Parkour Athletes Review Assassin's Creed Shadows Movements

Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ parkour mechanics have been put to the test—by none other than two professional parkour athletes. In a reality check conducted by PC Gamer, Toby Segar and Benj Cave from the UK-based team STORROR shared their expert insights on the realism of the game’s movement system. Both are longtime fans of the Assassin’s Creed series and are currently developing their own parkour-focused game, STORROR Parkour Pro, rooted in authentic movement techniques.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows and the "Hate Crime Against Parkour"

During the review, Segar reacted strongly to a clip showing Yasuke, one of the game’s protagonists, scaling a ledge using what the athletes call an "alpine knee"—a move where the knee bears the full weight of the body during a climb. "That’s a hate crime against parkour," Segar remarked, explaining that such a technique would be impractical and potentially injurious in real-life parkour. The move, while visually dramatic, contradicts fundamental principles of safe and efficient movement in the discipline.

Cave also highlighted other unrealistic elements, such as the ability to traverse complex environments without ledges and maintain perfect balance on narrow surfaces. One of the most glaring fictional aspects, he noted, is the protagonist’s infinite stamina. "In real parkour, no one just sprints and commits without checking first," he said. "You measure your distance, assess the risk, and prepare—movement is deliberate, not impulsive."

While Assassin’s Creed Shadows is inherently a work of fiction, Ubisoft has made significant efforts to ground its parkour in realism. As revealed in an interview with IGN, the game’s delayed release was partly due to the development team refining the movement mechanics to feel more authentic and fluid. Game Director Charles Benoit emphasized the importance of balancing cinematic flair with believable physicality.

Recreating Feudal Japan with Cultural Depth

Beyond movement, Assassin’s Creed Shadows aims to immerse players in the historical and cultural fabric of Feudal Japan. The game introduces a new "Cultural Discovery" feature within the in-game Codex, offering over 125 detailed entries at launch—covering the art, history, and traditions of the Azuchi-Momoyama period. According to Ubisoft Editorial Comms Manager Chastity Vicencio, these entries were crafted in collaboration with historians and include authentic imagery sourced from museums and cultural institutions.

This educational layer builds upon the legacy of previous entries like AC Mirage’s "History of Baghdad," but expands it significantly in scope and depth. Players will gain contextual understanding of the world they explore, enriching the gameplay experience with real historical insight.

The Challenge of Authenticity

Bringing Feudal Japan to life wasn’t without its hurdles. As Ubisoft Executive Producer Marc-Alexis Coté shared in a Guardian interview, Japan had been a recurring idea within the franchise for years, but never moved past the concept phase—until now. "Every time we start a new game, Japan comes up. This time, we finally asked: is this the moment? And we decided it was."

To ensure authenticity, the development team collaborated with in-house historians and conducted field research in Kyoto and Osaka. They studied architecture, landscape, and even the unique way light filters through Japan’s mountainous regions—a subtle detail that posed technical challenges but was crucial for atmospheric accuracy.

Creative Director Jonathan Dumont emphasized the team’s commitment to capturing the essence of the era, despite technological and environmental obstacles. "The expectations have been incredibly high from the start," Coté admitted. "It’s been one of our biggest challenges yet."

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is scheduled for release on March 20, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Stay tuned for more updates and in-depth coverage right here at [ttpp].