As publishers continue to make less and less single-player games, a reader recommends Assassin’s Creed Shadows as one of the most enjoyable solo adventures of 2025.
I noticed that Assassin’s Creed Shadows is out on Nintendo Switch 2 next week and I’m honestly half tempted to buy it. I already have it on PlayStation 5, but I’ve enjoyed it so much I would honestly pay to experience it all again with the novelty of it being portable. I’m already resigned to it not winning any major awards but for me it is definitely my game of the year.
At the end of the day, game of the year just means what you’ve enjoyed the best and for me that is definitely Shadows. I tried Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 but while I could see the craft I just don’t really like that kind of role-player and in the end I regretted even getting it. I didn’t like the original Hades or Hollow Knight and while Donkey Kong Bananza was good, I feel it’s miss that extra spark to make it something special.
I’m sure lots of people would say the same about Assassin’s Creed Shadows but for me it worked. I’d say it’s easily the best Assassin’s Creed game and one of the best open world games I’ve ever played.
Assassin’s Creed has always been like comfort food to me. I know that could be seen as a negative but there is nothing I enjoy more than coming home from work and putting a couple of hours into a well design open world. and I don’t think I’m alone. In fact, I’m prepared to say that’s probably the secret of the franchise’s success.
I’m not trying to run the game down though. It has really good combat, two very different characters, and decent stealth. The story isn’t necessarily the best, but you always know what’s going on and it keeps everything ticking along.
The game is big and, like all Assassin’s Creed games, a little bloated but not so bad, in my opinion. There’s plenty of variety in missions and the graphics are fantastic. I feel the game overall is underrated but the graphics in particular are so good and with zero performance problems, despite the open world.
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There’s a lot of talk nowadays about how big publishers don’t want to make single-player games anymore, even though that’s what everyone still prefers, and I feel a game like Shadows is exactly what most people are looking for. It’s literally the opposite of being clowned on in a game of Call Of Duty by a 12-year-old.
Shadows is a game where you’re in control of everything and you decide how and when you play it, not some young tyke in another country. Everything in Shadows is dedicated to entertaining me, and only me, and I don’t feel that’s the case with multiplayer games.
It might not be high art, even by the standard of other video games, but I’ve enjoyed every minute of it, and I feel sad at the idea that games like this may become more and more rare in the feature. To put my money where my mouth is though I’m going to pick up Star Wars Outlaws in the Black Friday sales and give that a go as well.
To split the difference I’ll get it on Switch 2, as I heard it’s a good port, and see how this sort of thing works on the go. I know fashions change over the years, but I never would’ve thought we’d be in a position where single-player games were becoming rare and you had to force yourself to support them or they might go away.
If that’s the reality of the situation though I can’t recommend Assassin’s Creed Shadows enough. But if it doesn’t seem like your sort of thing, because of the setting or the Ubisoft-ness or whatever, please just support whatever single-player game does take your interest, or otherwise they might become a thing of the past.
By reader Hackle
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