Assassin's Creed Shadows vs Dragon’s Dogma 2
Feudal Japan assassin fantasy versus Capcom's pawn-driven adventure — both reward patience, but they test it in very different ways.
Updated 24d ago
The wait-for-the-complete-edition play just expired: Ubisoft shipped its closing patch this month and never cut the $69.99. Overpriced at list, sharp on sale.
If you can forgive the original's quirks, DD2 holds up — patches fixed CPU performance and the microtransaction outrage was overblown (everything's findable in-game).
By the numbers
Prices checked Sep 10; they move faster than we refresh, so confirm on the store page.
Recent-review figures are Steam's own last-30-days window, read Sep 10.
| Measure | Assassin's Creed Shadows | Dragon’s Dogma 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Value Assassin's Creed Shadows wins on value | ||
| Price now | $22.40 −68% · Ubisoft Store | $26.19 −35% · Fanatical |
| All-time low | $25.20 | $10.88 |
| Cost / hour | $0.63/hr $22.40 · 36 h main story | $0.83/hr $26.19 · 31 h main story |
| Off its low | At its low low was Sep 2026 | +141% low was Oct 2025 |
| Main story | 36 h | 31 h |
| Health Too close to call | ||
| Steam reviews | 75% 39k reviews | 62% 117k reviews |
| Recent reviews | 61% 444 votes · vs 75% lifetime · souring | 71% 837 votes · vs 62% lifetime · improving |
| Peak players | 5,021 Aug 2026 · ↓ 30% MoM | 4,333 Aug 2026 · ↑ 5% MoM |
| Launch peak | 8% of Mar 2025 launch peak · as of Aug 2026 | 2% of Mar 2024 launch peak · as of Aug 2026 |
| All-time peak | 64,627 Mar 2025 | 228,285 Mar 2024 |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | 4 weeks ago | 3 weeks ago |
| Patch cadence | 2 in last 90 days | 1 in last 90 days |
| Steam Deck | Gold | Silver |
Shared scale — same months across the bottom, same player-count axis up the side, so the two lines are directly comparable. A shorter line means a younger game.
What players say
Patterns from long-haul reviewers, taken from each game's verdict. Not live sentiment — each side is dated below.
Assassin's Creed Shadows
Feudal Japan itself — the seasons, the light and Naoe's stealth kit keep 100-hour players exploring long after the story stops mattering.
A thin story, an open world that repeats itself, and a launcher that locks them out — and the Claws of Awaji expansion made the first two worse.
from our July 2026 verdict
Dragon’s Dogma 2
The pawn system's emotional depth and banter drive 100+ hour journeys, making companions feel irreplaceable.
Performance drops and limited enemy variety frustrate long-haul players, though dedicated fans anticipate the DLC.
from our May 2026 verdict
Key differences
Which one is for you?
Pick Assassin's Creed Shadows if
- Feudal Japan setting is your main draw and you want the best-looking Assassin's Creed world
- You prefer stealth-first gameplay and can accept a weak story
- You're willing to pay $69.99 at launch or wait for a deep sale
Pick Dragon’s Dogma 2 if
- You loved the original Dragon's Dogma and want more pawn-driven combat
- You enjoy experimenting with class variety and can live without cinematic storytelling
- You're okay with heavy backtracking and the game's quirky exploration design
Bottom line
Choose Shadows only if Japan and stealth matter more than story; otherwise Dragon's Dogma 2 offers deeper combat and player freedom at a lower entry price.
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