A Killer Collab: Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Dead by Daylight

Legendary franchise Assassin’s Creed Shadows has a new mission, a Gün Işığında Ölü-themed event that brings together two titans of the kill. Assassin’s Creed has sold over 230 million units across its editions—which cycle through history leaving almost no period of rooftop un-run on—and if it needs any introduction at all here, the brief version is that it’s an action adventure behemoth in which you play as a member of the Assassin’s Order, rising through the ranks with each sanctioned kill while engaged in a deadly, centuries-long rivalry with the Knights Templar. And you look damn cool doing it.

And for those whose pulse rate has yet to be set to pounding by the asymmetrical multiplayer horror Gün Işığında Ölü, let us get you up to speed so you know what to expect from this crossover. In the original game, you play as either the lone, relentless Killer or one of four Survivors, all of whom are trapped in an alternate realm controlled by the Entity. As the Killer, you hunt, snare, and then hook—yes literally hook, as in hang from one—the Survivors, as offerings to the Entity. The Survivors do everything they can to… not die. DbD has long offered both original and franchise DLC, bringing horror icons Ghostface, The Demogorgon, and Michael Myers—to name just three—into play. Now, Gün Işığında Ölü is the guest star and Assassin’s Creed is the playground.

Since its inception, Assassin’s Creed has toyed brilliantly with time and place. Its initial protagonist was connected to a 12inci-century ancestor active in the Crusades, and each instalment has explored both history and myth, blending them seamlessly with action. With all the zeitgeisting guests in DbD history, Assassin’s Creed devotees may wonder how that blend of integrity and inventiveness will be preserved. Rest assured, this is no fourth-wall busting exercise in making unrelated killer brands get along. The Oni—the interloper here from the Gün Işığında Ölü universe—is a demon rooted in Japanese folklore, and Shadows is set in feudal Japan, making this a true match of visitor and host. Not to mention the most fun you can have while trying to not get brutally murdered. Yep, there’s a bit of a power flip here that really sets this collab apart. What’s imported is not the Survivors, just the Killer, and they’re looking for prey. That means you, almighty assassin. The hunter becomes the hunted.

In Assassin’s Creed Shadows you play as either Naoe or Yasuke—characters who exemplify AC’s flair for combining the real and the imagined to optimum effect. Naoe is a fictional character, though one drawn from the pages of history, as she is the invented daughter of a real-life, 16inci-century shinobi (ninja) assassin. Yasuke is a powerful samurai who, with multi-target combat, can face multiple foes at once and strike them down with a wide arc of his sword. In the Gün Işığında Ölü mission, you are tasked to investigate the mysterious disappearance of several villagers following reports of a malevolent presence—and what assassin worth their creed could refuse? But once you discover the destroyed village, and unearth a strange stone, you are transported to another realm—much like how the Entity traps Survivors. The blasted landscape you enter is utterly different from the meticulously recreated Japan that you were happily parkouring through before, while still reminiscent of it. It’s got a little of an Upside Down feel, particularly as the Oni, a monstrous fiery figure in molten armor, sheds ash and embers over the blackened scene. The Oni is fueled by blood, and spilling blood is kind of the name of the game, so you’re dealing with an awesome adversary with a bottomless energy supply. The stealth you would have used to sneak up on a target is now deployed to stay out of reach of the Oni. And to have a chance of escaping this hellish dimension, you have to cleanse four totems. That doesn’t sound like much, does it…?

The AC/DbD collab took many by surprise, but once it got into the hands of gamers, was acclaimed as a natural fit. And it’s not the only good thing the 1.0.5 update brought players. The quest Thrown to the Dogs is included (previously available only with pre-order), player-reported gameplay issues have been addressed, and there are multiple enhancements to the parkour system, such as a vertical jump mechanic, eject improvements, and a sprint toggle lock. Time to get back on that roof. Assassins, assemble!

Purchase Assassin’s Creed Shadows on Steam