Ubisoft's latest installment in the Assassin's Creed franchise, Shadows, transports players to feudal Japan, a setting long-requested by fans.  Among its new features is the intriguing Canon Mode, offering a unique way to experience the narrative.

Canon Mode streamlines the story by disabling dialogue choices. This provides a curated experience of the intended narrative, ideal for players who prioritize experiencing the core story without influencing character personalities through dialogue.

However, activating Canon Mode is a permanent decision for that save file. Ubisoft has confirmed that once enabled, this mode cannot be deactivated mid-game. Players will be locked into the canonical dialogue path for the remainder of their playthrough.

While Canon Mode impacts dialogue choices, it doesn't affect game difficulty or the ability to switch between the game's two playable characters in the open world.

Preventing players from activating Canon Mode later in the game makes sense, as player choices could significantly alter the narrative, making it deviate from the canon. However, the inability to disable it raises questions.  Players could theoretically select all the canonical dialogue options manually. Why, then, is toggling Canon Mode off mid-game not permitted?

The choice to engage Canon Mode is presented early in the game, during a conversation between protagonist Yasuke and Oda Nobunaga, requiring players to commit to this mode from the outset.

It will be interesting to observe the player base's adoption of Canon Mode upon the game's release on March 20th. Will players embrace the fixed narrative or prefer the agency of shaping the story through dialogue? The popularity of this feature could influence its inclusion in future Assassin's Creed titles.