Summary
There is certainly a lot riding onAssassin’s Creed Shadows, especially after all that it and Ubisoft have been through lately. In a nutshell, it really needs to get as much right as it can, lest it risk reinforcing the subjective stain that has darkened its legacy as of late. In its attempts to accomplish this,Assassin’s Creed Shadowsis implementing a variety of changes to the franchise’s longstanding formula to try and make the latest entry the best the series has ever been. One of its most significant fundamental changes involves a considerable AI overhaul that might not only changeAssassin’s Creed Shadows, but it may also set the tone for the series moving forward.
Assassin’s Creed’s AI has received plenty of criticism over the years, with that criticism particularly aimed at enemy behavior during stealth and combat scenarios. Enemies have been known throughout the franchise’s history to be unintelligent and lacking the reactivity necessary to make the overall experience feel more immersive and produce tangible tension in what should be its most tense moments. Fortunately,Assassin’s Creed Shadowsis addressing criticismswith a complete overhaul of the series' AI in what could be a game-changing move with a lasting impact.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows' AI Overhaul Could Change the Series Forever
AC Shadows Enhances Enemy Alertness, Awareness, Responsiveness, and Search Patterns
While one ofAssassin’s Creed’s most iconic featuresis its stealth gameplay, it hasn’t necessarily been one of the better stealth systems in gaming. In order for stealth mechanics to feel authentic, the chances of danger and even failure need to be considerably high. Otherwise, there is largely no need for players to use stealth, nor is there any need for players to move cautiously through an area filled with enemies. This has largely been the case withAssassin’s Creed, as enemies are generally not smart enough to pose a significant threat to players while they use stealth.
Assassin’s Creed’s AI has received plenty of criticism over the years, with that criticism particularly aimed at enemy behavior during stealth and combat scenarios.
InAssassin’s Creed Shadows' stealth system, however, enemy alertness, awareness, and responsiveness have been overhauled to make stealth scenarios less favorable towards players while they’re sneaking around. Upon detecting any suspicious activity or catching a glimpse of the player, they will investigate the situation in pairs, with one guard actively searching while the other keeps watch. WithAssassin’s Creed Shadows' enemies taking a more coordinated approach, then, players will need to be more strategic than the series has called for them to be in the past. Additionally, enemies become increasingly suspicious after they’ve been alerted once, making it more difficult for players who like to use the same tactics repeatedly.
AC Shadows Has Diverse Enemy Archetypes With Unique Behaviors
It’s not just the series' stealth that will be impacted byAssassin’s Creed Shadows' AI overhaul either, as these changes will be felt in more direct scenarios as well, due to an increase in the diversity of enemy archetypes. In the past,Assassin’s Creed’s enemieshave made attempts at diversity, but their archetypes have proven to be somewhat standard, leading to predictable encounters that can feel monotonous after a while.Assassin’s Creed Shadowsaims to flip the script here with more varied enemy archetypes, each with distinct behaviors and responses to the player’s actions.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows' AI overhaul has the potential to be one of the most significant changes the series has seen in many years. By increasing tension in stealth scenarios and making enemies more unpredictable,Assassin’s Creed Shadowsis officially reworking the very foundation of how players take advantage of the series' iconic stealth system. If these improvements are executed well, they could finally takeAssassin’s Creed’s stealth gameplayto the level it was always meant to rest at while also reinforcing the franchise’s identity as a stealth-action series.
