Assassin’s Creed Shadows finally sends gamers to Japan, but is it any good? Plus hands on with WWE 2K25 and the Laser LED Projector.
Ever since the inception of the series, fans have been clamouring for an Assassin’s Creed title set in Japan. Assassin’s Creed Shadows finally does just that, and while other titles like Ghost of Tsushima take some of the wind out of the sails, it’s still a solid adventure that’s bound to entertain long-time fans.
Arguably shadows’ biggest hook lies with its protagonists Naoe and Yasuke. Following two rather distinct paths, Yasuke, an African man who finds himself under the wing of a Japanese warlord, while Naoe is a woman fuelled by revenge after a tragic turn of events. You’ll be introduced to both in Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ opening moments during a more directed, story-focused affair, but before long you’ll be able to chop and change between the pair as you please. You’ll likely want to do that as well thanks to both leads offering vastly different experiences.
Yasuke, for example, is all about brutality and destruction, and I enjoyed being able to storm through defences and beat my way to victory. Naoe on the other hand follows a much more traditional path for Assassin’s Creed and is much more focused on the shadows (pardon the pun). Her more fragile nature is offset by parry-focused comabt and some incredibly nimble acrobatics that do well to keep her movements quiet. Naoe certainly showcases the more traditional Assassins Creed experience, but I enjoyed the variety between the two, even though it does feel as though Yasuke’s power underpins the tenants of the Assassin’s Creed franchise.
I was also impressed with how pretty Shadows’ Japanese playground looks. Playing on a PS5 Pro, Shadows ran a treat, with lights and shadows bouncing around trees and rooftops, and it helps highlight the variety of landscapes the game offers while still able to retain a steady framerate.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows doesn’t nail everything though. Despite its best efforts I just wasn’t able to connect with Yasuke and Naoes story the way I have with some of the series’ other protagonists like Cassandra or the Fries, and some of what the game pushes you towards can feel like busywork in amongst the RPG trappings. Likewise, the implementation of the animus continues to feel a little forced, Ubisoft still struggling to find a proper integration.
Accept that and you’ll likely have an enjoyable time with Assassin’s Creed Shadows. It might have arrived a little too late, but still manages to sneak out of the shadows of its competitors.
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Assassin’s Creed Shadows is out now on PS5, Xbox Series X and PC.
Also out now…
WWE 2K25 (PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, XBO, PC)
After years of tumultuous releases the WWE series has been on far sturdier ground of late, and WWE 2K25 thankfully continues that trend.
This year’s iteration of Showcase is the perfect example of that – focusing on the all-important Bloodline, presented by the one and only Paul Heyman who looks as though he’s having a hell of a time with it all. You’ll once again play through a range of classic matches or meet certain criteria to progress, but this time you get control over all the action, and it certainly adds to the enjoyment of the whole experience rather than having the sticks taken away for some of the best bits like previous years.
Where things fall apart slightly is with WWE 2K25’s other big inclusion, The Island. Designed much like NBA 2K’s The City, The Island sees you arrive on Roman Reigns’ Island of Relevancy with the task of currying his favour and securing a WWE contract. But also like The City, it’s littered with pesky microtransactions. From tattoos to shoes, there’s no shortage of upgrades you can purchase with all-important virtual currency in The Island. That includes stat buffs, which certainly complicates matters the moment you engage in bouts with other players online. Refuse to open up your wallet and you’ll likely get smacked around, and unsurprisingly, that’s not a whole lot of fun.
It’s a shame because the rest of the WWE 2K25 package is one of the series’ best, so here’s hoping 2K manage to strike a better balance next year.
Hands-on with the Laser Multi-Angle Tube Android LED Projector
With the amount of technology that bombards consumers these days on a daily basis, it’s rare for a device to truly take you by surprise, but that’s kind of what happened with the Laser Multi-Angle Tube Android LED Projector. It’s a small, unassuming device with a not-so-long name that mightn’t look like much but manages to pack a hell of a punch for the price.
That cost, by the way is $199 (although savvy shoppers will be able to find it for even less than that), and you get a decent amount of features for the asking price. There’s the Full HD 1080p output and 4K support (meaning you can play content in the full resolution, even if it’s still displayed at the lower level), Android TV functionality, WiFi 6, and Bluetooth 5.0. There’s even a HDMI port on the rear, allowing you to hook your PS5, Xbox or Switch straight into the system. The versatility is impressive, as is the potential 100 inches that the projector can output provided you have a space big enough.
Thanks to my household’s current abundance of white walls, it gave me the perfect opportunity to test out the Laser Multi-Angle Tube Android LED Projector and once again was surprised by how well it adapted to each scenario. Thanks to the flexible viewing angle, I even managed to project onto my ceiling, which really shone a brand new light onto bedtime viewing. I just wouldn’t go changing that angle all too much if you can avoid it, as the actual rotation felt a little on the stiff side and forcing it into different grooves did have me concerned I was going to snap something off.
Once I did get up and running the overall clarity did vary depending on the light source. This is obviously a unit that’s going to benefit best from a dark environment, but I still felt like it was pretty capable in brighter settings. From YouTube to Netflix and even PS5 gaming, everything I tested with the projector worked pretty darn well and had a respectable amount of clarity, though I did need to tinker with the manual focus now and then.
If you don’t have a white wall, there is a material screen that is included in the box, but it’s admittedly on the cheap side and a bit of a pain to get up running. Likewise the remote certainly feels a bit unresponsive and flimsy, but it’s they’re minor production gripes in an otherwise impressive product.
Is the video quality going to outperform your fancy OLED or local cinema? Of course not? But what Laser has provided here is a surprisingly competent little device that’s incredibly affordable and rather portable. So whether you want to mimic a 100-inch screen, watch a movie in bed or make movie night a little more adventurous, the Laser Multi-Angle Tube Android LED Projector could be well worth a look.
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