Assassin's Creed Shadows guided exploration explained

Assassin's Creed Shadows guided exploration - A close-up shot of Naoe with a contemplative expression, inside a dim building.
(Image credit: Ubisoft)

Assassin's Creed Shadows throws a heap of important choices at you right at the beginning of the game, some even with permanent changes. Before you decide whether you're going to play in canon mode and immersive mode, you'll need to pick how much you want the game to hold your hand. That's what guided exploration is for.

One of the best new additions in AC Shadows is its scouts and clues system for quest tracking. Almost every objective requires you to figure out its location using a handful of clues. It's nothing too strenuous, but it's fun to look at the map and piece together where you need to go. You can even use scouts to help out if you get stuck. Shadows' guided exploration mode throws that all away.

Assassin's Creed Shadows guided exploration explained

Guided exploration mode automatically reveals quest objectives and target locations on your map. With it enabled, you won't need to investigate or use scouts to narrow down objective locations. Instead, you'll be guided right to where you need to go. This can result in instances where it's possible to skip objectives that would otherwise give you clues as to your target's exact spot.

The good news is that guided exploration can be enabled and disabled at any time during your playthrough via the gameplay tab of the settings menu.

As the in-game description notes: guided exploration does circumvent many of the new additions in Shadows in the name of streamlining quests and exploration. For example, you can't use scouts to scan the map (but they can still be used for their other purposes, like smuggling). Because of this, you won't be able to get all of the achievements, though they're not technically disabled either.

Specifically, you won't be able to get the Scouting Mission achievement since this requires you to gather information using a scout. However, since this mode can be turned on or off whenever you want, you could simply disable it, grab this achievement, and then turn guided exploration back on.

Guided exploration undoubtedly takes away one of the best new additions to Shadows, though streamlining the quest-tracking system does make it a more relaxing experience. It's up to you how much investigating you'd like to do before stabbing the next bad guy on your hit list.

Best AC Shadows weaponsBest AC Shadows armourBest AC Shadows skillsAC Shadows knowledge rankAC Shadows scoutsAC Shadows rationsAC Shadows hideoutAC Shadows Shadow ProjectsAC Shadows origami butterfly locationsAC Shadows change seasons

Best AC Shadows weapons: Superior firepower
Best AC Shadows armour: The best threads
Best AC Shadows skills: Level up
AC Shadows knowledge rank: Get knowledge
AC Shadows scouts: Get more trusty recons
AC Shadows rations: Get more healing items
AC Shadows hideout: Best buildings to get first
AC Shadows Shadow Projects: Free loot
AC Shadows origami butterfly locations: Collect 'em all
AC Shadows change seasons: Weather warning

Guides Writer

Rory has made the fatal error of playing way too many live service games at once, and somehow still finding time for everything in between. Sure, he’s an expert at Destiny 2, Call of Duty, and more, but at what cost? He’s even sunk 1,000 hours into The Elder Scrolls Online over the years. At least he put all those hours spent grinding challenges to good use over the years as a freelancer and guides editor. In his spare time, he’s also an avid video creator, often breaking down the environmental design of his favourite games. If you can’t track him down, he’s probably lost in a cave with a bunch of dwarves shouting “rock and stone” to no end.

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