Ubisoft Entertainment SA
Ubisoft Entertainment SA
02/09/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 02/09/2024 16:37
The Evolution of Assassin’s Creed’s Stealth
Assassin's Creed Shadows, launching on November 15, represents a re-imagining of stealth for the series. The two playable characters, the samurai Yasuke and the shinobi Naoe, are built for combat and stealth approaches, respectively - and while Yasuke is still capable in stealth situations, able to sneak, assassinate, and kill quietly with his bow, Naoe has a considerable bag of tricks at her disposal. She can go prone to escape enemies' notice, squeeze into small spaces, and hide in the ambient shadows cast by objects at night - as well as make more of those shadows by extinguishing light sources.
A master of her environment, Naoe can hide underwater (while breathing through a bamboo shoot), take advantage of thick fog and rain to stay undetected, and use Eagle Vision to spot enemies through walls before driving her katana home through the thin barrier of a shoji screen. Her shinobi bells can be used to attract guards, and her thrown kunai can silence them from a distance. She also has acrobatic climbing and parkour skills that Yasuke doesn't, as well as a physics-based grappling hook she can use to climb, swing, launch herself at unsuspecting targets, grab and pull enemies out of sight for quiet takedowns, and quickly hide in the rafters of buildings. Depending on her weapons, she can assassinate enemies in unique ways, and perform double assassinations with her Hidden Blade and tanto.
To understand why these are such big changes, let's take a look back at how stealth has evolved over the course of the series, from the hide-in-plain-sight ethos of the first game to the culmination and refinement of the franchise's stealth techniques in Assassin's Creed Mirage. You can experience the changing art of secrecy and misdirection yourself with the Assassin's Creed games included in a Ubisoft+ Classics or Premium subscription, and keep reading for a rundown of what each game brought to the table.
The real-life Assassins were legendary for their ability to get close to targets while hiding in plain sight, so the first Assassin's Creed pioneered a whole new idea of stealth: Altaïr, an Assassin in bright white robes, would operate not in the shadows, but in broad daylight on the medieval streets of Damascus, Jerusalem, and Acre. Key to making this work was the concept of "high-profile" and "low-profile" actions, tied to the game's awareness meter - a sometimes-pulsing symbol that changed color to indicate suspicion from guards. If Altaïr walked normally, pushed past people gently, used ladders to climb, and killed quietly, he could usually keep a low profile and avoid drawing attention. High-profile actions - free-running, free-climbing, trespassing on rooftops, shoving, or big flashy assassinations - could alarm civilians and put guards on alert.
This was also the birth of "social" stealth. Altair's Eagle Vision let him see threats and friendly civilians highlighted in red and blue, respectively, and if hostile eyes were on him, Altaïr could vanish by sitting on benches, or by falling in with groups of scholars or monks and mimicking their slow, contemplative walk. The crowd was a two-edged sword, however; beggars and other intrusive passersby could block Altaïr's path or shove him, and either action could potentially blow his cover.
Altaïr also had more conventional ways to escape detection: Climbing up to high places was often the best way to steer clear of guards (although there were always a few eagle-eyed archers on the rooftops to look out for), and if Altaïr was on the run, curtained rooftop gardens and haystacks made for convenient hiding places. So long as nobody saw him jump in, even the angriest guards would give up and return to their normal patrols after a brief search.
Assassin's Creed II and Brotherhood
Assassin's Creed II hugely expanded the first game's approach to hiding; not only could Ezio use Renaissance Italy's haystacks, benches, wells, and other hiding spots to disappear, he could now grab enemies and pull them in for a quick, quiet takedown. (Guards were more persistent this time, though, and would often investigate these spots before giving up a search.) Swimming underwater - unthinkable for the easily drowned Altaïr - was another new way to escape notice, at least for a few seconds. All of the above concealment locations also doubled as convenient places to stash bodies, now that Ezio could move and hide them. If all else failed, smoke bombs would temporarily obscure Ezio and stun anyone nearby, letting him slip past watchful eyes, execute stealth kills, or make a quick escape during that brief window of invisibility.
Social stealth grew dramatically as well. Blending in was now as easy as getting close to a large-enough group (and was also an opportunity to pick their pockets). For mobile cover, Ezio could hire a group of four courtesans and walk undetected between them, or send them to distract specific enemies. If Ezio drew unwelcome attention from noisy troubadours, he could now quiet them quickly by throwing a few coins on the ground - which would also draw other people and sometimes guards to pick up the money, and was great for creating distractions.
Assassin's Creed II offset these new abilities by introducing a persistent notoriety meter, which filled as Ezio got into fights, killed, or stole. The more it filled, the more guards would take notice (indicated by individual awareness meters above their heads) and investigate, eventually escalating to attacking Ezio on sight. Tearing down wanted posters, bribing heralds, and killing officials would reduce Ezio's notoriety, letting him once again walk undisturbed in public.
When Ezio traveled to Constantinople, some of the changes to stealth were cosmetic - instead of courtesans, for example, he could hire groups of Romani performers, and flower bushes, tents, and covered balconies were added to his available hiding spots. Beggars once again returned to cause a scene while waylaying Ezio on the streets, and a new danger - Stalkers, Templar agents whose approach was heralded by menacing whispers - made having high notoriety more dangerous, as they would creep through crowds to stab him.
Ezio's Eagle Sense - an evolution of Eagle Vision - added a huge benefit for stealthy players, as it was now possible to see the pathways of patrolling guards and adjust your approach (or set up an ambush) accordingly. The art of distraction also evolved with Revelations' craftable bombs, which included not just smoke bombs (which could now lure or blind enemies, depending on their payloads), but cherry bombs that would harmlessly draw guards away from their posts, and pyrite and blood bombs that would create commotions of greed or panic, respectively.
The smaller crowds, sparser buildings, and wilderness spaces of Colonial America meant fewer conventional hiding spots, so Assassin's Creed III came up with new ones. Stalking zones were a big innovation, with patches of high vegetation Connor could creep through to ambush enemies (often by luring them one at a time with a whistle). Moving haycarts and covered wagons introduced other ways to get around unnoticed, and Connor could flatten himself against corners to wait in ambush or keep an unseen eye on someone he was tailing.
Social stealth and blending changed a little, with Connor trying to look natural among NPCs by leaning against walls or pretending to browse market stalls. Courtesans were gone, but Connor could now use volatile groups of colonists to start distracting riots - or get his Assassin recruits to do it for him. Recruits could also help Connor stay undetected by dressing up as soldiers to escort him as their "prisoner," providing sniper fire, or just attacking targets while he kept out of sight. The notoriety system returned as well, with the meter now expanding to three discrete levels of attentiveness from guards (with maximum notoriety bringing more guards into the street to attack Connor on sight). To clear it, Connor could rip down wanted posters, bribe newspaper boys, or pay off printers.
Aveline de Grandpré could alter her approach to social stealth - and her notoriety - by using changing rooms across the map to switch between her Assassin, Slave, and Lady personas. In her Assassin costume, she was always at least somewhat notorious, but could climb and use weapons freely. The slower-moving Lady would attract less suspicion, and could even charm certain guards to protect her. And in her Slave costume, Aveline could blend in with workers, or allay suspicion by picking up a crate. Lowering notoriety also worked differently for each persona - tearing down wanted posters for the Slave, bribing magistrates for the Assassin, and killing witnesses for the Lady.
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, Freedom Cry, and Rogue
Edward Kenway, Adéwalé, and Shay Cormac used many of the same stealth techniques as Connor, with a few notable changes: While these seagoing protagonists didn't have Connor's bespoke blending animations, they were able to become inconspicuous between as few as two people. Their Eagle Vision also let them tag and track up to 10 enemies, essential for staying aware of danger while sneaking (especially since alerted enemies could now ring alarm bells to draw in reinforcements). Assassin's Creed IV was also the first game to make ocean-floor stealth a consideration, as Edward could hide in patches of seaweed to avoid sharks while diving.
These games also began to move away from persistent notoriety systems. In Assassin's Creed IV and Freedom Cry, notoriety only applied to your ship; so long as you escaped or fought your way out of confrontations on land, you would be instantly "incognito" again. (In Rogue, however, killing civilians on land would quickly attract tough bounty hunters, a threat even more lethal and relentless than the hidden Assassins who stalked Shay everywhere.)
Arno's journey through Revolution-era Paris ramped up social stealth like no other game in the series, filling the streets with the biggest, densest crowds in Assassin's Creed to date. There were a few trade-offs: Stalking zones were gone (not a lot of thick vegetation in urban Paris, after all), Arno wasn't able to move or hide bodies (or whistle, for that matter), and traditional hiding spots like haycarts and curtained booths were much rarer (even if they were key to special assassinations during certain missions).
An Assassin's Creed 1-style awareness meter returned to show when hostile eyes were on Arno, along with a ring that encircled his body to point out any off-camera enemy awareness meters. If Arno fled after being spotted, a "last known position" silhouette would appear when he broke his enemies' line of sight, letting players know where pursuers would start searching.
Arno had a bevy of new tricks up his sleeve to stay hidden. Stealth Mode let him crouch - a stealth-game staple but not one previously used by Assassins - and move quickly, and he could stick to any wall as cover (and stab or shoot from behind said cover). Arno's unlockable Disguise skill let him transform into a random civilian for 23 seconds (or until he ran or did something violent), and his version of Eagle Vision would automatically detect and highlight all enemies in an area for eight seconds at a time. Unity's gear system also gave players more control over their play style by adjusting Arno's various stats - including stealth - with costume pieces that also granted bonuses like faster blending or slower detection.
Assassin twins Jacob and Evie Frye followed Arno's example with Sneak Mode, a hoods-up-heads-down crouch that let them move faster and automatically stick to low cover, and encircled them with a white "stealth ring" that used sound waves to show the directions of unaware enemies. Stealth could be augmented with unlockable gear and skills, and Evie surpassed her more combat-oriented brother with exclusive high-level stealth skills including Chameleon, which turned her invisible if she stayed still while sneaking. Sound also played a role in stealth; not only could the Frye twins whistle, but hurling a throwing knife at the ground would draw enemies to investigate it (maybe under some heavy object dangling from a flimsy rope, hint hint).
While Victorian London was densely populated, the game toned down crowd-stealth and introduced horse-drawn carriages, which could double as hiding spots for the Frye twins - as well as for any bodies or kidnap targets. Kidnapping Templar enemies also took a deft touch; Jacob and Evie had to march their targets to carriages while keeping a visible circle of awareness - which grew if they moved quickly or their targets struggled - from touching and thereby alarming civilians or police. Also, Syndicate's signature innovation - the rope launcher - was a way to climb to the rooftops almost instantly, whisking the twins away from suspicious eyes or hostile pursuers.
Bayek's journey through Ancient Egypt strongly encouraged the use of "pure" stealth - sneaking through unseen without even taking down guards - thanks to a leveling and gear-upgrade system that could make stealth kills a risky proposition early in the game. Fortunately, Bayek had plenty of stealth-friendly tools, not least of which was his eagle Senu, who could scout from the air and slap persistent tags on every enemy in an area. Lining up a stealth or arrow attack would show a preview of how much damage it would do, helping players avoid unintentional alerts. And speaking of arrows, the sniper-like Predator bows featured an unlockable ability that let players steer arrows in flight, letting Bayek reach tough targets without ever compromising his position. It was even possible to wait until nightfall to execute stealth missions, when fewer enemies would be active.
The ability to sneak while crouching returned, and so did stalking zones, although Bayek didn't blend with Egypt's sparser crowds. Guards' awareness meters were moved entirely to a ring in the center of the screen that would point in their direction when they started to spot Bayek. If those meters filled, Bayek had a very brief window of slowed time during which he could execute a takedown - or two takedowns, if he'd unlocked the Chain Assassination ability - and prevent a full alert.
The broken Spear of Leonidas carried by the Spartan mercenary Kassandra (or Alexios) was a First Civilization artifact that imbued its bearer with seemingly mystical abilities, making it a great tool for stealth. Not only did it take the place of the Hidden Blade during assassinations, but it could be thrown with the unlockable Rush Assassination ability, which would effectively teleport Kassandra/Alexios to their target and let them repeat the move up to three more times. Stealthy crouching was again the best way to get the drop on enemies, and by unlocking the Stealth Master ability, players could reduce the amount of sound they made and the distance at which enemies could detect them while sneaking.
Once again, unlockable abilities could turn players into a stealth powerhouse. If you were spotted, Sixth Sense gave you a lengthy window to respond by snapping your aim to the enemy and shooting arrows, and the Ghost Arrows of Artemis ability let Kassandra/Alexios shoot enemies through walls. If players really wanted to disappear, the Shadow of Nyx ability mimicked Evie Frye's Chameleon by letting players turn invisible. And the Death Veil ability (added in the Legacy of the First Blade DLC) would cause enemy bodies to vanish, making it a little tougher for unsuspecting enemies to realize something was afoot. If they alerted their foes, Kassandra/Alexios would accrue a bounty, which meant dealing with roving mercenaries until either the bounty was paid or the bounty's sponsor was killed.
Social stealth returned for this Viking adventure, because Vikings weren't really welcome in much of ninth-century England. This worked similarly to going low-profile in the first game; when in hostile territory, Eivor could pull up their hood and become inconspicuous, which worked so long as they walked slowly and kept their distance from guards. Eivor could also blend with crowds by sitting on benches, pulling up a seat at a table, or pretending to work at tasks like cooking and weaving. If a distraction was needed, Eivor could recruit local drunks to cause a scene and lure guards from their posts.
Where Origins and Odyssey traded out guaranteed stealth kills for increased stealth damage (at least until some upgrades had been made), Valhalla gave players the option to make the Hidden Blade instantly lethal again, or to unlock a timing-based minigame that would guarantee a kill if successful. Eivor also had a small galaxy of unlockable stealth skills and abilities; Stealth Recon would highlight any nearby enemies if Eivor crouched, for example, and Feign Death would stop guards from investigating or pursuing (and give you a chance to surprise them as they walked away).
Basim was a powerful combatant, but a fragile one, so his journey through ninth-century Baghdad was designed with stealth in mind. This return to the series' roots blended elements from throughout the series; Basim could crouch to sneak, blend freely with at least three civilians, and take advantage of ample hiding spots throughout the world. He could scout and tag enemies with an eagle, or use his own powerful Eagle Vision to see through walls and detect not just guards, but their sightlines as well.
Basim also had Assassin's Focus, an innate ability that let him slow time, mark, and execute up to five enemies at once. And he had a range of upgradable tools that were wielded by Assassins in the past - throwing knives, noisemakers, smoke bombs, blowdarts, and explosive traps - and these could be modified to do things like dissolve bodies, send enemies running in fear, or wipe their memories to make them forget they ever even saw Basim. Which was good, because persistent notoriety and wanted posters were back, and if Basim got too notorious, he'd have to contend with powerful hunters who were much harder to shake or defeat than regular enemies.
Stealth was a key part of this Meta Quest-exclusive adventure, and while much of what players could do while embodying Ezio, Connor, and Kassandra was familiar, VR presented some unique opportunities for how to execute it. Players could use head-tracking to stealthily peek around corners or through holes in the walls while climbing, for example, and could use the controllers to grab guards and pull them from ledges. Stalking zones, hiding spots, blending into crowds, and even going prone behind small environmental objects were all viable ways to stay hidden, and a white outline around their in-game body let players know when they were properly concealed.
Players also had plenty of options for distracting or luring enemies; by grabbing a nearby pitcher, goblet, or other physics-enabled object and throwing it, they could draw hapless foes to the source of the sound - or bring enemies straight to their position (while hiding in a stalking zone, say) by holding two buttons (to make a "ring" with their fingers) and bringing the controller up to mouth height to whistle. And if players needed to know exactly where their enemies were, the Animus Scout feature let them inspect a diorama-like view of their surroundings, complete with the ability to lean in and peek into nearby rooms.
Assassin's Creed Shadows is available for preorder now and launches on November 15 on PS5, Xbox Series X, Amazon Luna, Macs with Apple Silicon via the Mac App Store, and PC via the Ubisoft Store and Epic Games Store. The game will also arrive on iPad at a later date. Players who purchase the Gold Edition, Ultimate Edition, Collector Edition, or have a Ubisoft+ Premium subscription can play the game three days early on November 12. Additionally, all other Assassin's Creed games listed above, including their DLC, are included with a Ubisoft+ Premium subscription, and (with the exception of the first Assassin's Creed) are included without DLC with a Ubisoft+ Classics subscription.
For more Assassin's Creed, check out The Evolution of Assassin's Creed's Hidden Blades, The Evolution of Assassin's Creed's Eagle Vision, and How to Play the Assassin's Creed Games in Order.