Assassin’s Creed Fans Demand More Linear Storylines After AC Shadows Backlash

Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been a divisive game in the series, but despite that, fans have been eager for a game set in Japan for years, it seemed like the game would bring a renaissance to the series, and though it boasts a beautiful and expansive world, fans agree the world is a little too vast, the missions a little too accessible, and long for a time when linear storylines dominated the series.

Too Much To Do, Too Little To See

Assassin’s Creed has always been an open world, allowing you to explore the rich history of ages past at your own pace, and in this, AC Shadows does not disappoint, featuring an impressive map size, breathtaking vistas, and the ability to plan your missions out in the mission board.

“It’s an environment that begs you to explore every inch of it, and the moment that you do, you realize that there’s nothing actually worth exploring.” – Legendary Drops

When you create a world, you naturally want to fill it with interesting things, and AC Shadows has delivered with many side quests and lootable items, interesting characters, and reactive wildlife, but with a focus on non-linear storytelling, some of the beauty of the world falls off.

Freedom vs Guidance

There is often a belief that gamers hate handholding, that all we need to be happy is an open sandbox and some tools, but fan reactions to AC: Shadows prove it’s a little more complicated than that. An oft noted criticism of the game is that because the world is so open, that being able to choose their missions, it breaks some of the story beats, stalls emotional payoffs, and can overwhelm players who just feel like they are playing a part of the story and not experiencing the life of a Sengoku-era assassin.

A Woven Tapestry Across History

Assassin’s Creed is a story that darts back and forth in history, from a romanticized past to a darker modern era, and in the past, Ubisoft has managed each story as if weaving a story quilt not just across one game, but across many. The good news is that Ubisoft has listened to the fans and added in a feature for the game, Canon Mode, which locks in a linear mission order and disables some decision points, we can only hope that they take this lesson to heart and revitalize the franchise we all know and love, blending the fantastic and beautiful open world with a tight and linear narrative.