The newest instalment in Ubisoft's blockbuster "Assassin's Creed" franchise received a "very positive" rating on Steam based on 751 user reviews, with 80% of them being positive, around four hours after its launch on the game distribution platform.

Ubisoft isn’t out to reinvent the formula with Shadows. In fact, there’s nothing mechanically (or even narratively) that separates this game from its predecessor, Assassin’s Creed Mirage. It’s just moved the game to a new location, with new characters and storylines. The strength of the game comes from whether Ubisoft can make those things pop.

Ubisoft's next big release is Assassin's Creed Shadows, which debuts on March 20. According to analyst Joost Van Dreunen, the game's release is a "bit of an existential moment" for Ubisoft.