Assassin's Creed Shadows vs Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
Feudal Japan's stealth fantasy versus Bohemia's grounded realism—choose by pacing, not polish.
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.
The quest writing and side characters are why people replay it at 500 hours — it deserves the medieval-RPG crown, if you can live with save limits and slow travel.
By the numbers
Prices checked Sep 13; 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 13.
| Measure | Assassin's Creed Shadows | Kingdom Come: Deliverance II |
|---|---|---|
| Value Too close to call | ||
| Price now | $22.40 −68% · Ubisoft Store | $23.79 −60% · PlayerLand |
| All-time low | $25.20 | $20.99 |
| Cost / hour | $0.63/hr $22.40 · 36 h main story | $0.43/hr $23.79 · 55 h main story |
| Off its low | At its low low was Sep 2026 | +13% low was Jul 2026 |
| Main story | 36 h | 55 h |
| Health Kingdom Come: Deliverance II wins on player health | ||
| Steam reviews | 75% 39k reviews | 94% 196k reviews |
| Recent reviews | 61% 444 votes · vs 75% lifetime · souring | 91% 2k votes · vs 94% lifetime |
| Peak players | 5,021 Aug 2026 · ↓ 30% MoM | 25,797 Aug 2026 · ↓ 12% MoM |
| Launch peak | 8% of Mar 2025 launch peak · as of Aug 2026 | 10% of Feb 2025 launch peak · as of Aug 2026 |
| All-time peak | 64,627 Mar 2025 | 255,607 Feb 2025 |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | 4 weeks ago | 3 months ago |
| Patch cadence | 2 in last 90 days | 1 in last 90 days |
| Steam Deck | Gold | Platinum |
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
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
The writing and quest design stay unmatched to 500 hours — side characters and missions are what long-haul fans replay for.
Late-game save freedom and travel pacing still grate on 100-hour veterans, though the story keeps them pushing.
from our August 2026 verdict
Key differences
Which one is for you?
Pick Assassin's Creed Shadows if
- You're drawn to Japan's Sengoku period and want next-gen weather effects
- You prefer stealth-first gameplay with a grapple and light-snuffing tools
- You're okay with a 36-hour main story and can grab it on sale
Pick Kingdom Come: Deliverance II if
- You enjoy first-person melee combat with realistic armor and polearms
- You have patience for slow travel and limited saves in a dialogue-heavy RPG
- You value quest writing and side characters over graphical spectacle
Bottom line
If you want a stealth power fantasy in a beautiful open world, wait for a Shadows discount—its 36-hour story is fine at $31. If you crave a deep, story-driven medieval sim, KCD2's 55-hour campaign and 94% reviews justify its price.
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