As the breeze sweeps through Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the world bursts to life in a mesmerizing dance. Leaves whirl into the sky, the grass sways rhythmically, and Naoe’s hair drifts with the wind. This captivating effect enhances the game’s ever-changing seasons and weather patterns. During a chat with Digital Foundry, the game’s rendering engineers revealed a surprising twist: what we perceive as wind is actually an invisible fluid simulation.
That’s right, the realistic gusts of wind are crafted through fluid simulations that course through the game’s universe. This method is a staple in game design, producing fantastic effects across a wide array of games like God of War and Dwarf Fortress. It’s a wonder why such a technique wouldn’t work here as well.
The developers over at Ubisoft have dubbed the game’s dynamic weather system as ‘Atmos,’ specifically designed to complement the seasonal themes of the game. As Naoe navigates her journey of vengeance, the seasons mirror the ebbs and flows of her life. One moment, you’re slogging through thick winter snow in the Japanese landscape, and in the next, you’re racing through lush green fields as the snow vanishes. The game even lets you alter seasons at will eventually.
Thanks to its innovative ray-traced lighting effects, Assassin’s Creed Shadows might just be one of the most visually stunning games around. In my opinion, it’s the first time ray tracing truly seems vital in crafting an atmosphere that complements the narrative. Digital Foundry goes deep into technical details, but in essence, the game leverages ray tracing to inject older technology with vibrancy. The interiors of buildings radiate softly through glowing shoji screens, while deeper shadows underline objects in the world where sunlight doesn’t reach. Switch off ray tracing, and this contrast vanishes, dulling the vividness of the world. This difference, experts from Digital Foundry argue, signifies a “generational divide in lighting fidelity.”
Assassin’s Creed Shadows makes a strong case for stepping up to a PlayStation 5 Pro or a high-powered gaming PC boasting a 50-series Nvidia graphics card. On the PS5 Pro, the game cruises at a consistent 60 frames per second with ray tracing active, and an upcoming update promises to incorporate Sony’s PSSR upscaling tech. On the PC front, DLSS and Frame Generation technology can propel you to 60 fps on an RTX 4070 or newer.
All that power significantly enriches the entire experience, and it’s not just about lighting. Elements like the dynamic wind effects and the satisfying slice as you cut through bamboo elevate the interactivity and tactile sensation—reminiscent of the immersion found in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Assassin’s Creed Shadows raises the bar by harnessing the full might of modern computing, not to chase photo-realism, but to craft a vibrant, immersive world for players to truly engage with.
