Assassin`s Creed Shadows - Omiwa Shrine

As the Owner of Omiwa Jinja shrine I was responsible for designing every aspect of the level art of location, from the initial layout concept to the final polished version in collaboration with Level designer Mirela Zhekova.

Featured in the game’s initial gameplay trailers and being part of the Golden Path, Omiwa Jinja Shrine is one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan. Nestled within the dense forests of Mount Miwa, the shrine is deeply tied to the origins of sake and Shinto rituals.

Despite its significance, the shrine is maintained by only a handful of caretakers during the game period who struggle to preserve its glory, leaving parts of it neglected and overgrown.

The sacred grounds are surrounded by many shrine altars and sessha shrines, enhancing the sense of spiritual reverence. Nearby, a sacred lake reflects the shrine’s beauty, while just beyond lies a small village with a sake brewery and lush rice fields, emphasizing the shrine’s historic connection to sake craftsmanship.

Omiwa Jinja Shrine immerses players in an environment where cultural heritage, spirituality, and nature connect, creating a location of profound historical and narrative significance.

What I did in details:

The whole environment from start to finish
- Initial concept of the layout
- 3D Blackout
- Polish
All the terrain work
- Topology – created multiple-level navigation
- Added watercourses
- Vegetation passes – the location is neglected and overgrown during game period
- Rocks pass
- TPSs – the types of vegetations
- Reveal points work
- Added Propping
- Added buildings
- Puddle work for wetness
- Decal work for erosions, moss and dirt
- Created rice fields
- Prepared for Level Desing functions
- Initial Lighting Pass

Level artists: Radi Avramov
Level Designer: Mirela Zhekova
Lead Artists: Andon Nedev, Biser Parashkevov
Art Direction: Nikola Stoyanov