Assassin’s Creed Shadows Enhances a Standout Feature of the Series

Assassin’s Creed Shadows brings players into another expansive and visually stunning world that’s almost overwhelming in its scale. In games of this size, ensuring that the map screen is user-friendly and visually appealing is essential. Equally crucial is the objectives screen, which allows players to manage both the main storyline tasks and the numerous side quests that appear as you interact with NPCs and explore different areas. The objectives menu in Shadows is a standout feature, building on innovations from the franchise’s previous titles to create a user-friendly experience that enhances your connection to the game’s storyline and universe.

Shadows builds on concepts explored in Odyssey, Valhalla, and Mirage by offering an objectives screen that resembles a family tree. Different sections of the screen are dedicated to various quest categories, locations, and the individuals you’re assisting.

While many games keep a hidden branching objective system, where tasks must be completed sequentially, Shadows takes a different approach by displaying these connections openly. Each task is visually linked to a specific person or area, giving a more accurate depiction of your progress through the game than a simple list of grayed-out completed objectives.

Furthermore, the objectives screen is dynamic, reflecting your individual priorities and actions within the game’s world as you advance. Tasks are organized based on their relevance rather than the skill level needed, providing a personalized experience. For instance, I gravitated towards assassination missions, leaving my objectives screen peppered with numerous red Xs, a contrast to my colleagues who prioritized other areas of the game.

Having not delved into Odyssey, Valhalla, or Mirage, Shadows marks my first experience with an objective screen of this nature in an open-world RPG. Its design is both sleek and unobtrusive, fostering a deeper connection to the game and my role as a player. Tasks aren’t merely bullet points in an anonymous checklist; they’re tied to specific characters and goals.

Colleagues who have played more of the series’ recent offerings concur that Shadows has perfected this feature. While some familiar RPG elements persist, the franchise continues to excel at innovating how players view and interact with their objectives. As a result, every action you take feels impactful and meaningful within the game’s universe.