Thanks to a renewed focus on the core principles that made the series great, Assassin's Creed Shadows delivers the most satisfying experience the franchise has offered in years. With a parkour system reminiscent of the best since Unity, you can seamlessly transition from the ground to castle rooftops, and the addition of a grappling hook makes reaching a prime vantage point even quicker. Perched on a tightrope high above your enemies, you're just a drop away from executing the perfect kill—as long as you're playing as Naoe, one of the game's protagonists. Switch to Yasuke, the second protagonist, and you're thrown into an entirely different gameplay dynamic.
Yasuke is slow, clumsy, and unable to perform silent kills. His climbing skills are more akin to a grandfather's pace than an agile assassin's. He defies the typical Assassin's Creed protagonist mold, representing one of Ubisoft's most intriguing yet baffling design choices. Playing as Yasuke doesn't feel like traditional Assassin's Creed, and that's precisely the point.
Initially, the stark contrast between Yasuke's capabilities and the series' foundational philosophy felt frustrating. Why create an Assassin's Creed protagonist who struggles to climb and can't execute a stealthy takedown? Yet, the more time I spent with Yasuke, the more I appreciated his unique design. He addresses some of the challenges Assassin's Creed has faced in recent years, despite his limitations.
You won't get to play as Yasuke until several hours into the campaign, after spending ample time with Naoe, a swift shinobi who embodies the assassin ethos better than any protagonist in a decade. Transitioning to Yasuke after mastering Naoe can be jarring. This towering samurai struggles to sneak through enemy camps and barely manages to scale anything beyond his own height. He can't grip the jutting rooftops that define Japan's architecture, and when he does find something to climb, it's painfully slow. On rooftops, he precariously balances on the apex, standing tall and inching forward, making climbing a laborious task that often requires structures like scaffolding or ladders.
While not strictly forcing Yasuke to stay on the ground, these limitations encourage it. Without easy access to high vantage points, mapping out threats and planning becomes challenging. Unlike Naoe, who has Eagle Vision to highlight enemies, Yasuke has no such aid. Choosing Yasuke means embracing raw strength over stealth and vertical exploration, core elements of Assassin's Creed.
Yasuke's gameplay diverges significantly from the traditional Assassin's Creed experience, resembling something closer to Ghost of Tsushima, particularly with his reliance on samurai sword skills over stealth. Playing as Yasuke challenges players to rethink their approach to Assassin's Creed. Historically, the series has allowed players to climb anywhere effortlessly, but Yasuke's design introduces a new level of challenge. The environment holds hidden pathways designed specifically for him, such as leaning tree trunks or open windows accessible via strategic staircases, offering a more engaging exploration experience than the automatic climbing of past games.
However, these pathways limit Yasuke to reaching only necessary objectives, restricting his general exploration and ability to gain high ground for observing enemy patterns. His only stealth ability, the "Brutal Assassination," is anything but subtle, involving a loud and violent impalement that initiates combat rather than ending it discreetly. Yet, when combat ensues, Shadows delivers the best swordplay the series has seen in over a decade. Each strike is purposeful, with a variety of techniques from rush attacks to ripostes, culminating in brutal finishing moves that contrast sharply with Naoe's stealthy approach.
The separation of combat and stealth into two distinct characters helps maintain a balance that has been missing in recent titles like Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla, where direct conflict often overshadowed stealth. With Naoe, her fragility forces players to engage in a cycle of combat, retreat, and stealth reset, while Yasuke's strength allows for prolonged and intense battles, making him a thrilling choice for combat enthusiasts.
Yasuke's design is intentional, yet it challenges his fit within Assassin's Creed, a series built on stealth and vertical exploration—elements he opposes. While protagonists like Bayek and Eivor ventured into action territory, they still embodied core Assassin's Creed mechanics. Yasuke, as a samurai rather than an assassin, fittingly struggles with stealth and climbing, but this fundamentally alters the Assassin's Creed experience.
The real challenge for Yasuke is Naoe, who emerges as the superior choice. Mechanically, Naoe is the best Assassin's Creed protagonist in years, with a comprehensive stealth toolkit perfectly complemented by the towering verticality of Sengoku Period Japan. Her ability to climb almost anywhere, though slightly more realistic and challenging than previous entries, fulfills the promise of Assassin's Creed: becoming a highly mobile silent killer. Even in combat, Naoe benefits from the same swordplay enhancements as Yasuke, though her endurance is less than his.
Ubisoft's attempt to offer two distinct playstyles with Yasuke and Naoe creates a double-edged sword. Yasuke's unique gameplay provides a fresh and compelling experience within the series, yet it directly opposes the foundational ideas of Assassin's Creed. While I'll always return to Yasuke for the thrill of his combat, it's through Naoe's eyes that I'll truly explore the world of Shadows. Playing as Naoe feels like playing Assassin's Creed.
