How to Fix Assassin’s Creed Shadows needs its brightness

Discover effective solutions to fix AC shadows and enhance brightness in your space. Transform your environment with our expert tips and guidance.
Assassin's Creed Shadows, set in the historically rich but dimly lit Sengoku period of Japan, presents a unique challenge: balancing the franchise's commitment to historical accuracy with the essential need for playable visibility. While the game's dedication to realism is commendable, the implementation of nighttime environments raises questions about the prioritization of authenticity over player experience.

Fix AC Shadows needs its brightness

The Immersion vs. Visibility Dilemma

The game's opening sequences, particularly Naoe's initial missions, occur almost entirely at night. While the developers' intent to immerse players in the shinobi's experience of operating under the cover of darkness is clear, the resulting gameplay is often hampered by near-impenetrable darkness. Even with HDR enabled, visibility is severely limited, making navigation and combat challenging.

• Historical Accuracy: The game's depiction of nighttime conditions aligns with the period, lacking widespread artificial lighting. However, this fidelity can detract from the player's ability to engage with the game's mechanics.
• Gameplay Impairment: The limited visibility hinders crucial gameplay elements, such as parkour and combat, leading to frustration. The player's inability to discern environmental details diminishes the overall experience.

Artistic Direction and Comparative Analysis

The issue of nighttime visibility raises questions about the game's art direction and its impact on playability. A comparison with Sucker Punch Productions' Ghost of Tsushimahighlights a contrasting approach:

• Ghost of Tsushima's Visual Clarity: Despite being set in an earlier historical period, Ghost of Tsushimaemploys a high-contrast visual style, inspired by classic Japanesecinema, that ensures clear visibility even during nighttime and adverseweather conditions.
• Artistic Interpretation vs. Practicality: While Assassin's Creed Shadows prioritizes realistic darkness, Ghost of Tsushima demonstrates that artistic interpretation can enhance bothimmersion and playability.

The Case for Playability Considerations

While respecting the developers' artistic vision, it's crucial to acknowledge the impact of extreme darkness on player experience. Game developersoften make concessions for playability, even when striving for realism.

• Player Accessibility: Limited visibility can create accessibility barriers, particularly forplayers with visual impairments or those playing on less-than-idealdisplay setups.
• Engagement and Enjoyment: Gameplay should prioritize player engagement and enjoyment. Excessivedarkness can lead to frustration and diminish the overall experience.

Assassin's Creed Shadows' commitment to historical accuracy is commendable, butthe implementation of nighttime environments requires a more balancedapproach. While maintaining the atmosphere of feudal Japan, thedevelopers should consider enhancing visibility to ensure a moreenjoyable and accessible gameplay experience. A thoughtful adjustment of art direction, similar to Ghost of Tsushima, could preserve the game'sintended atmosphere while improving player visibility.

The developers should consider that while artistic vision is important, the players experience is also a very important part of the game.

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