Honestly, it feels like forever since we first heard about the Sengoku-era Assassin's Creed. But now that we’re deep into the post-launch cycle, the Assassin's Creed Shadows update 1.0.4 has finally landed, and it’s a lot more than just a bunch of stability tweaks. Ubisoft has been under some pressure to keep the momentum going for Naoe and Yasuke, especially with fans dissecting every historical detail.
This update isn't just a "hotfix." It's actually the first time we're seeing the game's roadmap start to flex its muscles.
The Works of Luís Fróis: A New Chapter in Azuchi
The headliner here is the new free story pack called "The Works of Luís Fróis." If you’ve been paying attention to the historical figures in the game, you know Fróis is a big deal. He was a Portuguese missionary who spent a ton of time in Japan, and this questline leans into that history.
Basically, you’re helping him recover some lost notes. It sounds simple, but the mission takes you to the Jesuit Mission and involves protecting Lady Satoko. What’s cool is that it’s fully playable as either Naoe or Yasuke. You just have to finish "The Path He Walks" on Yasuke's board first. If you're looking for it, head south of the Merchants' Quarters in Azuchi.
It's a nice little addition that adds some "meat to the bones" of the mid-game experience.
Why the Codex Update Matters
We also got a massive expansion to the Codex.
Ubisoft added character entries for almost everyone you meet—allies, enemies, and random historical figures.
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If you're like me and you get a bit lost in the political weeds of 16th-century Japan, this is a lifesaver. It’s not just flavor text; it helps track the complex web of relationships that the game sometimes glosses over during the hectic stealth segments.
Fixing the "Deer Apocalypse" and Religious Sites
One of the funniest—and most annoying—bugs in the early build was the deer.
For some reason, the game was spawning way too many deer on the main roads. It was like a constant traffic jam of hooves.
Assassin's Creed Shadows update 1.0.4 finally throttles that spawn rate. No more getting trampled by a herd of deer while trying to maintain a low profile.
There’s also a big change to how you interact with religious buildings.
After some feedback (and let's be real, a bit of controversy), Ubisoft made props near altars and religious structures "static."
- You can't accidentally smash things in a shrine anymore.
- The environment remains respectful to the setting.
- It prevents "vandalism" physics from breaking the immersion of these sacred spots.
It’s a small change, but it shows the devs are listening to the cultural feedback that's been swirling around the game since launch.
Combat Rebalancing: No More Infinite Slow-Mo
Let’s talk about the Twilight Igan Tanto.
Before this patch, you could basically spam the Escape Strike and keep time slowed down forever. It was broken. Fun? Yes. But totally broken.
Now, the perk only triggers after an Escape Strike actually interrupts an enemy.
It’s a classic nerf, but it makes the combat feel like a game again rather than a playground.
Other Key Combat Fixes:
- Snake Bite (Kusarigama): This was eating two adrenaline chunks instead of one. Fixed.
- Crescent Strike (Naginata): The first hit was sometimes dealing zero damage. That’s been sorted.
- Guaranteed Assassination: The Kunai wasn't always triggering this correctly. Now it does.
- Smoke Bombs: Naoe can no longer cheese bosses by using smoke bombs to force a Guaranteed Assassination. Sorry, speedrunners.
Platform Specifics: PS5 Pro and PC Tweaks
If you’re on the Xbox Series X, you might have noticed the "Balanced" mode was mysteriously missing from your settings. That’s back now.
On the PC side, the VRAM meter is finally accurate. It used to lie to you when you changed individual settings, which made optimization a nightmare.
The Steam Deck also got some love.
There was a nasty FPS drop during the opening animation of the Animus HUB, and that’s been smoothed out.
"One weird bug they fixed: apparently, buying and equipping headgear at a merchant was literally kicking players out of the menu entirely. Just... gone. Glad that's over."
What You Should Do Next
If you’ve already finished the main story, the Luís Fróis quest is a good excuse to jump back in. But if you’re still mid-playthrough, here is the most efficient way to handle the new content:
- Update immediately: The patch sizes are beefy. Xbox users are looking at about 20GB, while PS5 is around 4.6GB. Steam is roughly 8.5GB.
- Check your bindings: If you're on PC, the update might have reset some conflicting mouse and keyboard bindings. Double-check those before you start a fight.
- Head to Azuchi: Don’t wander around looking for the new quest. It’s south of the Merchants' Quarters.
- Read the Codex: Seriously, if you want to understand the Pirate Alliance targets better, the new entries explain their hierarchy way more clearly than the original UI did.
The Assassin's Creed Shadows update 1.0.4 feels like the game is finally settling into its skin. It’s less about fixing "broken" things now and more about refining the experience that was promised. Keep an eye out for the next drop, which is supposed to bring the first special collaboration and those highly anticipated parkour improvements.