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Summon Sign, Episode 65 | Assassins Creed Shadows is Aggressively Decent (Patreon)

Published:
2025-03-25 16:00:19
Imported:
2026-06
Tags:

Content

This week, Matty and Gene join Brad to discuss Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, Atomfall, Bleach: Rebirth of Souls, and more!

Timestamps:

0:00:00 - Intro

0:10:07 - Assassins Creed Shadows

1:15:25 - Atomfall

1:31:51 - The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

1:45:58 - Sort it Out/Keep It Up

2:27:57 - Atelier Yumia

2:44:08 - Kingdom Come: Deliverance

3:06:47 - Bleach: Rebirth of Souls

3:17:39 - Closing Questions

Files

Comments

Walk Forward Cutscene

Gene is way off with the AC1 comparison. Each assassination in that game was memorable.

Jakob

My gooner comment was read first 😅 i did not expect this. Very nice to hear my name in this context 😄 Clarification if somebody reads this: i mentioned that my girlfriend got over it quickly because she is korean 😆 with that i meant that most of the best gooner games come from korea (stallar blade and others), so she found appreciation in her heart. She became a little goonerella herself. My top 20 jiggle list is in fact real, but outdated. Have to update it, stellar blade is 1.

The Incredible Shulk

I'm about 10 hours into AC Shadows, and having a great time. The game is gorgeous on the Pro as is....but since Ubisoft announced they'll be adding the full ray tracing to the Balanced mode, I'm taking a break until it's implemented. That said, the game is a massive improvement over Valhalla. So I'm happy. Just started the ep, so I'm curious what the fellas have to say about it (wish Hoeg was on, since I know he is a fan)

The Incredible Shulk

7 out of 10 from Gene just makes me think we have a completely different take on rating scales. 7/10 is a C. A C is a very average game. Maybe that IS how Gene feels...but given the tight controls and amazing graphics, I can't imagine giving it lower than a B-

Jeff in NOLA

It’s all subjective so I get it, but Matty just doesn’t like Ubisoft games and LSM in general just doesn’t get and enjoy Asassins Creed, which is fine. They play a lot more games then the average player so they see it all more frequently. It’s the superior version of the Horizon series.

Caleb Peacock

Under 20 hours for atom fall sounds amazing. Going to have to get to it sooner rather than later.

Jeffrey Rommel

Finally a place to get a fair review of games!

Bogey

When it comes to going on long diatribes about mid or disappointing games, Matty is best in the biz. Clear and concise and you know exactly what his problems with the games are, even if you don’t agree with him.

PairOfShuse

Thank you for entertaining the stupid fun questions I ask. They have to bring a smile to people’s faces haha Wanted to clarify some things too: Matty kinda talked like the Atelier series started with Ryza and it hasn’t. There are over 20 entries in the series. There is some fan service in the designs and some moments (mostly from the Ryza series on) that are fan servicey, but even in Ryza, these stories are not stories about fan service or sex. They are usually more personal stories and focus on characters interaction and stories about something important to the main character whether it’s about keeping their alchemy shop open, to finding out what happened to their dead mother, to stories about grief or a dying world. I’m glad Gene and Matty did say something about other JRPGs having fan service moments but it’s unfair to just say that when games like Baldurs Gate or even Cyberpunk focus in on extremely sexual things. And yes, they are a focus.

Slippery when wet

Hope Gene finishes kcd1.. I would 80% main line it. The payoff when you start kcd2 is much worth the wait.

Michael McCoy

Hey Gene, if you see this I wanted to ask, after listening to the majority of the AC Shadows segment you seem very negative about it. But your score was a 3/4 stars which is the equivalent of a 7/10. A 7/10 represents a game that’s better than average, though I understand most use a 7 as an average score. But you seem to really dislike it lol, what stopped you from giving it a lower score? If I had to guess your score without knowing it already I would have thought you gave it a 1/4. Thank you!

Appalachian Pulp

Love the work you do Brad look forward to Summon Sign every week

Matty LSM

That means a lot. I always worry that I veer into rambling terrtiory. Thank you! - Matty

BigDumbStupidIdiot

I think a lot of people are underestimating the marketing power of a "cool black dude with a sword doing and saying cool shit." AC: Shadows is going to sell very well

Cai

Talking about the length of Death Stranding’s ending, I literally finished it this weekend and had the same experience as Gene. I was like “oh it’s nearly over, credits are rolling, I’ll make dinner once it’s done” then I was eating at like 9pm after a second set of credits lmao.

Breno Bezerra Bluhm

Hasan playing AC Shadows got Elon triggered on twitter lmao

Walk Forward Cutscene

Pretty weird that Ubisoft is using a terrorist sympathizer to promote the game

Breno Bezerra Bluhm

Lmao, americans are so funny. Red scare makes you guys sound like ya’ll are stuck in the 80s 😂 the dude running the AC account just roasted and ratiod both Elon and Grummz so that was pretty funny too

Breno Bezerra Bluhm

A Link Between Worlds is not only a spiritual successor to A Link to the Past but an actual sequel. It is even called A Link to the Past 2 in Japan.

Nick Shirt

Came here to ask the same question. Saw the review score which looks quite positive but it sounded like Gene hated the combat, story, etc.

Matt Wiles

I’m not one of those to kick off at reviews I don’t agree with, been gaming far too many years for that. I’m 44. However, I don’t know whether it’s because I run a marketing agency, entrepreneurial etc (I can’t help but give feedback for product improvements) but I actually think you should tee up these (Shadows) discussions with a ‘spoiler’ warning. Spoiler in respect to; I am loving this game. There’s a reason why it’s one of the biggest selling games. But yet when I hear all the negativity, without a warning, it really spoils the fun I’m having. This is more feedback than an opinion. You’ve got to bear in mind that you review dozens of games every month. It’s a job. Far more intense gaming than the average player of AC Shadows. If I had your job, I too would probably think Shadows is more Ubisoft trash. It’s easy to switch off and not ‘feel it’. Of course there’s some tiredness and comparisons to every other game but most people don’t have those comparisons, or as many. For the first 5 hours of Shadows I was massively underwhelmed, coming off KCD2, Shadows felt cheap and more of the same old AC formula. 20 hours in it’s magic. Pure fun. With an open mind and no distractions or comparisons, I see the beauty and rhythm in the game. I’m loving it. ‘That’s cool’, you’ll think, good for me huh. But I can’t help think many other people will be turned off by some of these awful reviews of a game they are loving. So much so that we have to skip forward, you lose airtime, or people realise that listening to reviewers who play tons more games than the usual gamer, is probably not a great experience. Anyway, point being; I wonder whether it’s wise to put a little warning before laying into a game that millions are enjoying.

Aleph

"Red scare" nice attempt at whitewashing terrorist supporters. This is not the first time Gene has brought up that hassan guy, it's sad that these are the people he looks up to.

Breno Bezerra Bluhm

“Whitewashing terrorist supporters” lmaooooo, yeah buddy sure. He’s about to drop 9/11 pt 2 or some shit 😂

Nightseye9

We don’t know how the game is selling and based off Ubisoft talking about “player engagement” instead of units sold.., it’s not far reaching to think the game probably isn’t selling as well as a new AC should be

Antonio Rodriguez

I wish I could agree with how the fellas feel about Shadows but I can't. I'm enjoying the game a lot and certainly a lot more than Valhalla. It has problems for sure (one of them being the English voice acting I agree that shit is terrible luckily the Japanese voice acting is great) but I'm really liking it. To each their own I suppose. I will say I'm with Gene on the Death Stranding ending. I just finished the game a couple weeks ago and I reached the ending on a work night. I figured I'd go the end since it was over but, it was still going at midnight. I had to cut it off and finish the next day or else I would've gone to work on no sleep.

Jacob Lesperance

If steam is on the next Xbox, than its an OEM and Xbox hardware id dead. These companies make money off of the store fronts. If steam is on the Xbox they can't make money. Unless they are gonna just charge $1000 plus for the consoles. I'm sorry guys but it just doesn't make sense.

Ben Downsen PhilMcrackin

It's almost like he liked the game when he played it, and then stopped liking it when all the other reviewers said it ain't that great.

Gene Park

we are not putting trigger warnings on video game opinions.

Gene Park

i mean you have to read my three star review to find out why i rated it 3 stars. this is a podcast where i elaborate and have discussions. the discussion was largely negative so i do wish it wasn’t that way. but if you want to understand my review you have to actually read it as opposed to hearing me yap on a podcast. thanks for listening tho

Gene Park

dude shut up lol

Michael McCoy

Makes sense, the discussion was just so overtly negative (even to the point of calling it AI slop) that I was surprised by your review score. I know if I was that negative about a game i personally don’t believe I would give it a 3/4. Looking forward to you spreading the Sonic agenda later this year with your coverage of CrossWorlds 👍

Ben Downsen PhilMcrackin

But the players have to pay money to engage right? Or is this a free to play game?

Aleph

He literally said that America deserved 9/11. Somehow people have become so brainrotted that it's become a right/left issue, apparently.

Macro

The AC Shadows conversation just being between two people who hate the game is disappointing since they're the clear minority on it, hope next time the game comes up there's someone who enjoyed the game (like the majority of players and reviewers)

maycare

You can't be the biggest gooner because you have a girlfriend. Nice job getting your stealth brag read on the show though ;)

maycare

I agree with some of the complaints regarding Shadows (Yasuke shouldn't have been a playable character for sure and his gameplay/side missions are terrible), but I really felt like they undersold the stealth gameplay. Playing on expert mode, with guaranteed assassination, and all constant HUD elements turned off, the game is an amazing shinobi simulator. I don't feel the game is balanced around Normal as Matty was saying, you just have to actually use the new features. Getting seen too easily crouching on roofs like the old games? You have to go prone on the roof, go on the slope of the roof that's in the dark or breaks line of sight, or maybe you just can't use that roof and have to chart a different route. It's actually a great addition that you get seen more easily and now have to use foliage/darkness to plan a route; it would be hard to go back to an AC game without these mechanics and prone.

Macro

To clarify Gene's talk about Nintendo Gold Points: You still have and can still use your Nintendo Gold Points, they're still there and still able to be spent as normal You cannot earn new Gold Points The points you have are valid until a year after you earned them

Kaleb

Between worlds best zelda

NeO JD

That’s why it’s crazy to me. But Game Pass is also still crazy so idk. But if they do it, I’d sure use my Xbox a lot more.

Matt Wiles

Trigger warnings sounds pathetic, hate that term, and no one expects anything back like that, but all I was saying is it is off-putting. Plenty will skip through that part. I’ve literally never moaned about any show, in all the years. It’s just an honest bit of feedback. I ‘get’ that nothing will change.

mudder12

Assassin’s Creed game should always be bought on sale anyways. By then you’ll have probably atleast one expansion out for it, and they always have more bugs than a Timone and Pumba Lunch at launch

Macro

I've been here for years, I know the score, I'm just saying it's a shame to exclusively have people who hate the game on to shit on it for an hour for the episode focused on it

Macro

Just expressing disappointment, it's not that serious

Tony Upstairs Lazzaro

Really disappointed in the boys for not laughing and loving AC Shadows. Completely bummed me out. I uninstalled the game. But it wasn't enough. I threw out my ps5, then I cried. Dammit why couldn't they love it as much as I do! Why God why! Oh wait none of that happened. Some of you just sound like fucking babies.

Walk Forward Cutscene

“Clear minority.” You’re just delusional. Pick a random Ubisoft game from 2000-2010 and it will be better than Shadows

Walk Forward Cutscene

It’s selling more slowly than KCD2 and Split Fiction and cost an order of magnitude more to develop. “Players” are not sales when Ubisoft+ exists

Macro

It's mostly got 8s and 9s and everyone I've seen play/talk about playing the game has dug it, you may not like it but this game is being very well recieved

BigDumbStupidIdiot

It's going to make a profit and that's all that matters to Ubisoft. Children crying about "DEI" and "Woke" haven't affected sales in a major way

Breaking Bot’s Weld Jr played by Robot John MIDI

If I’m looking forward to a game but I hear people don’t like it, I tend to dig in my heels and insist on finding out for myself. It’s like a challenge for me, but I’m a bit of a contrarian. Most of the time I still like it, it’s very rare that I say, “Okay, you guys were right.” For example, I loved Mass Effect: Andromeda, and I played it a couple years after launch. lol

Daddy T

Lad everytime I see you in the comments you’re kicking off about something, do not say you’ve never had a moan on here hahahaha

Ealia Staroverov

? Gene gave it a 3 out of 4. In what WORLD is that hating on a game. He gave it a solid score and critiqued it.

J Reid

Microsoft acting as a publisher doesn't care where you buy their games. If you buy it on steam, epic, or playstation they still get money from it. So while the console itself won't make them money buying accessories for it and buying their games, regardless of storefront would. There's even the possibility that there's some other deal where they get a small percentage of any purchase made on their console kind of like how Sony is set up with it's crossplay purchase stuff. They might get a 0.5 or 1% rip off every transaction. And while you'll probably ask why would steam agree to something like that the answer is simply getting the current xbox install base, which is around 50 mil or so. Imagine you own a digital storefront and for something as easy as a 1% rip you can suddenly get your store in front of 50 million more people. Not a bad deal.

Macro

Here he spent a solid hour shitting on it and saying that thinking back on it he likes it a lot less than he did when he wrote the review

Seth

Ubisoft has the same issue every western dev has. They are artistically completely detached from reality. They have no idea what resonated with normal people because they make huge salaries and live on fake pedestals created only by their colleagues. I hope Ubisoft has to lay off 90% of their extremely bloated staff so they can make decent games again.

Seth

Someone or even a lot of someone's opinions on something should never impact you, especially in an internet setting. If you like it that's awesome man, love it! But do not expect anyone to change or shut up about their opinions to cater to you. That is wildly self-centered and narcissistic (Not calling you a narcissist, it's just in this context you are acting narcissistically.) Just ignore all the haters and enjoy the game you enjoy.

Seth

I bought a 3DS for that game alone and man I was disappointed. Link to the Past was so gritty and dark. Then they made it much to Chibi in my opinion. The first one is still top 5 best games of all time for me though.

Seth

I know people argue that 7/10 is above average, but I think it can be argued that 7/10 is a 70% which is a C which is average. He probably gives it a 7 because it functions fine in most regards and it looks half decent, its not completely broken. Once you get into 5s and 6s there is usually glaring issues with the game beyond just generic feel or feeling like everything is just adequate/scraping by.

Michael McCoy

In my opinion that’s the byproduct of two broken systems. Why even bother using a scale from 1-10 if 1-5 represents “shit”, 6-7 is “average”, then 8-10 is “good”? But I know Gene uses 4 stars, but it’s easy to deduce where that would line up on a 10 point scale. For this particular case, Gene definitely sounds more like he hates the game than considers it average, but maybe his review is more positive. The only thing he said he liked (that I remember) is the graphics.

Matt Wiles

I’m only alluding to the concept that reviewers might not feel the same as the general public because of the amount of games they have to get through. It’s a job. Some will have enjoyed the segment. I’m just saying, as an average consumer and listener, with a bit of savvy common sense, I’m starting to question the accuracy of a reviewers opinion, given that it’s their job and they may not view things like a consumer.

Uvula Smack

The amount of cash and risk to put out a console that doesn’t give you any more revenue upside than just being a 3rd party publisher makes no sense. Unless they sell the console at a significant profit

Uvula Smack

Gene could you have put a warning before the trigger warning please I’m literally shaking rn

Faan

I get your point. Though I would argue it’s because of higher up management that doesn’t want to stray from the formula and wants to cater to all AC fans like Matty and Gene said, but end up making a mediocre game that doesn’t have a deep gameplay loop. Yes, their team is bloated but I don’t think their dev team is necessarily bad.

Seth

Yeah I'm probably being overdramatic, because you are right. The game functionally is mostly there but shallow, graphically its gorgeous, I do feel like it lacks is artistic merit, but it's probably not 90% of them that should go. (90% shit employees was more like Concord)

Gene Park

yeah because i don't go on these podcasts just to regurgitate what i write in my review. y'all are sounding like final fantasy 16 weirdos who got mad at me because i was critical of the game even though square enix used MY WORDS in their promo material. some of you really need to stop thinking in terms of "love or hate" and just fucking listen to a conversation and take it all in. i talk shit about colin all the time even though i love the guy. i feel pretty certain in my harsher opinions about assassin's creed because i fucking love the series. i don't get why that's so hard to understand.

Michael McCoy

Jeez dude…everyone was being pretty cordial, no need to come with so much aggression…I did listen to the conversation, and I commented what I thought about it. Stop thinking in terms of “love and hate” yet you basically shat all over the game haha. I have no horses in this race btw, I’m not planning on playing assassin’s creed, I just wanted to ask you a question since you publish reviews and I’m always curious about why people rate things specific ways 🤷‍♂️

Cole Phelps Sends Babies To Jail

I agree with everything both Matty & Gene said about AC: Shadows but this is my favourite AC game I’ve played since the early games. Currently 25 hours in and it feels a lot more focused to the last 3 games. I like the quest design being mostly focused on assassinating and how fast the gameplay is in conjuction. Being able to scan the area with L2 for the blue mission objectives while sprinting helps move it along at such a fast pace. The butterfly collecting mission earlier in the game has been a highlight so far and recommend anyone playing it to do it But it is 100% junk food but it’s good junk food

Cloud

The way Gene talks about how Shadows is the best looking game since RDR2 makes me think he's never seen Ghost of Tsushima

Jason Rose

The correlation of AC Shadows is what AI would think an open world game should be set in Japan rang so accurate. If anything describes modern AC games it’s this. They’re mediocre bloat that do nothing great whatsoever. They’re not even games under the namesake of the franchise any longer.

Jason Rose

They’re clearly not and if you think that’s hate you must not understand critique of anything.

Jason Rose

If you peruse YouTube most share this sentiment as well. The games do nothing excellent and remain aggressively fine and needlessly bloated. They’re the antithesis of good design and epitomize the “throw everything at the wall” approach of most modern AAA games

Jason Rose

Anyone that says the game is selling immensely well is truly jumping the gun. We know nothing beyond Steam concurrent and it’s trending in line with Dragon Age Veilguard. How did that do? Ultimately I don’t care either way, enjoy your game but seeing things like this in order to claim some sort of W is much too early.

Jason Rose

Have you seen the credits on this game? Now fathom what it cost to make over the length of time it’s been in development. Breaking even might mean 5 million, profit is not guaranteed.

BigDumbStupidIdiot

It's probably $150 - $200 million. Needs to sell around 3 million to break even

Jason Rose

Essentially one of the 2 things AC1 actually nailed as a series framework

Walk Forward Cutscene

I love that game’s atmosphere as well. Makes me forgive the repetitive side activities (and those fucking flags)

Blue

Is it just me or does Ryza’s outfit remind anyone of Ashe from FF12?

Fotis Lyto

A scale where 1-5 is shit and anything above it matters makes a lot of sense though. I mean I could easily tell you the difference a 6 or 7 or any above that. But what is the difference between a 1 or 2 to 5 and does it even matter why a game got a 2 instead of a 3? It makes a lot of sense for a seven to be an above average game which you can take it or leave it.

Fotis Lyto

I don't know your top 20 giggle but stellar blade at 1 makes a lot of sense. That shit was done so meticulously that even someone that hates goonerbait has to appreciate

Breaking Bot’s Weld Jr played by Robot John MIDI

Man, I have PTSD flashbacks to collecting AC1 flags back in the day. No smartphone yet, a laptop open on the side. Looking at a map and trying to figure out if I’m in the same spot as the screenshot. Getting through the list and SOMEHOW coming up short. 😩 Like 1100 flags and I did that shit twice. Still, it had the best atmosphere.

Jakob

Exactly. I think that is why it is top place. These developers put actual time into the physics of her body. It is actually amazing and i am just open with my appreciation of the female form... i don't even know why it is still seen as something wrong or awkward or something... i think it is totally normal for a man to like jiggle and sexy outfits on women.

Tyler T

Hey guys, VG247 is the site that gives all the perfect scores, not the wonderful vgc, just a heads up!

Michael Mashpotato

I really like Rise of the Ronin. The world and characters are really good. I like all the different fighting styles the enemies have. Just when I figured out all the enemies, they changed them up and the challenge is back. There is a NPC mission that is hilarious where a guy tells you “Help, theres a fella over there running a muk” and you follow him and get into a fight with the fella running a muk lol. Sometimes he ambushes you instead. It’s awesome! Rise of the Ronin is Ass Creed 2 in Japan. Im throughly enjoying it. Also Matty is the goat with his explanations of games.