TheAssassin’s Creedfranchise has never been a stranger to secrets and Easter eggs. From the plain to see to the obscurely hidden, this series has no shortage of in-jokes from the developers. The newest entry in the series, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, is no different, with several Easter eggs hidden within the environs of the game.
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Many of these Easter eggs take the form of callbacks in the text, musical references/homages, or even side quests. Many of these secrets will fly over the heads of casual fans, but will pleasantly surprise a fair few. So let’s take a look at some of the most amazing and fun Easter eggs to notice in Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
7Swan Lake
A Familiar Tune
Assassin’s Creed Shadows has one of the most unique soundtracks in the Assassin’s Creed franchise, with various musical styles and even vocal songs being used in gameplay and cutscenes. One particularly notable musical moment occurs early in the game as the antagonists are introduced.
Many players have commented that the music in this scene seems familiar, but they have difficulty remembering why. The reason for this is that the music which plays here appears to be a remix of Swan Lake Act II, No. 10 by Tchaikovsky, with the instrumentation changed to traditional Japanese ones. The Assassin’s Creed franchise has never been a stranger to moments like this and it undeniably makes the villains’ entrance in Shadows that much cooler.
6Three Wise Monkeys
See No Evil
When walking around the Wakasa region of Japan, players might hear two NPCs begin to debate about whether they witnessed a trio of monkeys sleeping or meditating. If the player sticks around long enough, they’ll even mention how one monkey was covering its eyes, one covered its mouth, and the other covered its ears. This is a reference to Sanzaru, also known as the Three Wise Monkeys.
Sanzaru is the origin of the phrase “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil,” which has become one of the most well-known Japanese proverbs in history to the level of being a default emoji set on all modern cell phones. With a series like Assassin’s Creed which is all about not being seen and heard, it’s only natural that a reference to Sanzaru would exist in Shadows.
5A Sliced Boulder
A True Landmark
Following a side quest in the Yamato region of the game will lead players to a location called the ‘path of secrets’. Here, gamers will come across a boulder that appears to have been sliced in two. This is a reference to the real-life Japanese landmark known as the Itto-seki Split Boulder, which was allegedly sliced in two by the legendary samurai Yagyu Munetoshi (not to be confused with the even more famous Yagyu Muneyori).
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This famous boulder has been referenced in a myriad of Japanese media, such as the Shonen manga Demon Slayer and several other video games. Having a piece of Japanese history like this be included within the game is a great touch for player immersion and continues the Assassin’s Creed tradition of featuringiconic locationsof the countries it represents.
4Hop on a Stranger’s Boat
A Relaxing Journey
There are several rivers and lakes spread around the world of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, with the player being able to either swim or rent a boat to cross them. However, if a gamer is feeling particularly cheap, you may swim up to the boat of someone else crossing the river and hitch a ride.
While the player won’t be able to direct where a stranger’s boat may go, they can relax and even sit on the boat as Naoe. It’s a small detail, but one that helps make theopen-world mapof this game feel more real and lived in. Plus, it sure beats having to swim the entire way across a lake.
Just be careful not to knock the kind stranger off their boat!
3Arrow to the Knee
An Undying Meme
Ever since the release of Skyrim in November 2011, every gamer of any age has been subjected to learning about how an arrow to the knee can end any adventurer’s journey. Being one of the mostfamous memesin gaming, it has naturally been referenced several times in the Assassin’s Creed franchise.
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When playing as Yasuke in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the player will be able to use a bow and arrow as a ranged weapon. If the player were to so happen to accidentally aim an arrow at the knee of a city guard, they will earn the Adventurer trophy after said samurai falls to the ground in pain. This isn’t the only internet meme directly referenced within Shadows either.
2Spartan Kick
Odyssey is Back
Assassin’s Creed Odyessyallowed players to live out their Spartan dreams by giving the player the ability to kick enemies off of cliffs and tall buildings to their doom. This skill has returned in Assassin’s Creed Shadows and allows Yasuke to send enemies falling down castles or tumbling over Japan’s various cliffs.
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If the player were to perform this kick at a high enough ledge, they’d earn the “This is Japan, Actually” trophy. This is in reference to how the line “This is Sparta!” from the movie 300 became an internet meme in the 2010s. Assassin’s Creed is far from the only franchise to reference this meme as even Capcom’sAce Attorneyseries slipped in a joke about it.
1Cat Island
The Most Adorable Landmark
In the middle of Lake Biwa in the Omi region of the map, players can find a small island filled with dozens of cats which will walk up to them. This is a reference to a real-life island in Japan known as Ao Island, which similarly is filled to the brim with adorable felines.
This area exists in the game for more than just a cute reference to one of Japan’s famous landmarks, as it also serves a purpose in the gameplay. If the player were to pet one of these animals as either Yasuke or Naoe, they’d be able to take them home and place them around your base. So if you want an adorable kitten, head on over to this island ASAP!
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