5 key differences between Assassin's Creed Shadows and Assassin's Creed Odyssey

Assassin's Creed Shadows and Assassin's Creed Odyssey may both fall under the franchise's RPG-laden period, but they could not be further apart. While Odyssey transported gamers to ancient Greece, Shadows transports the action to Feudal Japan, presenting an entirely new approach to gameplay, stealth, and combat.

Everything from the way players interact with the environment to combat mechanics and progression, Assassin's Creed Shadows differs from Odyssey in the following ways.

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Listing 5 key differences between Assassin's Creed Shadows and Assassin's Creed Odyssey

1) Open world: Feudal Japan vs. Ancient Greece

Alternate themes in AC series (Image via Ubisoft)

Assassin's Creed Odyssey's take on ancient Greece was a sun-soaked utopia with vibrant cities, massive seas, and mythic ruins. Players could sail the Aegean Sea, fight epic battles, and visit mythological sites.

Meanwhile, Assassin's Creed Shadows drops players in feudal Japan, a location long in the pipeline for fans. Differing from Assassin's Creed Odyssey's open and sunny environments, Shadows features crowded forests, fog-shrouded castles, and rural Japanese settlements. The world is said to be more vertical, with a focus on stealth action with rooftop travel, secret routes, and destructible terrain where players can get creative with their assassinations.

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2) Dual protagonists

The Protagonists in AC series (Image via Ubisoft)

In Odyssey, players had to choose between Alexios or Kassandra at the start of the game. The decision was permanent, and while their stories remained mostly the same, their interactions and minor details differed.

Shadows, however, introduces Naoe and Yasuke, but instead of picking one, players will freely switch between them. Each character has unique abilities and playstyles — Naoe is a stealth-focused shinobi relying on agility and tools, while Yasuke is a brutal samurai warrior built for direct combat. This system allows for a more varied gameplay experience without forcing a single playstyle.

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3) Combat

Combat type in the AC titles (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Ubisoft)

Odyssey leaned into Spartan warrior combat, with players wielding Leonidas’ spear and using abilities like the iconic Spartan Kick. Combat was fast-paced and ability-driven, often forcing players into large-scale battles rather than stealth. Shadows, however, introduces a more tactical combat system with an emphasis on stealth and afflictions like Dazed, Poisoned, etc.

This system makes combat in Shadows more strategic, encouraging players to weaken enemies before engaging in direct fights.

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4) Stealth mechanics & Eagle vision replacement

Stealth mechanics in both AC titles (Image via Ubisoft)

While Assassin's Creed Odyssey did offer stealth mechanics, it was far from a traditional Assassin’s Creed experience. With open combat, sneaking around was often optional rather than necessary. Shadows brings stealth back to the forefront. Naoe excels in silent assassinations, using the kusarigama for quick takedowns and smoke bombs to escape.

Yasuke, while built for combat, can still prone crawl, hide in shadows, and use a bow for ranged stealth kills. He also has the Observe mechanic, allowing him to gather intel on enemies without the traditional Assassin tools.

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5) Exploration & loot: Castles vs. Naval combat

Glimpses from the AC titles (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Ubisoft)

One of Assassin's Creed Odyssey’s biggest features was its naval gameplay, which let players sail the Adrestia, recruit crew members, and engage in large-scale ship battles. Naval combat was a core gameplay element, offering ship upgrades, ramming mechanics, and boarding sequences.

Shadows moves away from open-sea exploration and instead focuses on clearing heavily fortified castles. These locations contain special chests that offer pre-determined, high-tier gear, and can be accessed after defeating the castle’s Samurai Daisho.

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Check out: 7 best beginner tips for Assassin's Creed Shadows