Analysis of Assassin’s Creed Shadows on Switch 2, an incredible port, but with logical sacrifices

The arrival of the Switch 2 was inevitably accompanied by a need for check how far you are technically capable of going. Games like Cyberpunk 2077 or Hogwarts Legacy served as a “scale”, but now it’s time to try Shadows of Assassin’s Creed.

It is clear that the Naoe and Yasuke’s adventure It is one of the most complicated games in Ubisoftwhether because most fans consider it to be too far from the Assassin’s formula or… well, those hyperbolic controversies against Yasuke himself.

It is clear that the vast majority of the public agrees that On a technical level, it is one of the most beautiful open world games on the recent scene. It’s on a PC with good specifications where it shines most, of course, but PS5 and Xbox Series

Then,can Switch 2, an obviously less powerful console, with a game of this technical caliber? The answer is: yes, with nuances, of course. Logically, sacrifices were necessary along the way, although the end result is quite impressive.

Before continuing, we want to clarify that we are not going to delve into the dynamics of the game or the rest of the gameplay details. To do this, we encourage you to read our original review of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, as it is the same game.

Yokoso back to Japan

Here, we will focus on the Switch 2 Version Specifications. On the one hand, is it really the SAME game as the other versions?

Yes, all the development, the menus, the missions… everything is exactly the same and, in fact, you can use Ubisoft Connect to import the game that you had in other systems, progress, items, armor…

Of course, at the time of this review the patch for the Spanish voices was not yet available (they were only in English and Japanese), but The patch arrives on December 2nd.

Likewise, the Claws of Awaji expansion won’t be available until January, so you still can’t access some content like cane. Everything else is there.

As many of you (logically) will be wondering, we clarify that The game arrives in Game Key Card formateven if you buy it physically. Come on, you have to download it anyway (it weighs about 65 gigabytes, by the way).

Ubisoft’s justification is that the data flow is more efficient in this format than reading the card, therefore guaranteeing a less “needling” experience…

And, in all honesty, one of the first aspects we have to evaluate is that charges are very shortjust a few seconds compared to previous Assassin’s Creed games.

He Switch 2 UFS 3.1 storage There’s little to envy about PS5 or Xbox Series X SSDs here.

Once in action, what about technical performance? In both dock mode and laptop mode, Shadows move at 30 frames per second.

Ubi itself has not specified the native resolution achieved, and although it is obviously lower than the rest of the versions, the result is very convincing even in docked mode and watching on a 65-inch TV, where we tested.

The game uses DLSS to increase the final level of detail thanks to the support of AI. There is also compatibility with HDR and VRR (although this advantage is somewhat “forced” at 30 frames per second).

All of this was commented on by Ubi herself and, after testing the game, we drew several conclusions. Firstly, it is The level of detail achieved without frame rate collapse is very, very commendable.

When we arrive in cities, we see the same buildings, objects, animals running, (almost) the same number of people walking…

The same happens in places full of trees and vegetation, where it is sometimes difficult to distinguish this game from other versions.

Perhaps the most efficient demonstration is when we synchronize on some watchtower. There, the camera rotates surprisingly smoothly (it is in the panoramic views where the bumps are most noticeable, in this type of case) and the landscape is full of details as far as the eye can see.

And where are the sacrifices? On the one hand, there is the frame rate itself that we have already mentioned, which, in addition, Sometimes has difficulty staying stable above 30 frames.

In busier areas this number obviously drops. It’s not that things become impossible to play, far from it, but there are some moments when the fluidity “scratches” more than we would like.

Lighting is another element that was “archived”. Instead of ray tracing, here global illumination is used which, although more efficient, makes shadows appear more washed out, less accurate.

So we have other smaller elements, such as a lower level of detail in some characters’ hair, certain faces or the movement of foliage when we look closely, although other elements such as clothing simulation are intact.

In objective terms, The technical result of this version is very satisfactorysometimes even surprisingly.

Of course, it is much more advisable to play in docked mode. In laptop mode the image is a little blurrier and overall the experience is not that pleasant. Here the “seams” are more noticeable.

Hobby Consolas’ opinion on Assassin’s Creed Shadows on Switch 2: daiyobu desu

Of course, the rest of the versions are superior and there will be those who wonder why the hell play on the Switch 2 if the rest look better, but if you look at it the other way around (“I just bought a Switch 2 and would like an open world game”) it seems like a very sensible bet.

In addition to technical performance, there are some specific elements of the Switch 2, such as the use of the touch screen for menus, but nothing “sophisticated” like mouse or gyroscope control.

In fact, although when we start the game the Animus Hub is launched, in which we can see access to other previous games such as Valhalla or Origins, in fact, this utility is “dead” because these games are not available on the Switch 2.

In return, the rest of the original game’s new features, such as New game +are available as a base, so the number of hours of gameplay that awaits you here is enormous.