Assassin’s Creed Shadows has officially released Claws of Awaji. It is the first major post-launch expansion for the action-adventure title. To unlock the new content, players must first complete key parts of the base game. In particular, they need to finish the main story arcs of Junjiro, Naoe, and Yasuke. At the same time, players have to complete the Out of the Shadows quest.
What is Claws of Awaji About?
In this new chapter of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Naoe and Yasuke move to Awaji Island. It is a place right across Osaka Bay. Together, they will go on an exciting and challenging journey. Specifically, Naoe and Yasuke search for a long-lost treasure, uncover rumors of a mysterious shinobi, and confront the dangerous Sanzoku Ippa. Also, the two of them need to search for Naoe’s mother. However, the Island has traps, ambushes, and an enemy group looking for the two heroes.
New Weapons, Gears, and Skills
According to Ubisoft, the Bo staff is one of the main additions in the expansion. This weapon will be available to players who finish a free quest. On top of that, Bo staves can appear as loot in the main game. However, it is only possible if players unlock the weapon and finish training. Fans who purchase the Claws of Awaji expansion will get access to Legendary Bo staves. These versions of the weapon have unique engravings.
At the same time, the latest DLC further expands combat and progression. It brings new skills, weapon abilities, armor, and gear. What makes this sweeter is that players can use these upgrades back in the main game. In the same way, these changes help Naoe and Yasuke gain more versatility in facing new bosses and enemies.
Awaji Island as a Setting
During an interview with GameRant, Ubisoft Bordeaux’s Content Director Simon Arseneault shared that accessibility and uniqueness pushed the team to choose Awaji. Likewise, it is close to the mainland, so development is more practical.
“When you do an expansion, you have to work with a tight schedule and a tight budget. Awaji is close by but not too close…That way, you don’t have to produce everything. Same assets but organized differently,” Arseneault explained. Â
The Claws of Awaji expansion is now available on Mac (Apple Silicon), PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. With over 10 hours of new content, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is clearly not ending any time soon.
