Assassin’s Creed Shadows Season Guide: How To Change, Changes, and More

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is the first AC title that introduced a Dynamic Season System. In this article, we will discuss it in detail.

The Dynamic Season System in Assassin’s Creed Shadows is one of the biggest additions to the AC franchise and was marketed heavily by Ubisoft. The developers have talked about the weather and season cycle and how it impacts the gameplay on several occasions, and we witnessed a glimpse of it in the trailers and various clips released by the publisher.

Additionally, the new season system adds another layer of realism to AC Shadows’ world, and it also affects the gameplay directly. A season in Shadows lasts about two real-life hours. Each season features different states so the transition can be as smooth and natural as possible. So, without further delay, let’s take a more comprehensive look at Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ Dynamic Season System.

How the Different Seasons Work in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

There are a total of four different seasons in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. You can open Shadows’ map and look at the compass in the top right corner to see which season you are in and how far you are into it. The ring around the compass indicates the state of the season, while the symbol in the middle signifies which season is currently taking place.

Each season will bring many changes to the world of Shadows, such as the changing of enemy units and the pattern of their patrols, lakes and other water bodies freezing over, trees with no leaves, etc, and players will have to adapt to the environment constantly.

In addition to that, the seasonal changes will also affect ecosystems and biomes in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. You will see the wildlife evolving before your eyes. For example, you will notice puppies in the spring, different colors of flora in the spring and fall, and an absence of leaves and bushes in the winter. This will make it hard to find cover during the winter months, adding a dynamic to the gameplay never seen before in an AC game, as we discussed earlier.

The Different Seasons Will Change the Environment Drastically

In addition to that, all of the snow on the land will make it harder for Naoe to move, while the ice on the roofs of buildings will fall onto the ground and make noise if the player is not careful, which will attract enemies to their position. This could be the reason for your downfall or a convenient way of distracting enemies. Overall, it is safe to say that winter will be the hardest season to adapt to and will keep testing players and their skills.

However, the potential of the season system truly shines during the monsoon. Rain in Assassin’s Creed Shadows will be a double-edged sword that only serves those who know how to use it to their advantage. The nobles in Assassin’s Creed Shadows don’t enjoy rain as much as the peasants, so they will stay inside their houses during these months, resulting in fewer people on the streets. And because of that, enemy patrols will also have different routes, meaning you will have to re-learn their patterns and be more careful.

How To Change the Seasons in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Despite these downsides, the monsoon season can be a great time for a shinobi. The constant noise of water splashing can be a great way to bury the sound of your own footsteps, but the water puddles can also give you away if you are not careful. Moreover, all the clouds and the absence of sunlight will make it harder for enemies to detect you.

However, if you do not like a certain season and want to move on to the next, don’t worry because Ubisoft has given players an option to do just that. To change the current season, open the map in AC Shadows and go to the compass we mentioned earlier on the top right. Then, hold down the right stick on the D-Pad of your controller, and the game will activate a time skip and begin the next season in the cycle.

Players Will Only Be Able To Deploy Scouts Once in Every Season

Scouts will be another interesting aspect in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, their primary function will be to gather resources for the hideout. Once you have deployed your scouts, they won’t come back before the season ends and you will have to wait before you can send them back to the world again. Lastly, the seasonal cycle and the hideout will be quite useful if you ever need to wait out some outside threat, such as the Guardians.

And that marks the end of this article, we have discussed everything we know about the Season system in Assassin’s Creed Shadows in this guide, and we hope that it was helpful and informative to you.  

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We provide the latest news and create guides for Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Meanwhile, you can check out the following AC Shadows articles or catch us playing games on Twitch and YouTube:

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