Assassin's Creed Shadows Looks Like It'll Scratch That Splinter Cell Itch

Summary

Based on its recent gameplay reveal,Assassin’s Creed Shadowslooks like a genuine evolution for the franchise, something the series hasn’t really experienced for almost a decade. One of the most major forms of evolution inAssassin’s Creed Shadowsis its dual protagonist system, a feature that allows players to harness two completely different gameplay styles, equip two completely different arsenals, and have access to two sets of unique abilities.

A focal point of the recentAssassin’s Creed Shadowsgameplay trailer, Yasuke’s gameplay is going to differ greatly from Naoe’s. While Yasuke is a hulking force to be reckoned with, equipped with heavy-hitting weapons and capable of lethalGhost of Tsushima-like parries and counters, Naoe takes a much more traditionalAssassin’s Creedapproach to combat, opting to sneak behind enemy lines and use gadgets to thin the herd. But stealth has been given a major glow-up inAssassin’s Creed Shadows, and it now features some mechanics that could feel a little familiar to long-timeSplinter Cellfans.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Tag Page Cover Art

Assassin’s Creed Shadows' Stealth Is Borrowing a Lot From Splinter Cell

From the look of the recentUbisoft Forward gameplay trailer, it seems as thoughAssassin’s Creed Shadowsis taking some heavy inspiration from theSplinter Cellfranchise when it comes to crafting its stealth mechanics. One of the most obvious points of inspiration can be found inAssassin’s Creed Shadows' titular lighting mechanic, whereby players can now hide themselves in darker areas of the environment, and extinguish light sources to remain hidden. It doesn’t look likeAssassin’s Creed Shadows' lighting mechanic will feature a sliding scale of visibility like in classicSplinter Cell, but it still bears a close resemblance.

Assassin’s Creed Shadowsis also adding aSplinter Cell-like cover mechanic, where the player-character will automatically hug a wall if in close proximity to it. From cover, players are able to peek out, observe their surroundings, and mark any foes they can lay eyes on. For the first time inAssassin’s Creedhistory, players will also now be able to go prone and crawl across the floor, allowing them to better blend in with foliage and other environmental objects.

A big new addition inAssassin’s Creed Shadowsis the grappling hook. In the recentAssassin’s Creed Shadowsgameplay trailer, this grappling hook was shown off a few times, being used in a new way in each instance. Players can use this grappling hook to swing over an enemy and perform an aerial assassination and to grab enemies from behind and drag them around for a short duration, justlike Sam Fisheris wont to do. This grappling hook can also be used to quickly escape a patrolling enemy by letting Naoe fling herself up to the ceiling, again, just like inSplinter Cell.

Splinter Cell Was a Big Miss for Ubisoft’s 2024 Showcase

It’s been over a decade since the lastSplinter Cellgame was released, and fans are desperate for a new entry. For years now, Ubisoft has teased newSplinter Cellgames only to have them get canceled or for them to turn out to be collaborations with games likeRainbow Six Siege. Back in December 2021, Ubisoft announced thata remake of the firstSplinter Cellgamewas in development, but fans haven’t really heard anything about it since, even despite rumors suggesting that it would appear at the recent Ubisoft Forward showcase. There’s a strong desire to seeSplinter Cell’s stealth gameplay return to the gaming world, andAssassin’s Creed Shadowsmight actually be the one to do that.