Gaming

Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Claws of Awaji is just more of the same

A new island, a new faction, and a new weapon

Published

September 18, 2025

Luigi Leonardo

Assassin’s Creed Shadows brought new life into the aging franchise by revitalizing actual assassinations, instead of bombarding players with continuous RPG progression. Of course, it’s not without its faults. Today, the Japan-themed title is getting one more shot to correct some of its errant ways through its new DLC, Claws of Awaji.

Previously on…

Claws of Awaji continues where the main game left off. After defeating the shinbakufu threat on the main island, Naoe receives a new lead that might lead to her long-lost mother, the assassin Fujibayashi Tsuyu. The lead takes her to the smaller island of Awaji, a territory controlled by the shadowy Sanzoku Ippa.

At least some questions were answered

On paper, Claws of Awaji feels like a more personal story for Naoe. After all, it’s a quest to find her missing mother. Very quickly, the DLC establishes that Tsuyu was imprisoned by Kimura Yukari, the leader of the Sanzoku Ippa. Naoe and Yasuke rescue her after only a few missions into the DL, thereby reestablishing her as the leader of the Assassins in Awaji.

However, the supposedly heartfelt reunion ends up in… well, not much, really. For most of the DLC, Tsuyu is too injured to be of much help, despite her status as a legendary assassin. She doesn’t have an intense conversation with Naoe about her upbringing, even as they butt heads on how to liberate Awaji. She doesn’t have a properly epic scene to show off her prowess as a legend. Despite her legacy, Tsuyu feels more of a boss to report to, rather than someone to deeply care about.

But I guess it’s nice to have that loose end tied.

Awaji is more ferocious

Part of the DLC’s premise is to make Naoe and Yasuke feel more like the hunted, rather than the hunters, in a more hostile Awaji. Because the Ippa relies on clandestine operations, the island’s threats now include shinobis masquerading as innocent NPCs and literal death traps on the road.

At first, the environmental threat felt refreshing. Awaji looked more dynamic. However, after the tenth time of getting ambushed by just walking through a town, it got repetitive and annoying. Most of the time afterwards, I just ran through town and blatantly telegraphed ambushes to skip the interactions.

A more threatening faction

Despite how annoying the hazards got, the Ippa does feel more threatening than the shinbakufu. That’s because each member is an actual threat, rather than hapless politicians roped into a scandal. Two of its four members are villains who rely on deception and subterfuge. Another is a brutish warlord.

It also helps that each of these three got a unique boss fight. One of them can even fit in a Metal Gear Solid game, rather than an Assassin’s Creed. For all my issues with the DLC, these boss fights were a highlight.

However, the game still repeats a flaw that was prevalent in the main game. Despite being a threatening faction, the four members of the Ippa are in the same scene only once in the entire game. Once again, you tackle each member separately, but none of them comments when you take down a member. Rather than an overall narrative, Claws of Awaji feels like a collection of short stories, albeit ones with cleverly built fights each time.

Introducing the bo

The next biggest introduction for the DLC is a heavy staff called the bo. It’s a new weapon that Naoe can wield to club enemies to death.

Thankfully, the bo isn’t exclusive to Claws of Awaji. Even if you don’t own the DLC, you can get access to the weapon via a mission in the main game.

Gameplay-wise, the bo is different from others because of how it uses stances to respond to enemy attacks. I’d say that the new weapon is interesting enough to warrant a try. However, the DLC is too short to allow the bo to properly marinate. In the end, I still chose the katana as my main.

Short and sweet

Claws of Awaji is mercifully short and sweet. Ubisoft estimates that the DLC will take ten hours on average to complete. Personally, I finished the story and explored the island in less time.

As someone who’s done with Shadows, Claws of Awaji is written in just the right length to hearken back to a good game. It’s not a drastic reinvention, like Ubisoft’s wackier DLCs, but it will give you more of the same. And that’s fine. If you loved Shadows, the DLC extends that experience just a little bit more.

On its own, however, one has to wonder whether Ubisoft planned more for Awaji. If the DLC turned into a full sequel, maybe we would have gotten a more emotional story for Naoe and her mom, a larger island to let the Ippa reign free, and a more fleshed out system for the bo.

Related Topics:Assassin's Creed Shadows Claws of Awaji

Gaming

The hunt begins: The Witcher in Concert hits Manila with surprises in tow

The Continent comes alive

Published

March 19, 2026

GadgetMatch

If you’ve ever heard a haunting chant echo through a battlefield or felt the weight of a choice that isn’t as simple as good or evil, then you already know—the Path has a way of calling you back.

And if you haven’t stepped into that world just yet, consider this your invitation.

With less than two weeks to go, The Witcher in Concert is set to take over Manila for a one-night-only performance. It’s happening on March 28, 2026 at The Theatre at Solaire—bringing with it not just the music of a beloved RPG, but a full-on return to the Continent.

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, the concert transforms one of gaming’s most iconic soundtracks into a live experience. Expect performances from selected musicians of the Filharmonika Orchestra alongside Percival Schuttenbach—the Polish folk-metal band whose distinct sound helped define the game’s identity. Paired with in-game visuals, it’s a show designed to feel both nostalgic and entirely new.

As the night draws closer, here are three things fans can look forward to:

Relics from the Continent: official merchandise

For those who want to take a piece of the experience home, exclusive event merchandise will be available in limited quantities.

This includes the following:

Event Tee (PhP2,200)
Geralt Long Sleeve (PhP3,400)
Event Hoodie (PhP4,200)
Beanie (PhP1,800)
Tote bag (PhP1,800)
Key chain (PhP1,400)
Enamel pin set (PhP1,400)
Event magnet (PhP800)
Geralt gaming mouse pad (PhP2,000)

It’s the kind of loot drop fans won’t want to miss.

The path to Solaire: getting there made easier

Getting to the venue is part of the journey—and this time, it’s a little easier. Attendees can use the Grab code FCPH2026 to get 20% off rides (up to PhP75). With the condition of a minimum fare of PhP250. The promo is valid for two rides per user and applies to trips to and from Solaire Entertainment City.

A rare encounter: meet Percival Schuttenbach

For a handful of lucky fans, the experience goes beyond the stage. Ten winners will get the chance to meet Percival Schuttenbach and receive an autographed CD.

To join, ticket holders need to share any official The Witcher in Concert post on their Instagram Story. They need to write what they’re most excited to hear live and tag @filmconcerts.ph. They need to submit their entry before March 24, 2026 at 5:00 PM. Winners will be announced on March 25.

Answer the call

As the Continent arrives in Manila, fans are encouraged to lean all the way in—whether that means coming in cosplay as a monster hunter, mage, bard, or something far more dangerous.

Tickets are available via TicketWorld and participating outlets nationwide.

The Path is open. The question is—will you answer the call?

Gaming

Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains launching on June 11

Introducing a team-based, cinematic twist to the classic board game

Published

March 19, 2026

GadgetMatch

Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains will launch on June 11, Ubisoft has announced. It will debut on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 1 and 2, GeForce Now, and PC through Steam, Epic Games, and the Ubisoft Store.

The Behavior Interactive title introduces a team-based combat twist to the traditional real estate board game. It includes competitive 2v2 and 3v3 modes, available online and through couch co-op.

This transforms the classic Monopoly gameplay into an action-packed, strategic showdown where teamwork and hero combinations matter.

Every turn carries high stakes as properties change hands in an instant. Dynamic GO events also introduce game-altering twists.

The full reveal will be on April 29.

Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains transports players into the Star Wars galaxy with a custom Monopoly board, packed with iconic locations from across the saga.

The gameplay is reimagined with thrilling cinematic moments, themed spaces, and dynamic elements. These make up for a refreshed experience from start to finish.

Players can choose from a wide roster of Star Wars heroes and villains. There’s plenty of options, from Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia to Darth Vader and Darth Maul.

Each character brings unique abilities to shape the team’s strategy and affect the match’s complexion with every roll of the dice.

Gaming

Switch 2 now lets you play old games in 1080p

It tricks old games into thinking that the console is docked.

Published

March 18, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

The Switch 2’s popularity is astonishing, to say the least. Just recently, a single game, Pokémon Pokopia, was responsible for taking the free times of over two million players on the Switch 2. Now, Nintendo has released a new feature which should make the console much more playable, especially for those who already had the original Switch.

Today, the Switch 2 received the 22.0.0 system update. Though the update is mostly a variety of smaller updates, one feature, called the Handheld Mode Boost, stands out among the rest. As per the patch notes, “Handheld Mode Boost will cause compatible Nintendo Switch software to run as if the console is being played in TV mode.” Put simply, the feature will unlock 1080p resolution for older games.

For gamers who had the original Switch, game resolution was a huge problem. The first console lived on a 720p screen, so the early games supported only lower resolutions. The only exception is when the console was docked, which allows 1080p resolution.

Now, the Switch 2 supports backwards compatibility. Players can access their older Switch games on the new console. The catch, however, is that these games are still stuck in 720p. Some titles, at least, have released an update to increase resolution on the new console.

Handheld Mode Boost tricks the console into thinking that it’s hooked up to the dock. In effect, the game will play in 1080p. The catch, however, is that it also thinks that the Joy-Cons are a single Pro controller, so players might lose some game features. It’s still a decent price to pay, though.

In other news, the update has also updated the naming of the “Hong Kong/Taiwan/South Korea” to “Hong Kong/Taiwan/South Korea/Southeast Asia,” potentially hinting that Southeast Asia might finally get an online store.