Discover what players are saying about the Assassin’s Creed Shadows DLC – Claws of Awaji and if it is worth it. Explore new features, story focus, and mixed reviews from critics and players.
-Wright Robinson, 22nd September 2025
Claws of Awaji, the DLC for Assassins’ Creed Shadows was finally released on 16th September, around 6 months after the release of the original game. The DLC had promised to continue the base game, and introduce players to new gear and take them to a mysterious place called the island of Awaji. However, after launch, the reaction from players has not been entirely positive. Opinions are split between players and critics, and here we shall look at both sides to see if it delivers on its promises or not.
What Claws of Awaji Offers: Story, Gameplay and New Features
The Claws of Awaji DLC adds over 10 hours of gameplay to the base game, and it ties up the loose ends left by the base game, mostly around Naoe’s past and her mother. Some critics do appreciate how the story reaches its conclusion, but many also feel that it is quite “forgettable” and do not add anything that surprises us. Plus, Yasuke’s role has been criticized as well, for being less developed and not being as impactful.
One key highlight of the game is the addition of the Bo staff for Naoe, which offers new combat possibilities for her. This staff, which helps mostly in crowd control, has been praised by many players, because it is a refreshing change from the usual sword and stealth mechanics.
One change that can be seen in Claws of Awaji DLC is that it does not continue with the game’s big open world styled gameplay, but it is more condensed. The island offers us handcrafted levels, and offers multiple paths included stealth routes. Many critics are of the opinion that this tighter level design feels more polished in multiple respects.
Where Claws of Awaji Falls Short According to Critics
One major criticism regarding the game comes from PC players, who complain about frequent crashes. Claws of Awaji on PC apparently suffers from crashes, bugs and occasionally quests that fail to trigger. This had led to a lot of negative reviews on Steam. Many players also feel that the amount of content provided in the game doesn’t justify the cost. It extends over 10 + but many players feel that some of the side content is minimal, while some of the missions feel repetitive. This has led to some players feeling that the Claws of Awaji expansion DLC doesn’t stretch as far as it should probably have.
Is Claws of Awaji DLC worth buying?
The Claws of Awaji DLC is definitely not perfect, which can be seen from the reviews. But it is not a total disappointment either. The DLC presents a more focused and tighter expansion to the game, with enough story and mechanics to keep players interested. The DLC also fixes some design problems, but many players also feel that the bugs sting too much.
If you loved Assassin’s Creed Shadows, and can forgive few flaws and rough edges, it wouldn’t hurt to give Claws of Awaji a try. If you are unsure, you can always wait for a sale!
What Claws of Awaji means for the future of the Assassin’s Creed franchise
In spite of its flaws, Claws of Awaji does have potential for a turning point in Assassin’s Creed, as many players are annoyed and feel that the franchise is dead, especially older players who have been long time fans of Assassins’ Creed. However, in this DLC, Ubisoft is shifting towards tighter storytelling over huge open world content, which might indicate the franchise moving in a positive direction.
However, there is still backlash from players for sidelining the Isu elements and the Assassin-Templar conflict, and this shows that Ubisoft might need to focus on what fans want to see, not just historical spectacle.
Do check our review of Detroit Become Human, one of the best cinematic games ever made.
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