Despite what many think of the game,Assassin’s Creed Shadowshas been a resounding success forUbisoft, becoming one of the series' most popular games at launch.
While I had a mixed experience with the game, as did mycolleague Ethan Krieger in his review, my overall time with this new series' entry was still relatively enjoyable.
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But I’m not here to ramble on my criticism of it—today, I’ll discuss 10 games likeAssassin’s Creed Shadowsthat are perfect to play in case you get burnt outliberating feudal Japan as Naoe and Yasuke.
They share similar aspects and traits toShadows, some of which are done better than they are in AC itself.So stick around as we take a look at each game and their similarities.
10Immortals Fenyx Rising
An Underappreciated Gem
Immortals Fenyx Rising
Immortals Fenyx Risingis one of those rare games that managed to surpass my expectations and, at times, even exceed the quality of Ubisoft’s main franchise titles.
It’s developed by the same team behindAssassin’s Creed Odyssey,so there’s your first similarity aside from theBreath of the Wild-inspired design.
More importantly, bothShadowsandFenyxshare open-world exploration that incentivizes you to trek every inch of the map to discover puzzles and other hidden secrets at every step.
However, it’s at the bottom because, like most open-world games, it might burn you out due to its bloated map design or even the cartoonish animation style.
But hey, if neither of those things bother you, I implore you to giveFenyx Risinga chance. Even the narrative and writing are designed to resemble a Pixar or Dreamworks animated movie.
9Trek To Yomi
Channel your Inner Akira Kurosawa
Trek to Yomi
Few games manage to feel truly unique these days, but one that does isTrek to Yomi,a side-scroller action-adventure title set in a similar feudal Japan setting to AC Shadows.
I have to give every bit of praise to the cinematic storytelling here, since the gameplay tends to be slightly clunky for my tastes and gets repetitive after a while.
The praise also comes from the fact that if you’re a fan of Akira Kurosawa’s Edo-period samurai movies like Yojimbo and Seven Samurai,you’ll instantly click with this game’s stylized black-and-white tone.
Even inAssassin’s Creed Shadows, the game’s cinematic presentation during the cutscenes reminded me a lot ofTrek to Yomi,so it’s another game you should attempt to see if it appeals to you as it did to me.
8Dishonored
Stealth Or Lethal Distinction, Call It
Dishonored
Who knewArkanewould make one of the most cult classic stealth video games of all time withDishonored, a game that garnered so much praise that the sequel managed to surpass it tenfold?
Some of you might scratch your head on this pick,but it’s pretty simple:Dishonoredis a stealth game that can deviate based on your lethal or non-lethal approach,andAssassin’s Creed(at its core, at least) is a game that’s all about stealth.
Most importantly, the bridge between the two series I’ve always adored is the freedom of stealth.Well, more so inDishonoredbecause the level design has intricate layers that I greatly appreciate, especially given its time of development.
I specifically chose the first game, because it laid the foundation for the sequel. If you haven’t played the series,Dishonored’s Definitive Editionis the perfect starting point for any newcomer.
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7Aragami 2
For People Who Love Naoe’s Stealth
Since I just mentionedone of the best stealth games, it was only fair to discuss another one,Aragami 2.Both games in this series have their own upsides and downsides, but are worthy of a shoutout nonetheless.
Naoe’s stealth playstyle is one of my favorite things in AC Shadows, and coincidentally, it looked heavily reminiscent of the slow-paced shinobi gameplay from both Aragami games.
While the first game is hyper focused on using a methodical stealth approach to accomplish your objectives,Aragami 2cuts back on that by adding some action gameplay elements to spice things up, which some audiences didn’t really enjoy.
Most importantly, while you can play the game by yourself, the second game supports a three-player co-op, so if you have a friend or two, they can hop in with you to play some missions.
If you prefer a single-player experience, by all means, go for the first game.I specifically chose Aragami 2 because of its vast improvements and fluid movement design, which is almost everything that it needed to accomplish as a sequel.
An Immaculate Open-World Design
Red Dead Redemption 2
So few games manage to imitate the feeling ofRed Dead Redemption 2and the first-time experience of going through it, whether it’s that emotionally encapsulating storytelling or the rich open-world design.
And speaking of the latter, a particular element I noticed in AC Shadows was the dynamic world. From the intricate weather system to a world where its NPCs and inhabitants are organic, it was an honest surprise for me from a Ubisoft title.
Shadowsdoesn’t really capture the sameevolving and diverse world designfeel as RDR2, but it allowed me to draw a familiar parallel between both games.
Both incentivize exploring the world at your whim and, instead of using fast travel, urge you to discover things that you would otherwise miss if you didn’t pay close attention.
Although that discovery factor can be debatable in both games, the bottom line is thatRed Dead Redemption 2is clearly sa worthy game to pick up, especially if you want a game that actually nails the world design formula to a tee.
5The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Question Markers Galore
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
There’s no denying thatThe Witcher 3is one of themost treasured open-world RPGs of all time. Its branching storytelling system rewards legacy game players, and the exploration is well worth your time.
Exploration is the main driving factor in both this game andAssassin’s Creed Shadows, with one especially common trait; the heap ton of question markers on the map that lead to secrets and other side content.
While I’d argue thatCD Projekt Redhandles this exploration mechanism better, Ubisoft still did a fairly decent job even if, partway through, I didn’t bother doing half the question markers across the regions.
WhileThe Witcher 3occasionally rewarded me with brilliantly written side quests for tracking down these markers,Shadows had me facepalming as I discovered the 10th shrine in a single locale/region.
Furthermore, both games also feature custom dialogue choices to alter some events along with their respective RPG elements,makingThe Witcher 3an ideal choice to check out on the rare chance that you haven’t already played it like everyone else.
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4Rise Of The Ronin
Rise of the Ronin
I’m glad I got to discussRise of the Ronina bit in my best PS exclusives of 2024 listand am now doing it again because, despite the flack it got on release, there’s a fairly great game beneath the surface.
If patience and commitment got you through Shadows,you’ll definitely like Ronin because of its similar setting in Feudal Japan and the fluid combat system,thanks to Team Ninja’s history with the Nioh series.
The main similarities are already there on the surface. Both Ronin and Shadows are arguably great games, but have underlying issues that may impact the experience if you get annoyed easily.
Ultimately, that’s beside the point here, because Ronin really only suffers from a bland open-world design and some unnecessary slander on its slightly dated graphics.
Aside from those two flaws, the game has a punishing combat system, tons of QoL stuff from the start to make progression feel streamlined, and a great character creator. If you’re someone that was able to overlook some of Shadows' shortcomings and still have a good time,Rise of the Ronincould be for you too.
3Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Hesitation is Defeat
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
The Soulsborne gameshave their own adoring fanbase. Despite how many countless hours I have inElden RingorBloodborne, I’ll always have the utmost appreciation forSekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
To me, it’s FromSoftware’s crowning achievement title, and one that I desperately want them to revisit for a sequel.
Sekiro’s combat is one of the best in almost all video games.It’s punishing, sure, but it also helps you learn from your mistakes, pushing you to be aggressive and form a rhythmic connection when facing its various tough boss fights.
The biggest and most obvious connection between Shadows and Sekiro is the feudal Japan setting.And if you’re someone who thirsts for a bigger challenge from AC Shadows' combat, Sekiro could definitely be the game for you. While the stealth isn’t as prevalent as Shadows, it definitely exists in the world of Sekiro, too.
Obviously, both games are vastly different in style and genre, but the setting is there, and if you enjoyed the mildly challenging combat of Shadows, then that warrants playing and giving Sekiro a chance to see if it appeals to you too.
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2Like a Dragon: Ishin!
Sakamoto Ryoma’s Bizarre Adventures
Like a Dragon: Ishin!
RGG Studiosis the gift that keeps on giving,and when fans wanted the Western localization and release ofLike A Dragon: Ishin!, they got it in full force with a remake of the game inUnreal Engine 4.
Like a Dragon: Ishin!is a spin-off of the Yakuza series. In it, you play as Sakamoto Ryoma during the end of the Bakumatsu era in the Edo period of Japan.
What sets it apart and why it is worthwhile diving into this game after AC Shadows isn’t all about the setting, but how you can play Ishin on its own without having toplay any of the other Yakuza games.
Sure, you’ll have more context about some characters and their models if you play the other games, but it’s a great action-adventure title to play separately with well-written political warfare storytelling and engaging brawler combat.
Ishin also has several forms of side content to keep you immersedin the dozens of substories, mini-games, karaoke, and several ridiculous yet fun antics to partake in while you’re taking a break from the main storyline.
Those are also the same things that make the Yakuza games stand out, and even if you’re on the fence about playing some of them, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give Ishin a chance to impress you with its own unique elements.
1Ghost of Tsushima
The Originator
Ghost of Tsushima
This might’ve seemed like the most obvious choice for the top pick, butGhost of Tsushimais by far the most similar game toAssassin’s Creed Shadows.
Both games are set in Japan (or at least one in its archipelago). They have an open world brimming with map markers and combat that, depending on your enjoyment of it, can be either serviceable or riveting.
I’d argue Tsushima excels at various aspects better than what Shadows tried to imitate, but that isn’t me slandering the latter game since there’s much to love about it from the surprisingly accurate historical significance, and more.
Most importantly, if you love Naoe’s stealth style and Yasuke’s brute force strategy, you’ll definitely like Jin Sakai’s two different gameplay approaches, from his stealthy Ghost form or the all-out rampaging Samurai.
Besides the easy comparisons, the bottom line is that they’re both equally great games with some setbacks that might make them unappealing to some, which is totally understandable.
If you’re someone that has played Shadows but not Tsushima, I’d still recommend going back for GoT despite the fact that it’ll feel similar in many ways. After all, Tsushima did a lot of these same things first.
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