With a renewed focus on the core principles that defined the series, *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* delivers the most satisfying experience the franchise has offered in years. The game boasts the best parkour system since *Unity*, allowing you to seamlessly transition from the ground to castle rooftops. A grappling hook further enhances your ability to reach strategic vantage points swiftly. Perched on a tightrope high above your foes, you're poised to execute the perfect kill—provided you're controlling Naoe. However, switch to Yasuke, the second protagonist, and you enter an entirely different gameplay dynamic.
Yasuke is slow, clumsy, and unable to execute silent kills. His climbing skills are so limited that they make scaling structures feel like a tedious task. This design choice by Ubisoft is both baffling and fascinating, as playing as Yasuke feels entirely disconnected from the traditional *Assassin’s Creed* experience.
Initially, the stark contrast between Yasuke's abilities and the series' core philosophy felt frustrating. What's the point of an *Assassin’s Creed* protagonist who can barely climb and can't perform silent takedowns? Yet, the more I played as him, the more I appreciated the merit in Yasuke's design. He addresses critical issues that the series has grappled with in recent years.
You don't get to control Yasuke until several hours into the campaign, after spending your initial time with Naoe, a swift shinobi who epitomizes the "assassin" role better than any protagonist in a decade. Transitioning to Yasuke after Naoe is jarring. This towering samurai is too large and noisy to sneak through enemy camps and struggles to climb anything beyond his head height. His limited climbing abilities introduce friction, making scaling environments a chore and encouraging ground-level play. This lack of vertical access denies him crucial vision, making it difficult to map out threats and plan effectively. Unlike Naoe, who can use Eagle Vision, Yasuke has no such advantage, forcing players to rely solely on raw strength.
*Assassin’s Creed* has always been about stealthy kills and vertical exploration, principles that Yasuke directly opposes. Playing as him feels less like *Assassin’s Creed* and more like *Ghost of Tsushima*, emphasizing fierce combat over stealth. Yasuke challenges players to rethink how to play *Assassin’s Creed*. Historically, the series has allowed for effortless climbing, but Yasuke changes this. His limitations require careful observation of the environment to find hidden pathways that lead to objectives, offering a more engaging challenge than the mindless scrambles of past games.
However, these pathways only guide Yasuke to where he needs to go, limiting his general exploration and ability to gain high ground to observe enemy movements. His only stealth ability, the "Brutal Assassination" skill, is more an opening move for combat than a silent takedown. Yet, when combat ensues, *Shadows* showcases the best swordplay the series has seen in over a decade. Each strike has purpose, and a variety of techniques—from brutal rush attacks to satisfying ripostes—make combat thrilling. Finishing moves are graphically impactful, contrasting sharply with Naoe's stealthy approach.
The separation of combat and stealth into two distinct characters prevents the blending of styles seen in previous games like *Origins*, *Odyssey*, and *Valhalla*. Naoe's fragility means she can't engage in prolonged combat, forcing players to reset the stealth loop when fights break out. Yasuke's strength, on the other hand, allows players to endure even the toughest encounters, making him a compelling choice for those seeking intense combat.
Despite the intention behind Yasuke's design, his fit within the *Assassin’s Creed* framework remains questionable. The series is built on stealth and vertical exploration, concepts that Yasuke directly challenges. While characters like Bayek and Eivor ventured into action territory, they still adhered to the core mechanics of an *Assassin’s Creed* lead. Yasuke's thematic appropriateness as a samurai who struggles with stealth and climbing means you can't play *Assassin’s Creed* traditionally when controlling him.
The real challenge for Yasuke is Naoe's presence. Mechanically, Naoe is the best protagonist the series has seen in years, with a stealth toolkit perfectly suited to the verticality of Sengoku Period Japan. Her ability to climb nearly anywhere, combined with the game's more realistic climbing mechanics, makes her the ideal choice for players seeking the quintessential *Assassin’s Creed* experience. Naoe's combat is just as impactful as Yasuke's, though she can't endure as long in battle. This raises the question: why choose Yasuke when Naoe offers the full *Assassin’s Creed* experience?
Ubisoft's intention to offer two distinct playstyles with Yasuke and Naoe creates a double-edged sword. Yasuke's unique approach provides a compelling contrast to traditional *Assassin’s Creed* gameplay, offering a fresh experience. However, his design directly opposes the series' foundational ideas, which remain unique in the open-world genre. While I'll enjoy the thrill of Yasuke's combat, it's through Naoe's eyes that I'll truly explore *Shadows'* world. With Naoe, I feel like I'm playing *Assassin’s Creed*.
