In Assassin’s Creed Shadows, players have a new base called The Hideout, which is quite different from earlier games in the series. Instead of simple base-building, The Hideout pushes customization further than ever before.
Players can decorate their space by adding various collectibles, such as animal sketches collected through non-violent interactions with wildlife, pieces of armor, and even pets they’ve gained. The Hideout acts as a main place to showcase these items, creating a personalized display of the player’s adventures.
The building mechanics in The Hideout work like a grid system similar to the original Sims games. This gives players a lot of freedom to place and arrange things that weren’t seen in previous titles. You can set up paths, trees, shrines, and different structures, but you like to create your perfect space. This system lets you play in various ways—you can focus on putting up structures that boost your experience, make your space look nice, or collect and show off different items.
Ubisoft has explored this concept by allowing players to upgrade their bases in several of its games, but this approach goes all-in on the idea. The Hideout is designed very differently from the chaotic Sengoku period of Japan, where the game takes place. The developers wanted The Hideout to be a calm place that offers a break from the game’s action, serving as a space for peace and rebuilding amid the conflict.
This idea connects well with the stories of the main characters, Yasuke and Naoe, who have both faced great loss and are looking for a sense of belonging. The Hideout helps create a strong bond between the characters, adding depth to the story beyond the main plot.
The development of The Hideout includes changing seasons that affect how players gather resources and build things. Players can send scouts to collect materials for upgrades, and bigger projects may take a whole season to complete. There are also unique local items that players can find, showing their exploration in the game. This feature helps link the players’ adventures to the growth of The Hideout.
One change that seems to be inspired by Assassin’s Creed 3 and Valhalla is the social interactions that players can do at the base. Allies that players recruit will live in the space and interact with each other and the player, adding a sense of community and life outside the player’s direct influence. These interactions change with the seasons and depend on which allies are recruited, leading to unique conversations and making the environment more interesting.
It’s no secret that Assassin’s Creed: Shadows has a lot of criticism already, and Ubisoft’s future is in question. However, going all-in on a feature like this is a great way to hook players in. I was not going to buy the game until I learned about these new features. They’re too good to pass up, and I’ve been wanting them since Assassin’s Creed 2 first introduced base building. Hopefully, Shadows lives up to expectations.
Source: GamesRadar
