I’m nearly 60 hours into my journey with Assassin’s Creed Shadows, and I’ve decided not to play as Yasuke. Although it took me less than 26 hours to unlock him, I’ve invested so much effort into Naoe that Yasuke feels unplayable to me. The story missions that require me to control him are daunting. For me, this is a ninja game, not a samurai one.
Starting out with Naoe sets the stage for a stealth experience from the beginning. Once you become accustomed to sneaking through bushes and lurking on rooftops, reverting back to the traditional Assassin’s Creed protagonist like Yasuke is challenging. Since Assassin’s Creed 3, I’ve disliked heroes with his playstyle. Though he can sneak and climb like other assassins, he’s designed for brawling. The issue is that combat in Assassin’s Creed Shadows feels awkward.
Playing as Naoe emphasizes avoiding direct confrontations, which works well within the game. Ubisoft has perfected wall-climbing and traversal, turning castles into intricate 3D puzzles during stealth gameplay. When preparing to take down a base, I map out my route: bushes as checkpoints to observe guards, dark rooms for potential escape, and rooftops to mark targets. All of these change based on the time of day and visibility while moving stealthily.
Stealth in Assassin’s Creed Shadows is all about execution and adapting when things go awry. It’s genuinely enjoyable when things don’t go as planned, as you have to rely on Naoe’s strengths as a nimble ninja to escape multiple enemies — assuming you’re not using the game-breaking weapon. Once detected, the environment becomes crucial in evading the samurai chasing you.
The beautifully crafted world complements the gameplay perfectly. Assassin’s Creed Shadows is among the most visually stunning games I’ve encountered, and it’s more than just eye candy. Naoe’s reliance on the environment is essential for her success. There’s nothing quite like driving your sword through a shoji to eliminate an enemy and watching sunlight fill the room. It’s a risky move that could compromise your position, yet it’s a testament to how the hyperrealistic graphics significantly enhance interaction with the world.
In contrast, Yasuke’s approach involves ignoring stealth to confront enemies head-on. While this can offer a break from stealth, it reduces Assassin’s Creed Shadows to a mediocre action game. Melee combat feels repetitive and lacks weight, serving mainly as a time-saver for clearing castles. There’s little satisfaction in bulldozing through waves of adversaries to reach a treasure chest, as it lacks strategic depth with Yasuke’s bull-rushing through encounters.
Naoe embodies what I love about stealth games. I’m patient but not willing to painstakingly eliminate every enemy en route to my goal. Instead, I adapt and push forward, adding tension that Yasuke’s combat lacks, balancing stealth and direct engagement to target my objective.
I appreciate Yasuke’s character and his friendship with Naoe, but the tank-style power fantasy feels hollow in a game favoring a slower, more deliberate approach. All I want is to immerse myself in the ninja revenge narrative that no other Assassin’s Creed game offers.
