Asmongold Dismantles Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Shadows Trailer

Asmongold’s reactions to video game trailers have become the stuff of legend, and his recent reaction to Assassin's Creed Shadows was no exception. With a sharp eye for detail and an unapologetic demeanor, Asmongold takes his audience on a journey dissecting Ubisoft’s latest Assassin’s Creed entry. What starts as curiosity turns into a full-blown roast, highlighting Ubisoft’s pitfalls in game design, historical accuracy, and overall presentation. Let’s break down the key moments of his commentary and the wider implications for the game and Ubisoft's credibility.

Opening Reactions: The Missteps Begin Early

Asmongold kicks off his reaction already prepared for the worst, expressing his skepticism as he opens the Assassin’s Creed Shadows trailer. Right from the get-go, the video stumbles into what Asmongold calls an "egregious" mistake with a geographically incorrect rice field placement. “That rice field next to a river? It would flood right away,” Asmongold quips, pointing out a glaring environmental design flaw. The video is barely a few seconds in, and he’s already flagged an issue that should’ve been caught during development.

This sets the tone for his entire reaction — Asmongold isn't just nitpicking, but pointing out that even the most obvious aspects of the game seem poorly researched or haphazardly executed.

Ubisoft’s Struggles with Historical Authenticity

One of the recurring themes in Asmongold's reaction is Ubisoft’s failure to live up to the historical authenticity that the Assassin’s Creed series has been known for. He notes discrepancies in how the game presents Japanese history, weapons, and culture. A standout moment comes when the game showcases what Ubisoft claims is traditional samurai armor, which Asmongold sarcastically critiques: “This armor looks like [expletive]. Why is there no snow on the helmet?”

As he delves into the portrayal of weapons, armor, and combat tactics, he raises an interesting point about the shift from archers to firearms, which the game oversimplifies. Ubisoft’s attempt to merge samurai and shinobi cultures into a cohesive narrative comes across as an oversaturated, commercialized version of history, something Asmongold doesn't hesitate to call out.

A Botched Trailer: When Game Mechanics and Aesthetics Clash

Asmongold’s critique of the game's mechanics, as seen in the trailer, goes from humorous to brutal. He shows how the trailer is littered with game-breaking visual inconsistencies. One of the funniest moments occurs when a character misses sheathing her sword, and Asmongold exclaims, "She didn’t even put her sword away!" This misstep, while minor in the grand scheme of things, underscores his belief that if the trailer — usually a game’s most polished representation — has glaring issues, the final product is likely riddled with more problems.

His mockery continues when observing NPCs standing guard with oddly designed spears. Asmongold highlights how swords were historically a status symbol, with spears being the commoner’s weapon, but Ubisoft’s portrayal seems to ignore this nuance. “Spears were cheap, but they didn’t look like this!” he laments, poking fun at how historical accuracy has been traded for aesthetics.

Cultural Appropriation & Inauthenticity

One of Asmongold's most searing criticisms comes when discussing the game’s depiction of Yasuke, the first African samurai, who serves as a playable character in Assassin's Creed Shadows. Asmongold dissects the character’s representation, particularly calling out Ubisoft’s lack of diversity in the creative team: “Every single developer and every person who's discussing this is a white person.” His biting sarcasm here isn’t just about race but the broader issue of authenticity. The studio's attempts to celebrate diversity fall flat because, as Asmongold puts it, the execution lacks genuine understanding and respect for the source material.

He also tackles Ubisoft’s handling of religious imagery. In a now infamous scene, Ubisoft uses a Buddha statue, something Asmongold immediately calls out for being culturally and religiously inappropriate: “You do not have permission to use this Buddha statue in your game.” This is a pivotal moment where Asmongold highlights how tone-deaf Ubisoft’s development process appears to be, especially when it comes to respecting cultural boundaries and sensitivities.

Ubisoft’s Larger Problem: Quantity Over Quality

Beyond just mocking the game, Asmongold offers insightful commentary on why Ubisoft seems to be faltering across its franchises. “Their product catalog is too big,” he claims, suggesting that Ubisoft has stretched its development teams too thin by releasing multiple AAA games every year. The result? Games like Assassin's Creed Shadows that are full of bugs, inaccuracies, and design flaws. Asmongold contrasts Ubisoft’s quantity-driven model with other game studios like CD Projekt Red and FromSoftware, which take much longer to develop games but consistently deliver higher quality products.

His conclusion? Ubisoft is cutting corners to meet deadlines, and that’s why their games have suffered in terms of both content and presentation.

A Glimmer of Hope? Or More of the Same?

Asmongold wraps up his reaction with a mix of resignation and anticipation. He’s fully aware that Assassin's Creed Shadows is likely going to have the same issues that plagued its predecessors, yet he can’t help but express some excitement for its release — albeit for the wrong reasons. “I cannot wait for this to come out... it's going to be so fun,” he says with a grin, hinting that his excitement is less about playing the game for enjoyment and more about seeing how far Ubisoft can miss the mark.

Final Thoughts: Can Ubisoft Redeem Itself?

Asmongold’s reaction is both a comedic takedown and a serious critique of Ubisoft’s approach to game development. His dissection of Assassin’s Creed Shadows not only highlights the game's immediate problems but also points to larger issues within Ubisoft as a company. Whether it's historical inaccuracy, cultural appropriation, or rushed game design, Ubisoft seems to be losing the trust of its fanbase — and Asmongold is quick to call them out.

For fans of the Assassin's Creed series, the trailer has raised serious concerns about the quality of the game. Will Ubisoft learn from its mistakes? Or will Assassin’s Creed Shadows be another addition to the pile of disappointing releases? One thing’s for sure: Asmongold and his audience will be there to roast it, either way.