Assassin’s Creed Shadows Reportedly Set in Japan, Yet Local Gamers May Miss Its True Intensity

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is finally delving into a setting fans have eagerly anticipated: Japan. However, gamers in Japan are in for a slightly altered experience compared to their counterparts elsewhere.

The Assassin’s Creed franchise is no stranger to violence, and Shadows continues this bloody legacy. Notably, it’s the first installment set in Japan—a backdrop players have long clamored for. As the game launches in Japan, it comes with certain modifications to its usual intensity, influenced by local age rating requirements. Classified with a Z rating by CERO, which restricts buyers under 18, the Japanese version had its gory content adjusted. Apparently, the game’s original level of violence was deemed too extreme, leading Ubisoft to scale back certain elements.

Ubisoft Japan elaborated on Twitter, explaining, “For Assassin’s Creed: Shadows (CERO: Z), modifications were necessary to meet the reviewing body’s criteria.” These alterations include the permanent removal of options to toggle dismemberment on or off, effectively disabling such actions. Additionally, the portrayal of severed body parts has been altered.

This decision, while essential for the game’s Japanese release, carries a touch of irony. Despite the game being set in Japan, local players won’t experience it exactly as intended. But that’s just how things go sometimes!

Interestingly, our own Dom recently got some hands-on time with Assassin’s Creed Shadows. His impression? The introduction of dual protagonists might be just the fresh twist the series has been yearning for, especially with its new Immersive Mode, which should captivate fans of the Shogun era.

Mark your calendars, as Assassin’s Creed Shadows is set to launch on March 20 for Xbox Series, PS5, and PC.