Assassin’s Creed Shadows Movements Reviewed by Two Parkour Athletes

Assassin's Creed Mirage's parkour faced a reality check from two professional parkour athletes. Discover their insights into the game's realism and Ubisoft's efforts to recreate Feudal Japan.

Assassin's Creed Mirage: A Parkour Reality Check

A "Hate Crime Against Parkour"?

In a recent PC Gamer "Reality Check" video (March 15th), Toby Segar and Benj Cave of STORROR, UK-based parkour athletes, critiqued Assassin's Creed Mirage's parkour, comparing it to previous entries. While fans of the series and creators of their own parkour game, STORROR Parkour Pro, they weren't shy about pointing out inconsistencies. Segar highlighted a scene where the protagonist, Yasuke, uses an "alpine knee" climb, deemed impractical and potentially injurious by real-world parkour practitioners.

Cave further noted the game's unrealistic depiction of unlimited stamina and the lack of preparatory movements before committing to complex maneuvers. He emphasized the careful planning and measured approach inherent in real parkour, contrasting it with the game's more fluid, continuous movements. While acknowledging the game's fictional nature, the athletes highlighted areas where realism could be improved.

Ubisoft's commitment to realistic parkour is evident, however. A January IGN interview with Game Director Charles Benoit revealed that the game's delay was partly attributed to refining its parkour mechanics.

Recreating Feudal Japan

Beyond the parkour, Ubisoft's dedication to historical accuracy shines through the game's "Cultural Discovery" feature (Ubisoft website, March 18th). As explained by Ubisoft Editorial Comms Manager Chastity Vicencio, this in-game Codex offers detailed encyclopedic entries on the history, art, and culture of the Azuchi-Momoyama period. Created with the help of historians and featuring museum-sourced imagery, it surpasses the Baghdad historical feature in Assassin's Creed Mirage, boasting over 125 entries at launch, with more to come.

However, recreating Feudal Japan presented significant challenges (The Guardian, March 17th). In an interview, developers discussed the complexities of accurately representing the period. Executive Producer Marc-Alexis Coté explained the long-standing desire to create a Japan-based Assassin's Creed game, finally realized in Assassin's Creed Mirage. Creative Director Johnathan Dumont highlighted the extensive research undertaken, including collaborations with historians and trips to Kyoto and Osaka. Even seemingly minor details, like the unique way light falls on Japan's mountainous terrain, required meticulous attention. Despite these hurdles, the team successfully captured the essence of Feudal Japan, a testament to their commitment and dedication. Coté summarized the experience as "a challenge with high expectations."

Assassin's Creed Mirage launches March 20th, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Stay tuned for more updates!