If you want a chill break from all the action, there's a quiet island in Assassin's Creed Shadows that's perfect.
Players have dubbed it "Cat Island" (for obvious reasons), making it one of the most relaxing places in the game.
And if you're anything like me, the moment you hear there's a whole island full of cats just waiting to be petted and adopted, you're already clearing your map to find it.
Here's where to go, how to get there, and why you'll probably never want to leave.
Where Is Cat Island?
To start, head northeast from Kyoto into Omi. You'll find Otsu town down by the southern end of Lake Biwa.
That's your best starting point. From there, you can find a small port with boats. You can skip the fighting and quests—just get in a boat and row across the lake.
Once you've unlocked the Otsu kakurega (hideout), it's much more manageable. It only takes a few minutes to cross the water, and just one press of the row button and a direction input is enough.
If you're level 29 or up, you could try heading to the western shore by horse and grab a boat there. Though there are other villages and fast travel points nearby, like Hachiman or Azuchi, you'll still need to cross the water manually.
You can do this by swimming, borrowing a raft, or rowing your way over. Just a heads-up, some boats around here can't be steered or have hostile NPCs. You can feel Okishima's charm as soon as you get there.
There's a little village on the island, and it's filled with cats everywhere. You have the freedom to explore, enjoy the scenery, and capture the moment in photo mode, which looks incredibly gorgeous during the seasonal changes.
The island is home to at least three distinct cat types: the Calico Bobtail, the Tabby Bobtail, and the smaller Calico Kitten. You can later go into the build menu and place them around your base, where they'll freely roam the area.
There's also a viewpoint on the northern part of the island. Make sure to sync with it to unlock fast travel. It makes repeat visits easy — and trust me, you might want to come back just for the relaxing atmosphere (or the kittens).
So, if you're a cat lover (or just need a breather from the usual drama), Okishima is well worth the detour.
Just don't be surprised if you spend way more time petting every cat than actually progressing your main quests.