Assassin’s Creed Shadows Unveils Secret Technique for Realistic Wind Effects

When you step into the world of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, it’s impossible not to be captivated by how the wind brings the environment to life. Leaves swirl through the air, the grass sways gently, and the protagonist, Naoe, has her hair beautifully fluttering in the breeze. It’s a visual treat that greatly enhances the game’s dynamic seasonal and weather systems. In an intriguing twist revealed by the game’s rendering engineers during a chat with Digital Foundry, this so-called wind is actually an ingenious simulation of invisible fluid.

Yes, you heard that right. The life-like wind effects are crafted using fluid simulation, a clever method leveraged in numerous games. This mathematical wizardry has been employed in vastly different titles like God of War and Dwarf Fortress with impressive results, so why wouldn’t it work its magic here?

The team at Ubisoft refers to the game’s evolving weather system as Atmos, specifically designed to complement its seasonal narrative. As you delve deeper into Naoe’s gripping tale of vengeance, you’ll notice the seasons reflecting her journey. One moment, you’re plowing through thick winter snow in the serene Japanese countryside, and the next, you find yourself racing through lush, green fields as the thaw sets in. Eventually, players get the power to change seasons at will, adding another layer of immersion.

Thanks in part to its advanced ray-traced lighting, Assassin’s Creed Shadows stands as a visual masterpiece. For many, this game marks the first instance where ray tracing truly seems indispensable for crafting the mood and atmosphere that elevate storytelling. While Digital Foundry has the technical deep dive covered, the essence of it is that ray tracing is woven into older tech to illuminate scenes with remarkable accuracy. Inside buildings, shoji screens emit a warm glow, while outdoors, objects cast deeper shadows, creating stark contrasts. Without ray tracing, the vibrancy fades, leaving the world feeling flat. Experts dub this transformation as a “generational divide in lighting fidelity.”

Playing Assassin’s Creed Shadows makes a compelling case for upgrading to a PlayStation 5 Pro or a high-end gaming PC with a 50-series Nvidia graphics card. On the PS5 Pro, the game hits a fluid 60 frames per second with ray tracing turned on, and an upcoming update promises full compatibility with Sony’s PSSR upscaling technology. Meanwhile, on PC, features like DLSS and Frame Generation ensure you maintain that smooth 60 fps experience with an RTX 4070 or newer.

The benefits of this graphical prowess extend beyond just lighting. Interactive elements like the gusting winds or the satisfying slice of bamboo add a tactile depth to the gameplay, echoing the engaging feel of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Assassin’s Creed Shadows sets a high standard by using cutting-edge technology not merely for photorealism but to create a richly immersive world that feels truly alive.