PHOTO OPS Archives

‘Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ Hits 2 Million Players Giving Ubisoft A Much-Needed Win, Gamers Says So Much For “Going Woke, Go Broke”

March 24, 2025

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Source: Ubisoft / Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is doing numbers, giving Ubisoft a much-needed win.
Take that haters. After plenty of rumbling and hoping Assassin’s Creed Shadows would be a massive flop for Ubisoft, the highly-anticipated next chapter in the Assassin’s Creed franchise is already a hit.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows reached 2 million players three days after its release. According to a post from Ubisoft, “Assassin’s Creed Shadows has now surpassed the launches of AC Origins and Odyssey.”

This milestone follows after Shadows reached 1 million players in the first 24 hours of its release, easily eclipsing AC Valhalla’s record. According to Ubisoft, Valhalla was the biggest launch on PC when it was launched in 2020.
We zap five years later, and Shadows seemingly smashed that record.

What also could have contributed to that record was that Shadows was launched on Steam from day one and immediately verified for Steam Deck use. It took two whole years for Valhalla after its original release to land on Steam.
Currently, Shadows’ all-time peak concurrent numbers on Steam are at 64,825, officially putting it past Odyssey’s 62,069 but easily blowing past Origins (41,551) and Valhalla (15,679).
If Assassin’s Creed Shadows continues at this pace, it could become one of the biggest releases of the year. To put things in perspective, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, which was a very well-reviewed title, took two weeks to hit the 2-million player mark; it only took days for Shadows to reach that goal.
Ubisoft Finally Gets A Win With Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Shadows’ performance is a much-needed win for Ubisoft, which has been reeling thanks to commercial flops like Star Wars Outlaws and Skull and Bones. This could be the shot in the arm the video game developer has been looking for.
It also showed that all the social discourse around Shadows, specifically about the game’s dual protagonist, Yasuke, the Black Samurai, and Naoe, the female shinobi assassin, didn’t matter in the end.
Hell, it might have even helped the game sell.
Who knows.
Well, we loved Shadows and wrote in our review of the game that “Assassin’s Creed Shadows is an exceptional entry into the franchise that brilliantly combines all of the good features from the games over the years and stuffed them into a game that doesn’t require you to play 100+ hours to complete. It’s so good that you want to spend as much time in its world as possible to uncover more of the story because it’s absolutely worth it.”

Congrats to the Ubisoft team for the successful launch. You can see more reactions in the gallery below.

Former Two-Time Heavyweight Champion & King of The Grill, George Foreman, Passes Away At 76

djfrosty

March 21, 2025

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Source: Eric Charbonneau / Getty / George Foreman
Legendary boxer George Foreman has passed away. He was 76.
George Foreman’s family announced the sad news on the former two-time heavyweight champion’s Instagram account on Friday, with a photo of Big George surrounded by them.

The caption for the post reads:
Our hearts are broken. With profound sorrow, we announce the passing of our beloved George Edward Foreman Sr. who peacefully departed on March 21, 2025 surrounded by loved ones. A devout preacher, a devoted husband, a loving father, and a proud grand and great grandfather, he lived a life marked by unwavering faith, humility, and purpose.

A humanitarian, an Olympian, and two time heavyweight champion of the world, He was deeply respected — a force for good, a man of discipline, conviction, and a protector of his legacy, fighting tirelessly to preserve his good name— for his family.
We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers, and kindly ask for privacy as we honor the extraordinary life of a man we were blessed to call our own.

His Early Life & Boxing Career
Foreman was born in 1949 in Marshall, Texas, and was one of seven children. Foreman was heavily into sports, playing football and basketball as a youngster.
As a young teen, Foreman dropped out of school in the 10th grade, spending his time shoplifting, drinking, and getting into trouble. At the age of 16, he joined the Job Corps, and that’s where his life changed for the better when he met Nick Broadus, a boxing instructor who quickly recognized Foreman’s talent.
Foreman won his first amateur fight in 1967 via knockout in the first round, setting him on a path to boxing glory. He won a gold medal in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.
Foreman would win 76 of his 81 fights, 68 by knockout.
In 1973, Foreman defeated Joe Frazier to capture the heavyweight championship for the first time.
His most notable fight was his legendary match against the late Muhammad Ali in 1974, famously dubbed the Rumble in the Jungle in Kinshasa, Zaire, where he lost the title.

Foreman would return to boxing glory when he did what many believed he couldn’t, defeating Michael Moorer in 1994, regaining the heavyweight championship at the age of 45.
He retired for a second time in 1997 at the age of 48 and was eventually inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame. He would later earn a different title, “King of the Grill,” due to the ridiculous success of his lean, mean, fat-fighting machine, the George Foreman Grill.

Foreman leaves his 12 children, including five sons named George, so his legacy will continue.
Social media is ringing the bell for Big George. You can see those reactions in the gallery below.

1. Mike Tyson

2. The Foreman Grill was clutch

It’s Morphin Time Cuh: Vince Staples Wants To Be In Disney+’s ‘Power Rangers’ Reboot, Fans Would Love To See It

djfrosty

March 21, 2025

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Source: Erika Goldring / Getty / Vince Staples
Vince Staples as the Blue or Black Ranger? It could happen if the Hip-Hop star/actor has his way.
For those who didn’t know, Disney+ is rebooting Power Rangers. Vince Staples wants in on the Mighty Morphin action in the upcoming live-action series.
The “Blue Suede” rapper took to X, formerly Twitter, to express his interest in a role, simply writing, “Call me, [on the] dead homies” after learning that Percy Jackson and the Olympians showrunners Jonathan E. Steinberg and Dan Shotz are working on the upcoming project for the streamer.

Staples is no stranger to film and television cameras; he’s had minor roles in Dope and White Men Can’t Jump. He also starred in the first season of Netflix’s The Vince Staples Show, which was renewed for a second season, and he had guest appearances on Abbott Elementary and Insecure, so he would be very comfortable if given the role.
Fans Say He Would Be A Perfect “Cuh” or Black Ranger
Fans have reacted to the idea of Staples possibly becoming a Power Ranger. One person warned him about the “Power Ranger curse” writing in a post on X, “Vince you gon struck with the Power Rangers curse stay far away bro.” Staples responded, “I’ll die for what I believe in n***a.”
Another user shared what looks like an AI-generated image of Staples in the Blue Ranger costume.
Listen, we would love to see it.
Disney+ will be teaming up with Hasbro, who acquired the rights to the iconic franchise in 2018, TheWrap reported. According to the website, Disney and Hasbro’s goal is to “reinvent the franchise for a whole new generation of fans while delighting those who already know and love the world of Power Rangers.”
We shall see if Vince Staples gets a call. Until then, you can see more reactions in the gallery below.

Head Quack At HHS, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Floats Idea of Letting Bird Flu Spread, Experts Say That’s Incredibly Dumb

djfrosty

March 21, 2025

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Source: Niall Carson – PA Images / Getty / Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
We are truly in the upside down. Donald Trump said he would let crackpot Health and Human Services head Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “go wild on health,” and he is not letting Orange Mussolini down with his bird-brained idea to tackle bird flu in the country.

Honestly, we wished we were making this up.
Speaking on Fox News, the white Dr. Sebi suggested a ridiculous idea, with no pertinent data to back him up, that farmers “should consider maybe the possibility of letting it run through the flock so that we can identify the birds, and preserve the birds, that are immune to it,” instead of doing the right thing and humanely killing the diseased birds to keep the contagious virus from spreading.

Letting bird flu spread is precisely the kind of idea from someone who is way over their heads, and that is precisely the case with the former environmental lawyer who made a living peddling junk medical theories.
The New York Times reports that even if Kennedy stupidly pushes this idea to farmers, they don’t have to follow it because he has no jurisdiction over them. To make matters worse, the current and equally unqualified agricultural secretary, Brooke Rollins, believes Kennedy’s dangerous and dumb idea is worth trying.
“There are some farmers that are out there that are willing to really try this on a pilot as we build the safe perimeter around them to see if there is a way forward with immunity,” per the New York Times.
The Real Experts Sound The Alarm
Of course, the real experts all say RFK Jr.’s plan is complete horse sh*t.
“Veterinary scientists said letting the virus sweep through poultry flocks unchecked would be inhumane and dangerous and have enormous economic consequences,” according to the New York Times.
Dr. Gail Hansen, a former state veterinarian for Kansas, sounded the alarm, calling the plan what it obviously is, “a recipe for disaster.”
Per The New York Times:
Every infection is another opportunity for the virus, called H5N1, to evolve into a more virulent form. Geneticists have been tracking its mutations closely; so far, the virus has not developed the ability to spread among people.
But if H5N1 were to be allowed to run through a flock of five million birds, “that’s literally five million chances for that virus to replicate or to mutate,” Dr. Hansen said.
Large numbers of infected birds are likely to transmit massive amounts of the virus, putting farm workers and other animals at great risk.
“So now you’re setting yourself up for bad things to happen,” Dr. Hansen said.
Hilariously, this isn’t the first dangerous idea Kennedy has floated regarding contagious viruses. He also suggested that it was better for people to catch measles instead of getting the highly effective vaccine that helped eradicate the virus in the United States, but he has since made a return as vaccination rates among Americans continue to drop.

We clearly haven’t learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. You can see more reactions in the gallery below.

Tim Walz Got Jokes: The Former VP Candidate Clowns Elon Musk, Says He Watches Tesla Stock Dropping To Give Him A “Mood Boost”

djfrosty

March 19, 2025

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Source: Star Tribune via Getty Images / Getty / Tim Walz
Minnesota Governor and former Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz showed off his comedic chops during a Wisconsin town hall, making light of Elon Musk’s current financial woes.

Tim Walz is currently out on the road reminding us what we could have had in the White House instead of Donald Trump, JD Vance, and unelected President Elon Musk on what he calls the “most unsatisfying I Told You So tour in the history of politics.”

Speaking to a packed house, Walz told the crowd that his new mood booster is the Stocks app on his phone, where he watches Tesla’s stock drop.
“I was saying. on my phone, I know some of you know this, on the iPhone,” Walz begins. “They’ve got that little stock app. I added Tesla to give me a little boost during the day. 225 and dropping.”
He continued, “I’m not a vindictive person or anything, but I take great pleasure in the fact that this guy’s life is going to get very, very difficult.”
He also gave some advice to people who still own Tesla vehicles.
“And if you own one, we’re not blaming you. You can some dental floss and pull the Tesla thing off you know.”

Elon Musk Has Lost Billions
It’s been a rough couple of weeks for Elon Musk. Phony Stark has lost billions, and Tesla shares took a tremendous hit in the wake of DOGE’s firings of federal workers under the guise of cutting government waste.
Tesla cars, factories and showrooms have been subject of unrest, with fed up Americans either vandalizing vehicles or holding protests at Tesla showroom locations.
Per USA Today:
Forbes, which maintains a real-time billionaire wealth tracking tool, estimates the 53-year-old was worth $342.4 billion as of the close of business Thursday, down a whopping $121.2 billion from its all-time high of $464 billion, set Dec. 17. He’s still the richest person in the world, however.
That estimate is in line with one from the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, which puts Musk’s wealth at $330 billion as of the close of business Friday, when Tesla stock skidded even lower. Shares are down 35% from the start of the year.

Welp.
To help him out, Elon Musk’s buddy, Donald Trump, reduced himself to an EV salesman holding, turning the White House lawn into a makeshift Tesla showroom. He announced he was going to buy one of the vehicles in hopes it would give Musk’s company a vote of confidence from the American people.
Spoiler alert: it did not. In fact, it even rubbed some of Trump’s most loyal supporters the wrong way because it came as the stock market nosedived in the wake of Trump’s stupid tariffs, which currently have us in the middle of a trade war with Canada, Mexico, and China.
Social media is loving Walz’s comedic energy and, of course, seeing Elon Musk suffer financially. You can see those reactions in the gallery below.

Jess Hilarious Calls Out Breakfast Club Co-Hosts In IG Rant Over Loren LoRosa’s Role On The Morning Show

djfrosty

March 19, 2025

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Source: Derek White / Getty / Jess Hilarious
Jess Hilarious didn’t bite her tongue when addressing her co-hosts on The Breakfast Club in an IG rant that had many people reacting on social media.

Angela Yee’s permanent replacement, Jess Hilarious, felt a type of way after returning to full-time duty from maternity leave. The comedian hopped on her Instagram account to express her grievances about her peers, especially one person in particular, Loren LoRosa, who filled in for her while caring for her newborn child.

While she did not mention Breakfast Club OGs, DJ Envy, or Charlamagne Tha God by name, she made it clear she had issues with both men.
She expressed to her Instagram followers that she felt she was left in the dark about her role opposite LoRosa, who quickly became a fan favorite in her absence.
Her comments also came after comedian Cory Holcomb, who has had issues with Jess Hilarious, took swipes at her, claiming that she was replaced by someone more “talented” than her after she got pregnant.
Jess Hilarious accused her co-hosts of not coming to her defense.
“We supposed to be a team, but not one person comes to my defense at all, ever,” Jess Hilarious stated. “With this online sh*t. I feel played with, so I’m gonna play with **gas. I’ve been quiet a lot.”
Immediately, many believed that Jess Hilarious got the boot, but that is not the case. She did reveal that even though she picked LoRosa to fill in for her, she was initially not fond of her, especially after she claimed they gave LoRosa her popular “Jess With The Mess” segment.
Jess Hilarious Admits To Not Initially Liking Loren LaRosa
She revealed that she initially overcame her insecurities during LaRosa but did not say that she was not a fan of how The Breakfast Club moves while mentioning that she understood why Angela Yee left the show.

“Nah it ain’t even you I don’t like,’ I’m realizing,” she said on Instagram Live. “It’s the way these n**gas is doing sh*t up here.”

She continued, “Angela Yee ain’t that motherf*cking crazy. Not as crazy as n**gas try to make her out to be. There’s a reason that lady wanted to leave that show… I don’t know how she did that sh*t for 13 years.”
Angela Yee left the show in 2022 and now has her own show, Way Up With Angela Yee, which she co-hosts with Hip-Hop star Maino and other rotating guests.

The following morning, The Breakfast Club addressed Jess Hilarious’s comments, and she further expounded on the situation. It was revealed that LoRosa was initially brought on to be a producer and not an on-air personality.
DJ Envy and Charlamagne Tha God reassured Jess Hilarious that she was still good, but they also told her to ignore the comments. Envy, in particular, was not fond of Jess Hilarious running straight to IG instead of talking to the team in private.

It seems like everything is cool again, but that’s not stopping social media from sharing their two -cents on the matter. You can see those reactions in the gallery below.

Drake Clowned By UMG In Scathing Motion To Dismiss The Rapper’s “Not Like Us” Lawsuit

djfrosty

March 18, 2025

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Source: Cole Burston / Getty / Drake
Drake is once again the butt of jokes on social media, and it’s not because Kendrick Lamar dropped another diss record but because his own label had bars for him.

Spotted on Variety, Universal Music Group let the chopper spray on Drizzy in a motion to dismiss the Canadian’s lawsuit against the music label accusing them of pushing Lamar’s epic diss record, “Not Like Us.”

In the dismissal, UMG claims that Drake is in his feelings and suing because he “lost a rap battle” and his decision to sue was only to “salve his wounds.”
Damn.
Per Variety:
The motion, filed earlier today and reviewed by Variety, took a cutting approach to making the case for dismissal, claiming that Drake “lost a rap battle that he provoked and in which he willingly participated. Instead of accepting the loss like the unbothered rap artist he often claims to be, he has sued his own record label in a misguided attempt to salve his wounds. Plaintiff’s Complaint is utterly without merit and should be dismissed with prejudice.”
The filing also calls the rapper who claimed to “study rap battles for a living” a hypocrite, noting that less than three years ago, he signed a public petition criticizing “the trend of prosecutors using artists’ creative expression against them” and stating their lyrics as fact. “Drake was right then and is wrong now.”
The motion continues, “Complaint’s unjustified claims against UMG are no more than Drake’s attempt to save face for his unsuccessful rap battle with Lamar.”
Drizzy’s Attorney Responds To UMG’s Filing
Drake did respond, well his attorney, Michael J. Gottlieb, did in a statement shared with Variety.
“UMG wants to pretend that this is about a rap battle in order to distract its shareholders, artists and the public from a simple truth: a greedy company is finally being held responsible for profiting from dangerous misinformation that has already resulted in multiple acts of violence. This motion is a desperate ploy by UMG to avoid accountability, but we have every confidence that this case will proceed and continue to uncover UMG’s long history of endangering, abusing and taking advantage of its artists.”
Social Media Is Clowning Drake
Drake’s attempt to sue UMG was already frowned upon by music and Hip-Hop fans alike, and now he catching more strays after getting clowned by his own label.
“UMG literally hit Drake with a Reverse uno,” one post on X, formerly Twitter, read.
Another post read, “all that talk of kendrick being a hypocrite drummed up by that fanbase only for UMG to point out how drake is also one……”

Welp.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.

‘Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ Review: Reinventing An Iconic Franchise

djfrosty

March 18, 2025

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Source: Ubisoft / Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Ubisoft hopes to restore the Assassin’s Creed video game franchise to its former glory without disappointing purists who have been on board since day one while pleasing the newbies who picked up the sticks following AC’s pivot into an action-RPG format. With Assassin’s Creed Shadows, did Ubisoft Quebec accomplish its goal? Resoundingly, yes.

Assassin’s Creed is one of those video game franchises that I hold dear to my heart. I remember getting deeply entrenched in the battle between the Order of Assassins and the Templar Order when the first game arrived in 2007, putting us in the shoes of Altaïr.

Altaïr’s story was shortlived, passing the hidden blade to Ezio Auditore da Firenze, who carries the AC torch in what many say is the strongest trilogy in the video game franchise history, Assassin’s Creed II (2009), Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood (2010) and Assassin’s Creed Revelations (2011).
Others would lead the franchise that has seen its games grow into massive undertakings following 2018’s Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, which expanded on the action-RPG element first introduced in 2017’s Assassin’s Creed Origins. It was the first Assassin’s Creed game to allow players to choose between a male or female version of the game’s protagonist.
While fans initially welcomed the change, it quickly became an issue. Many gamers, including myself, felt the games became too bloated and action-oriented, burying what we adored about Assassin’s Creed, such as the stealth play and intense story.
With Shadows, creative director Jonathan Dumont and his team at Ubisoft Quebec aimed to deliver an experience where fans who enjoyed the different variations of AC games can now press start on an experience suited for them without sacrificing what made the franchise great.
A Gripping Narrative Experienced In Multiple Ways
Source: Ubisoft / Assassin’s Creed Shadows
The story in Assasin’s Creed started strong but has since become confusing for most, especially to those whose first AC experience started with Odyssey and on. Shadows took multiple steps, hoping to bring players up to speed with everything that has happened in the franchise inside and outside the Animus.
One step is the new Animus Hub, now a one-stop section for Assassin’s Creed, which will be featured in all games in the future. There, gamers can catch up on the other games via brief rundown, launch other AC games they own, access regularly released missions, exchange keys earned from completing projects, and archive collected data files.

Then there is Shadows story itself, which is told through the eyes of two characters: Naoe, a young shinobi, and Yasuke, a legendary samurai.
Source: Ubisoft / Ubisoft Quebec / Assassin’s Creed Shadows
The game introduces you to Naoe, who quickly learns the way of the shinobi after a series of tragic events push her out into the open world of the late Sengoku period, where she will have to hone her assassin skills to complete her quest for revenge.
Source: Ubisoft / Ubisoft Quebec / Assassin’s Creed Shadows
You will eventually don the armor of Yasuke, the legendary African samurai who gains favor and freedom from his Portuguese slavers thanks to Lord Nobunaga.
Naoe and Yasuke’s stories are uniquely intertwined with Dumont and his team, crafting a narrative that will lead you down a gripping tale as you explore each of the protagonists’ personal mysteries. These mysteries are worth the time and effort to uncover and experience.
Choice is also important, as some decisions will impact particular outcomes. For example, Naoe forgives a target during one mission rather than killing them. Or you can even forge romantic relationships or gain allies with your choices. You can opt for “Canon mode,” which Ubisoft says is the definitive way to experience the game by removing the dialogue options.
No One Way To Play
Source: Ubisoft / Assassin’s Creed Shadows

What kind of AC player are you? If you enjoy sneaking in the high grass or stalking the shadows and rooftops to take out foes, this game is for you.
Or, do you enjoy just cutting your foes down with wreckless abandon and don’t give a damn about your foes calling in reinforcements because, hey, “they can get this smoke too!” Guess what? This game is also for you.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows blends two distinct playing styles with its two protagonists system.
With Naoe, players get the stealth action they have sorely missed, but with a shinobi twist. Naoe feels different from other assassins in previous titles based on how she moves around the world.
Source: Ubisoft / Ubisoft Quebec / Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Her cool vaults and flips over obstacles, dashing across rooftops, tossing shurikens, use of smoke bombs, and other weapons and tools specific to ninjas give her a feel gamers have wanted for a long time and get thanks to the series finally shifting to Japan.
Yasuke is the exact opposite and is designed to give players that powerful tank that can cut down any foe that stands before them. While he can also use stealth elements, his power pushes you to run through doors literally and confidently take on several foes simultaneously because he is still skillful and, unlike Naoe, can take more damage.
Source: Ubisoft / Assassin’s Creed Shadows
The best part is you are also not locked into one character; you can switch at any time, and the story will remain the same. So you’re not punished for playing favorites in Shadows.

Other Welcomed Features
Source: Ubisoft / Ubisoft Quebec / Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Assassin’s Creed is always best known for the living worlds that players roam in each game. That is taken to another level in Shadows, thanks to the changing seasons.
Japan changes dramatically during the seasons, which is reflected beautifully in Assasin’s Creed Shadows. This feature is not just aesthetically pleasing; it also affects gameplay.
For example, during the winter, bodies of water Naoe and Yasuke could normally swim in completely freeze; grassy areas to hide in are gone, but they return when spring or summer returns.
The changing seasons also affect particular missions, as specific targets will only appear during the summer.
The new objective board is also a welcomed addition to the game, giving players a more efficient way to track quests. As you progress through the game, explore the many different regions, circle zones featuring the faces of the significant characters you meet, and objectives you can complete.
Most of the objectives are optional, and if you opt not to partake in the side quests, which I am happy to say aren’t mindless fetch quests, you can probably complete the game’s main story in 30 hours or less.
Again, play how you want, but it will be hard not to be distracted and wander off the beaten path because, unlike in previous games, this is a living world worth exploring.
Base building is another welcomed addition to the game, allowing players to build a home where their allies and pets can hang out, plus add passive benefits like extra scouts that help you find objectives on the map and pick up resources you tag while out on missions.

Final Verdict
Source: Ubisoft / Assassin’s Creed Shadows
When Dumont first announced that Assassin’s Creed Shadows was being delayed to allow more time in the oven, people thought it would be bad news for the game.
It turns out that it was the best decision. With Shadows, Dumont and his team needed to deliver an Assassin’s Creed that is not just a bloated fetch quest, which is a story that no one will remember or care about by the time the credits roll; they needed to give players a game on par with the original and it’s subsequent sequels.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is an exceptional entry into the franchise that brilliantly combines all of the good features from the games over the years and stuffed them into a game that doesn’t require you to play 100+ hours to complete. It’s so good that you want to spend as much time in its world as possible to uncover more of the story because it’s absolutely worth it.
Shadows’ story is engaging, and despite some instances of weak voice-over work, the performances are top-notch. The introduction of the two-protagonist system gives players two different ways to enjoy the game while delivering a narrative to give a damn about again.
I’m still embarking on my adventure in Shadows, but I’m 100% invested and can confidently say this is the best game in the Assassin’s Creed franchise since Brotherhood.
With Shadows, Assassin’s Creed is back. We just hope that this momentum continues.

*PS5 Review Key Provided By Ubisoft*

1. Assassin’s Creed Shadows