowsis bursting onto the scene with yet another take on feudal Japan, only this time featuring the iconic look and feel of anAssassin’s Creedtitle. AsAssassin’s Creed Shadowsshares a setting withGhost of Tsushima, it’s only natural that it has been compared to the 2020 title, especially after Ubisoft’s recent Ubisoft Forward event revealed even more similarities the two might share.

During June 2024’s Ubisoft Forward showcase,Assassin’s Creed Shadowsreceived a rather extensive reveal, including a brief cinematic and a lengthy dive into its gameplay. However, just before the gameplay reveal, the game’s director, Charles Benoit, disclosed some information aboutAssassin’s Creed Shadows' world — namely, that it would feature a full year cycle with all four seasons. Interestingly enough,Ghost of Tsushimaalso featured all four seasons in its gameplay, though the two games may very well differ in their presentation and execution of the mechanics.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Tag Page Cover Art

How Assassin’s Creed Shadows' Year Cycle and Seasons Compare to Ghost of Tsushima’s

Unlike Ghost of Tsushima, Assassin’s Creed Shadows' Year Cycle Is Not Tied to the Story

LikeGhost of Tsushima,Assassin’s Creed Shadowsfeatures all four seasons and even includes dynamic weather. However, the two games differ greatly in their execution.Ghost of Tsushima’s seasons are all tied to the story, meaning two or more players will experience the same season at the same plot point in the game. That being said, it is still possible for one player to be at a certain point inGhost of Tsushima’s storyand to have different weather happening than another, even though the seasons may be the same.Assassin’s Creed Shadows, on the other hand, features a dynamic year cycle that seems to be entirely detached from the story.

Based on what has been revealed so far,Assassin’s Creed Shadows' year cycle is ongoing, so one player might assassinate a major story target in the spring while another might assassinate that same target in the summer. It all depends on how long players take to reach specific plot points, as that will ultimately determine in what season those story beats occur. This means that, despite how beautifulGhost of Tsushima’s environmentsare,Assassin’s Creed Shadowsmay feel a bit more realistic while also providing players with diverse experiences.

Unlike Ghost of Tsushima, Assassin’s Creed Shadows' Seasons Directly Affect Environmental Interactions

Another wayAssassin’s Creed Shadows' year cycle is different fromGhost of Tsushima’s is in how players' interactions with the environment are affected by the current season. For example, during the winter inAssassin’s Creed Shadows, bodies of water freeze over, so players are unable to swim in them. As water is one of the ways players can hide from enemies usingAssassin’s Creed Shadows' stealth system, this means they will be required to find different opportunities depending on the season. Rain also allows players to blend in with their surroundings inAssassin’s Creed Shadows, so rainy seasons will provide plenty of opportunities for stealth.

UnlikeAssassin’s Creed Shadows,Ghost of Tsushima’s seasons simply affect the way the environment looks and the weather that occurs. Players can stillswim in the water in the winter inGhost of Tsushimaand their gameplay is largely unaffected by any weather that rolls in.

Judging by what has been revealed forAssassin’s Creed Shadows, it seems it will be leaning more into realism thanGhost of Tsushimaever did. With an ongoing year cycle and seasons that directly influence environmental interactions,Shadowsmay have the upper hand here. Still,Ghost of Tsushima 2may be on the horizonwith something even better.