When you play Assassin’s Creed Shadows and feel the gust of wind, it’s as if the world around you springs to life. Leaves swirl upwards, grass bends rhythmically, and Naoe’s hair flows naturally with the breeze. This captivating effect takes the game’s seasonal and weather transitions to another level. Interestingly, in a chat with the game’s rendering experts, Digital Foundry uncovered that what you perceive as wind is actually an invisible fluid simulation—quite a fascinating twist on game physics.
Yes, you heard that right. The seemingly realistic wind is powered by fluid simulations coursing through the game environment. This method, although complex, has been adopted in various games, including hits like God of War and Dwarf Fortress. So, its inclusion in Assassin’s Creed Shadows only makes sense, enhancing the gameplay with an added layer of realism.
Dubbed “Atmos” by Ubisoft developers, this dynamic weather system is tailored to complement the game’s seasonal themes. As Naoe’s narrative of revenge unfolds across different stages of her life, the seasons seamlessly transition. One moment, you’re navigating through thick, wintery snow across the Japanese landscape, and the next, you’re dashing through lush, green fields as the snow morphs into spring. As you progress, you even have the power to change the seasons according to your needs.
What really elevates Assassin’s Creed Shadows visually are its cutting-edge ray-traced lighting effects. For me, this is the first game where ray tracing feels indispensable, setting a tone and atmosphere that truly enrich the story. While Digital Foundry’s analysis dives deep into the tech details, the essence is simple: the game employs ray tracing on traditional graphics to illuminate scenes more realistically. Picture glowing Shoji screens inside buildings and objects casting profound shadows in the open world—features that vanish when ray tracing is absent, leaving behind a flatter contrast. Digital Foundry calls this impact a “generational divide in lighting fidelity.”
Assassin’s Creed Shadows makes a strong case for upgrading to a PlayStation 5 Pro or a high-end gaming PC, especially one featuring a 50-series Nvidia graphics card. The PS5 Pro delivers a smooth 60 frames per second experience even with ray tracing on, and support for Sony’s PSSR upscaling technology is on the horizon. For PC gamers, DLSS and Frame Generation can effortlessly boost performance to 60 fps on an RTX 4070 or higher.
And it’s not just about stellar lighting; it’s the integration of dynamic elements like wind and the ability to slice through bamboo that elevate the interactivity and tactile feel of this virtual world. It’s akin to the immersion you find in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. With Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Ubisoft has set a new standard, leveraging the power of modern technology not just for graphical fidelity, but to create a vibrant, immersive world that players can truly live in.
