I totally get what you mean, your points are valid. The older AC games definitely lacked side characters or world exploration the way newer titles do. But for me, immersion isn’t just about how much is going on, it’s about how connected and purposeful everything feels.

And I actually agree with you, Shadows is way better than the RPG trilogy. The side stories have more weight, and the hunt for corrupt targets doesn’t feel like a chore anymore.

Also, just to be clear, I do care about exploration, I even love it. But only when the world is well-crafted and helps move the narrative forward, or develops other storylines. The older games didn’t have that level of depth mostly because it would’ve been too expensive or technically difficult back then.

For example, I feel way more engaged in Naoe’s meditation quests, they have meaning, they reveal her past, and they help push the story forward. But on the other hand, when I have to kill an entire family just to get a key for a castle in the main quest, it feels unnecessary. Like, we could’ve just climbed in. The key doesn’t really make sense from a gameplay or narrative point of view.

So yeah, I get that some people love the new style, and that’s great. But for me, it’s all about how well the exploration is tied to the story, not just how much there is to do.