In the latest chapter of the Assassin’s Creed series, players find themselves deeply immersed in the vast and picturesque landscapes of central Japan. With the release of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, journeys across these rolling hills have become a bit more relaxed, all thanks to a feature that’s making a comeback in the game’s very first patch.
Rolling out on all platforms last Tuesday morning, the 1.0.2 update for Assassin’s Creed Shadows has revamped the pathfinding feature for the player’s trusty steed. Now, your horse will automatically stick to the roads, using the game’s navigation system to get protagonists Naoe or Yasuke exactly where they need to go. Fans might remember this handy feature from earlier installments like Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla, and its absence at Shadows’ launch had many scratching their heads. For those who love controlling every move, fear not—you can still opt to guide your horse manually and turn off the auto-follow.
Additionally, this update has brought a few tweaks to enhance the visual experience. For those who revel in capturing the game’s breathtaking scenery, the GPS line that usually shows on the roads is being hidden when you switch to the game’s photo mode. Another bonus from the patch is the increased speed of your horse when navigating city environments.
One of the most appreciated additions for players with the latest patch is the streamlined management of inventory. Now, you can sell or dismantle loot items in bulk right from the shop or Forge screen, saving time and hassle. You’ll find a delightful change as you exit the Forge, too—Ubisoft Québec has lifted the frame rate cap in the Hideout, allowing for smoother graphics beyond the previous 30 frames per second. Plus, PlayStation 5 Pro gamers get an added visual boost with the new support for Sony’s Spectral Super Resolution, enhancing image upscaling.
This update brings more tweaks, including a more granular approach to managing skills. Now, individual Mastery nodes in the skill trees for Naoe and Yasuke can be reset. Previously, you could only reset entire trees like Tools or Shinobi, but now it’s more flexible. Navigating the game’s menus is quicker too, with a brand-new shortcut that lets you hold the Options/Menu button to jump straight to the game’s beautifully crafted objective board.
Interestingly, the patch leaves certain features untouched, particularly the legendary tanto named the Igan Sunset. Despite its powerful perk that allows Naoe to rapidly dispatch enemies, it remains just as potent, much to the delight—or mercy—of players, as noted by our own Tyler Colp.
For those interested in diving deeper into all the tweaks and fixes, Ubisoft has the complete rundown of patch notes available on their website, detailing numerous bug fixes and more.
