Last year, every one of Ubisoft’s major releases severely underperformed. As a result, the success or otherwise of Assassin’s Creed Shadows is now existential for the French publisher which has been around since 1986. Fortunately, this latest entry in the popular 18-year-old series is a captivating return to form. Set in a stunning evocation of late 16th-century Japan, the story is split between female shinobi Naoe, and Yasuke, a black samurai based on a historical character of the same name.

After a cutscene-heavy prologue, players take control of Naoe, an assassin who must embrace the shadows while stealthily dispatching lone enemies. The tank-like Yasuke takes centre stage much later, at which point players can switch between the two. These divergent styles of play should help satisfy both stealth purists and those more in tune with the combat-heavy mechanics of recent entries such as Odyssey and Valhalla. Forced to play as Naoe for the first dozen or so hours makes Shadows a tough ordeal: when spotted, she’s easily outnumbered and ill-equipped to defend herself.

The game’s recreation of feudal Japan is packed with fascinating cultural touches and it’s outrageously picturesque at every turn. From mist-caressed hills to pastel lavender trees, the view is frequently jaw-dropping. And it’s no static backdrop: bushes bristle in the wind as blossom cascades across mountain paths, all while the seasons rotate every few hours (just like Scotland). With so much riding on its success, Ubisoft absolutely had to stick the landing with Shadows (it’s been delayed twice since last autumn). Despite a lacklustre and sometimes intrusive story, there’s just so much fun to be had exploring this beautiful world.

Assassin's Creed Shadows is out now on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.