I can’t wait to get my hands on Assassin’s Creed Shadows. After watching the first gameplay reveal on PlayStation, my hype levels shot through the roof. I even tried jumping back into Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök, but let’s be real—I’m over the endless Asgardian hikes. The Shadows gameplay instantly had me ready to blend into Kyoto, lurking in the shadows like a true shinobi.
This time around, Ubisoft is giving us two playable characters, and from what I saw in the Dual Paths walkthrough, their playstyles couldn’t be more different. Naoe moves like a ghost, striking with precision, while Yasuke feels like a walking tank, breaking through enemies with sheer force. The contrast is wild, and it might just make this the freshest Assassin’s Creed experience in years.
The Art of Assassination – Playing as Naoe
Naoe plays exactly how you’d expect a shinobi to move. Silent, deadly, and incredibly agile. She can attract enemies and set them up for quick kills with katana attacks. One of the standout moments in the gameplay was watching her draw enemies into traps, using deception and precision to take them out one by one. It makes you feel like a true assassin.
The way she jumps, the way she blends into Kyoto’s traditional town landscapes—it screams classic Assassin’s Creed. Her movement is seamless, and she has the tools to make every kill feel calculated. Between the shinobi blades, throwing stars, and even poison-tipped weapons, she looks like the most natural assassin the series has seen in a while. But what really has me thinking is her connection to the First Civilization. Unlike Yasuke, she seems to have some form of Sixth Sense, being able to sense enemies behind doors. That alone sets her apart as a true descendant of the Creed.
The Power of Combat – Playing as Yasuke
Then there’s Yasuke. He is nothing like a shinobi, and that’s what makes him interesting. His approach is raw power, fighting his way through enemies with brute force rather than stealth. He has a bigger sword, a bow, rifles, and a whole different way of navigating rooftops. And let me tell you, he does not move like Naoe.
He’s heavier, slower, and definitely noisier. Crawling across rooftops looks more like a struggle for him, and sidestepping in battle doesn’t feel as smooth. But that’s the point—he’s not a trained assassin in the traditional sense. He’s a warrior. He takes damage and keeps pushing forward, making fights feel more intense. His combat is all about adapting, finding ways to use his strength against skilled enemies, and making sure every strike counts. This is probably the first time in Assassin’s Creed where a playable character doesn’t feel like they have a Sixth Sense for everything around them. Yasuke is pure skill and power, and it shows.
The Setting: Kyoto’s Assassin Playground
The game is set in 16th-century Japan, and from what I’ve seen, the world-building is incredible. The traditional architecture, the lighting, the way NPCs react to movement—it feels alive. Being able to explore Kyoto and other parts of Japan with two characters who see the world in completely different ways is going to make every mission unique.
The best part? The enemies. Ninjas, samurai, and guards that actually seem to have different behaviors depending on who you play as. If there’s one thing about Shadows that’s really grabbing my attention, it’s how different the fights look between characters. One moment, you’re a quiet assassin using deception to kill enemies in the dark. The next, you’re a samurai slicing through armored warriors in broad daylight.
The Final Thoughts
If there’s one thing that Assassin’s Creed Shadows has nailed from what I’ve seen so far, it’s variety. Playing as Naoe feels like returning to the roots of the franchise—stealth, precision, and control over every encounter. Yasuke, on the other hand, is bringing something new. He’s not a hidden blade assassin. He’s a warrior fighting through Japan, bringing a different level of intensity to the game.
This is the first time in years I’ve been this excited about an Assassin’s Creed game. The mix of traditional stealth gameplay with Yasuke’s raw power makes this one feel like a fresh take on the series. March 20, 2025, can’t come soon enough.
