Just like with every entry in the long-running franchise, Assassin’s Creed Shadows has made a host of new additions to the formula. Not only do players get access to a fully customizable Hideout, but they also get to deal with ever-changing seasons and several new mechanics. While all of that has made for an exciting adventure, there is one new addition that feels like a bit of a mixed bag; the brand-new scout system.
Throughout the players’ adventures in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, they are able to collect a small team of scouts that can help them in their quest. These scouts often prove pretty useful in finding mission objectives and resource gathering, but there are also a couple of limitations that really hold them back from being as good as they could be. And even though it may be too late to go back and change it now, if this scout system carries over to other Assassin’s Creed titles, then it may need to be reworked a bit to really make it worthy of a permanent spot in the series.
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AC Shadows’ Scout System is Not a Perfect Addition
AC Shadows’ Scouts Are An Exciting New Addition
Outside the massive overhaul to the core Assassin’s Creed gameplay loop, another big change with these RPG entries is that mission objectives are a bit more hidden now. Instead of simply telling players where to go, they are given clues about where their target may be, and must use said clues to hopefully find their objective. Assassin’s Creed Shadows continues this trend, but this time around, players also have a team of scouts they can call on at a moment’s notice. If they need the extra support, gamers can locate the general area of their mission on the map and then use the scouts to search the area, finding their target with ease.
Additionally, Assassin’s Creed Shadows‘ scouts can collect resources strewn about the open-world that can be used to expand the Hideout in exciting new ways. If players find a massive pallet of resources, they simply have to interact with it and a scout will take it home for them. If that was not enough, they can also be used to clear wanted levels so that players can continue to explore Japan without worry. All of this makes for an interesting new mechanic; however, the system is far from perfect.
AC Shadows’ Scouts Also Feel Timegated
One of the biggest issues facing Assassin’s Creed Shadows‘ scouts is that the entire feature feels timegated. Players do not have an unlimited number of scouts, but instead, are only able to recruit up to six. These six scouts are only able to do one task per season, with some tasks taking multiple scouts to accomplish. So, if players are not careful, they could wipe out their entire scout supply before they even realize it. And while they can pay Mon to replenish them, that still creates a barrier for some.
This timegate can get rather annoying, especially since scouts are the only ones that can carry the pallets of supplies home. So, if players have used them all, then those resources must be left behind, which means the player’s hideout progress is also hampered. Luckily, players can reduce the number of scouts needed for that activity, but that does not really fix the underlying issue.
All of this makes for a system that feels like a nice addition to the formula but one that could also use a bit of work in subsequent Assassin’s Creed titles. Of course, there needs to be a few limitations so that players are not constantly relying on scouts to find their objectives or complete other tasks. Still, there will hopefully be better ways to replenish them or more ways to increase the scout pool if the mechanic returns in the future.
- Released
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March 20, 2025
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language