Compare Assassin’s Creed Shadows vs Avowed

Accessibility is broad and often praised, but one PC-focused reviewer reported serious control-remapping and virtual-keyboard friction.

Reviewers noted useful accessibility and comfort controls such as camera, subtitle, difficulty, and arachnophobia-related options, though colorblind support was called out as missing.

One reviewer specifically framed Avowed as more appropriate for older teens and adults because of its complex themes and mature material.

AI behavior gets qualified praise for reacting to sound and light, though one reviewer noted stealth AI can still be cheesed.

Enemy AI was considered serviceable but not especially smart; later impressions suggested fights remain engaging without feeling brain-dead.

Aiming and first-person spell placement drew criticism when ground-targeted abilities were hard to place precisely.

Animation feedback was mixed, with stiff NPCs and less impressive presentation keeping the game from feeling fully modern.

Most reviewers praised the bold, colorful, alien fantasy art direction, though a few disliked the cartoony look or felt presentation was uneven.

Atmosphere receives strong praise, with one reviewer saying the setting and mood alone carry the experience.

The Living Lands’ vivid tone, music, and dreamlike spaces were repeatedly praised for creating a distinctive atmosphere.

Boss design ranges from satisfying Yasuke duels to cramped or irritating fights, producing a mixed but generally functional picture.

Boss design was criticized as disappointing, with bosses feeling like tougher versions of regular enemies rather than unique encounters.

Bug frequency is mixed: many reviewers saw few or minor bugs, but some reported frequent issues or late-game technical problems.

Bug reports varied widely: some reviewers found almost none, while others hit quest bugs, map-edge bugs, or issues that required reloads.

Camera behavior is a repeated combat complaint, especially in crowded fights and tight interiors.

Camera-related options were appreciated, especially the ability to adjust head bob and camera shake for comfort.

Character creation was generally praised as solid or deep, with later updates adding more races and appearance options.

Character development is uneven: some praise strong character work, while others argue Yasuke or the central bond lacks growth and earned depth.

Character development split reviewers: some found companions distinct and engaging, while others thought characters were bland or hard to care about.

The character roster/dual protagonist setup is praised for contrasting playstyles, but critics found Yasuke and Naoe unevenly supported.

The companion roster was often seen as small or limited, though some reviewers still liked the four supporting characters.

Build and class flexibility was praised because Avowed lets players mix archetypes freely, though balance sometimes favored magic or specific styles.

Combat is widely seen as stronger and more deliberate than recent entries, especially with Yasuke, though a few critics still found it clumsy or underdeveloped.

Combat was one of the most consistently praised elements, especially magic, responsiveness, and build variety, despite repetition and gear-gating complaints.

Companion combat AI was mixed: some found companions self-sufficient or improved by patches, while others called them weak or unnecessary in fights.

Content variety is positive overall, with many activities and systems, though some reviewers found the map cluttered or overfilled with side material.

Reviewers liked the dense zones and amount of side content, although some felt the scope was restrained rather than sprawling.

Controls are split: some reviewers praised smooth handling, while others reported unreliable parry detection or remapped inputs that failed to register.

Controls and combat feel were commonly praised for responsiveness, impact, and keybind flexibility, with a few targeting frustrations.

The core loop is praised when stealth, combat, and open-ended play feel fresh, but one reviewer felt the novelty gives way to repetitive objectives.

The core loop was divisive: strong combat and exploration were often undermined for some reviewers by gear-tier repetition and open-zone structure.

The hideout/resource system is treated as useful and customizable, with one review crediting it for turning resources into gear and scout benefits.

Crafting was mixed to negative, with several reviewers calling it threadbare, expensive, or too tied to gear-tier progression.

Crash stability varies from never crashing on Steam Deck to multiple or severe crashes in more critical reviews.

Crash stability varied by platform and version: some reviewers reported no crashes, while another had severe startup crashes before fixes.

Cross-save support is positively noted as a convenient way to move between PlayStation and PC.

Dialogue quality was criticized in one review for sounding flat and leaving performers with little to work with.

Dialogue quality ranged from standout and well acted to overly wordy, forced, or limited in the options it offered.

Difficulty tuning is mixed: some reviewers recommend higher settings for better engagement, while others found lower stealth settings too easy.

Difficulty balance was one of the most debated areas, with some finding it fair and flexible and others criticizing gear checks, sponginess, or uneven scaling.

Resource balance divided reviewers: some liked the meaningful economy, while others felt crafting materials and upgrade resources were too scarce.

Emotional impact came mostly from moral choices, consequences, and companion moments, though some endings or fallout felt muted to critics.

Endgame content was criticized because the original experience did not allow continued post-story play and lacked New Game Plus at launch.

Enemy variety drew a clear negative judgment from one reviewer who called the lack of variety disappointing.

Enemy variety was a recurring concern; many reviewers felt the same bears, spiders, skeletons, and humanoids appeared too often.

Environmental detail is consistently praised through foliage, weather, seasons, and richly rendered landscapes.

Environmental detail was strongly praised through dense secrets, vistas, caves, and handcrafted spaces, even by some otherwise mixed reviewers.

Exploration earns strong praise for discovery, scenery, and organic clue-following, though several reviewers found traversal or repeated activities less satisfying over time.

Exploration was one of the strongest consensus positives, with dense maps, secrets, vertical paths, and constant rewards keeping reviewers engaged.

Facial animations were criticized in later impressions as not matching next-generation expectations.

Faithfulness to franchise is mixed: reviewers praised a stronger classic-AC feel, but one longtime fan missed the modern-day and Assassin/Templar focus.

Returning Eora fans often felt Avowed was faithful to the Pillars of Eternity world, while still accessible to newcomers.

Fast travel was viewed as convenient and generous, making it easy to revisit areas without friction.

Frame rate stability is mostly acceptable or strong, but several reviews mention hideout issues, minor turbulence, or handheld drops below 30 FPS.

Frame-rate stability varied: some reviewers saw stable performance, while others reported hitches, drops, screen tearing, or stuttering.

Fun factor is generally positive, including strong stealth enjoyment and continued fun despite repetition.

Fun factor leaned positive overall, especially for combat and exploration, though some reviewers found the experience merely solid or underwhelming.

Gameplay mechanics were generally praised as streamlined and flexible, but a few reviewers felt RPG systems lacked depth or reactivity.

Graphics are the clearest consensus strength, with reviewers repeatedly calling Japan stunning, gorgeous, next-generation, or among the best-looking open worlds.

Graphics quality was divisive but often positive, with praise for stunning vistas and vivid visuals alongside criticism of poor or compromised visuals on some platforms.

Grind level is mixed to negative, especially where side activities, resource demands, or knowledge grinding slow progress.

Grind level was a common complaint tied to gear upgrades, resource hunting, and spongy combat loops.

Handheld suitability is positive overall, with Steam Deck play described as enjoyable on the go despite performance limits.

Steam Deck suitability was considered playable and verified, but the visual tradeoff was significant.

Haptic support was platform-dependent: one PS5 review praised DualSense vibration, while another noted missing haptic and trigger use.

HUD clarity improved through options to reduce clutter, adjust opacity, and toggle display elements.

Immersion suffers in one review where protagonist imbalance breaks the connection between gameplay and story.

Immersion was helped by dense worldbuilding and atmosphere but hurt for some by static NPCs and limited world reactivity.

Innovation is mixed: fundamental changes impressed one reviewer, while another felt seasonal gameplay promises did not fully materialize.

Innovation was usually described as limited; reviewers saw Avowed as confident and enjoyable rather than genre-changing.

Learning support was helped by reference and lore systems that made Eora’s terminology easier to understand.

Level and city design drew criticism where locations blurred together or felt artificial rather than fully reactive playgrounds.

Level design was praised for verticality, density, handcrafted routes, and spaces that felt larger than their footprint.

Post-launch support was viewed positively, with free updates improving stability, customization, build options, and quality-of-life features.

Load times drew criticism where character switching inserted a 10–15 second screen that broke the moment.

Loot reactions are mixed: several reviewers enjoyed meaningful perks and gear loops, while others disliked excessive randomized drops or low gameplay impact.

Loot opinions were mixed: unique items and progression could be satisfying, but many chests and rewards felt predictable or unexciting.

Lore depth was consistently praised, especially the in-game books, history, politics, and reference systems that made Eora feel rich.

Map and navigation design earns praise for objectives, clues, scouting, and reduced handholding, but one reviewer found the vague search approach unreliable.

Map and navigation design was mixed, with missing custom markers criticized before later updates added them.

Menu usability is generally positive for clean systems, though character switching through menus was a noted friction point.

Menu and ability-wheel usability was mixed; some quality-of-life systems helped, but radial wheels and limited hotkeys disrupted combat for others.

Microtransaction impact is mixed: some found the store non-intrusive, while others disliked map packs, supplies, or the volume of paid extras.

Mission design is mixed: the moment-to-moment action entertains, but several reviewers called setups bland, thin, or repetitive.

Mission design drew criticism when quests felt repetitive, fetchy, or like back-and-forth errands, though some standout missions remained.

Mission variety is a recurring concern, with repeated targets, activities, and quest structures wearing thin even in otherwise positive reviews.

Movement and parkour are often praised as stylish and satisfying, especially for Naoe, but some dodging and rolling criticism keeps the score from being unanimous.

Movement feel and parkour were strongly praised for making exploration fluid, vertical, and enjoyable.

Narrative quality is the most divided major attribute: some reviewers found it compelling or even the best feature, while many criticized dull, thin, or unfocused storytelling.

Narrative quality was usually a strength thanks to mystery, choices, and world stakes, but some reviewers found the main plot predictable or underwhelming.

Onboarding was praised when it taught by doing, though lore-heavy openings could feel steep for newcomers.

Open-world design divides reviewers: some admire the quality-over-quantity direction and road flow, while others find the checklist structure damaging to pacing.

Open-zone design split reviewers: many liked curated, dense hubs, while others found the world restrictive, lifeless, or not interactive enough.

Originality is limited in one review, which felt the game remains familiar and does not push the formula far enough.

Originality was limited; reviewers often described Avowed as familiar comfort-food fantasy rather than a bold genre evolution.

Pacing ranges from brisk or even immaculate in favorable reviews to slow, padded, or flow-breaking in more critical ones.

Pacing was mixed, with slow starts, downtime, filler quests, and late-game repetition weighing against an otherwise easy-to-follow story.

Performance is often positive across PC and console contexts, though one review notes drops during heavy effects or large battles.

Performance optimization varied sharply across versions, from stable and improved after patches to demanding, stuttery, or poorly optimized on some PCs.

Platform-specific feature support is praised where the PS5/PS5 Pro display modes balance performance and image quality.

Platform-specific support was praised for PS5 performance modes, Sony-platform feel, and PC features such as DLSS.

Parkour/platforming is praised for fluid acrobatics in some reviews, while another reviewer still found directional accuracy imperfect.

Platforming precision was a pleasant surprise, with simple mantling and vertical puzzles adding a welcome exploration layer.

Polish is a major positive in several reviews, with Shadows described as one of Ubisoft's cleanest and most refined launches.

Polish improved over time but remained uneven, with reviewers citing jank, lack of gloss, or presentation limits alongside strong craftsmanship.

Progression usually feels rewarding through knowledge, skills, and character growth, but some reviewers found it only decent or half-hearted.

Progression systems were divisive: some liked flexible builds and added points, while others found midgame growth stagnant or too gear-dependent.

Protagonist appeal is generally strong, especially for Naoe and the dual-lead concept, though some reviews prefer one lead over the other.

Puzzles were generally light but appreciated when they used environmental elements, timing, and exploration paths.

Quest design is divisive, with praise for investigative discovery but criticism that the broader structure can become a bounty-board routine.

Quest design ranged from excellent side stories and meaningful follow-ups to fetchy, inconsistent, or repetitive tasks.

Replay value is supported mainly by the volume of content and the possibility of returning to the world for months or years.

Replay value improved with choices and post-launch New Game Plus, though some reviewers felt repeated runs changed too little.

Sandbox freedom is limited by level gating, which one reviewer felt pre-determines routes despite the apparent openness.

Sandbox freedom was limited compared with full open-world RPGs, though some reviewers still appreciated freedom in story choices or builds.

Save reliability was a concern for at least one reviewer who needed more careful saving because of bugs.

Side characters and companions were highly divisive: some found them memorable and heartfelt, while others thought they were shallow or uninspired.

Skill trees are more impactful for some reviewers, but others disliked percentage-based, incremental unlocks.

Skill trees were praised for flexibility but criticized by others as simple, shallow, or uneven across archetypes.

Sound design receives direct praise in one review for fantastic effects alongside strong voice work.

Sound design was praised for impactful effects, combat feedback, and strong weapon audio.

Soundtrack quality is split between praise for an emotive score and criticism of modern or mismatched battle music.

Soundtrack reception was generally positive but often stopped short of calling the music unforgettable.

Stealth is one of the strongest points across reviews, with darkness, prone movement, assassinations, and Naoe's toolkit repeatedly praised despite occasional execution complaints.

Stealth was criticized as underdeveloped or nearly useless, with little support for stealth-focused play.

Tutorial/training presentation received limited criticism, with playable flashbacks described as an odd choice after players had already learned the skills.

The tutorial was praised for teaching systems naturally and creating meaningful choices early.

Upgrades are generally praised, especially the Forge, weapon improvement, and approachable base-linked progression.

Upgrade systems were sharply divisive, with some liking gear longevity and many others criticizing tiers, scarcity, or number-go-up design.

UI options such as text sizing and subtitles were appreciated as useful interface support.

Value for money is polarized, with some citing huge content value and another rejecting the price because of technical and monetization concerns.

Value for money was mixed: reviewers praised Game Pass or lower pricing but questioned the original premium price for the scope.

Visual effects are praised for stylized kill screens, black-and-white flourishes, and potent lighting/weather effects.

Visual effects, especially magic, were repeatedly praised for impact, color, and satisfying feedback.

Voice acting ranges from excellent in immersive/Japanese modes to wooden, grating, or hit-and-miss in English performances.

Voice acting was mostly praised as strong or outstanding, though one reviewer found performances unable to save weaker writing.

Weapon balance and variety were mostly praised for experimentation and flexible loadouts, but some reviewers felt magic outclassed melee or guns.

World-building is mixed, with praise for bringing townsfolk reactions and Japan to life but criticism of weak characters and dull storylines.

World-building was one of Avowed’s clearest strengths, especially its politics, cultures, history, and Eora continuity.

World interactivity is mixed, with small physics touches praised but city interaction and consequence systems criticized as shallow.

World interactivity was one of the most common criticisms, with many reviewers finding NPCs, theft, objects, and systems too static.

Writing quality received a sharply negative judgment from one reviewer, who described it as terrible.

Writing quality was widely praised for lore, companion dialogue, and sharp prose, but a minority found it wordy, pretentious, or mid.