Assassin's Creed Hexe, the codenamed project that's understood to be the next single-player entry in the series after Assassin's Creed Shadows, has been referenced by Ubisoft for the first time since its reveal two years ago.

That has only raised the expectations for “Assassin’s Creed Shadows,” the franchise’s first main series entry into the Far East. With so much riding on this chapter, Ubisoft developers said they delayed it for more polish.

We got a first-hand look at the brand new Assassin's Creed Shadows and here's why we think it's a step in the right direction for the series.

The lack of flexibility in when you can change characters reads as an intentional design choice, as if Shadows is denying you the chance to have as much fun in the sandbox as you’d like. The titular Assassin’s Creed creed stipulates in part that “everything is permitted.” Well, clearly not everything!

HHW Gaming gets hands-on with Assassin's Creed Shadows, Ubisofts latest entry in the iconic Assassin's Creed video game franchise.

We got to play the next Assassin's Creed game set in Japan with Ubisoft's new take on exploration -- as well as teases of the Animus system.

I previewed what could very well be one of Ubisoft‘s most important games of all time: Assassin’s Creed: Shadows. Set in the ideal assassin’s world of feudal Japan, this game has been delayed a couple of times so that Ubisoft’s developers can whip it into shape.

We went hands-on with Assassin's Creed Shadows, spending nearly four hours in Japan. And Yasuke feels the most different the series has been in years.