One of the most captivating features of the Assassin’s Creed series is its immersive, history-laden worlds. Whether it’s Renaissance Italy, Revolutionary France, Victorian London, or Ancient Egypt, each game in the franchise transports players to richly detailed settings, brimming with historical landmarks. With Assassin’s Creed Shadows, gamers are invited to explore a brand-new sandbox.
Fans have been eager to see an Assassin’s Creed installment set in Feudal Japan, and Ubisoft has finally delivered. Assassin’s Creed Shadows is set against the dramatic backdrop of the Sengoku era, beginning with the fall of daimyo Oda Nobunaga and plunging players into a nation at war. This setting, steeped in real-world history, positions Assassin’s Creed Shadows as an ideal candidate for a future Discovery Tour mode.
Ubisoft introduced the Discovery Tour in Assassin’s Creed Origins in 2018, offering a peaceful way to experience the franchise’s stunning historical settings. Players can choose from various avatars to explore historical landmarks, engage with figures from the past, and participate in guided tours enriched with insights from expert historians. This virtual museum-style mode is crafted not just as a game enhancement, but as an educational tool. It provides students and history enthusiasts a chance to directly interact with historical environments and personas. Following Origins, both Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Valhalla incorporated their own Discovery Tours, with Valhalla adding new features that elevate the experience.
In Valhalla’s Discovery Tour, players can select from several characters, each providing a unique view of the Viking and Anglo-Saxon ways of life. Through hands-on activities like building a Viking longship, players can delve deeper into the culture and history of the era. This mode even lets players explore Asgard, offering insights into the lore of the Norse gods.
The Discovery Tour can be accessed as a standalone experience or enjoyed for free within Assassin’s Creed Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows, with its treasure trove of historical events and figures, would greatly benefit from its own Discovery Tour. The Sengoku period is notoriously complex, packed with clans, daimyos, generals, and more, making it challenging to keep pace with the historical narrative while playing. However, this complexity provides a wealth of material for a dedicated Discovery Tour mode. Major incidents like the Hanno-ji, iconic sites like Osaka Castle, and influential leaders such as Tokugawa Ieyasu offer abundant content for players to explore and learn from.
Building on this rich historical context, Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ potential Discovery Tour could offer players a deeper understanding of this tumultuous period in Japanese history, ensuring the game not only entertains but educates, enriching the player’s gaming experience.