"Yasuke in Shadows: A Fresh Twist on Assassin’s Creed"

With a renewed focus on the core concepts that made the series iconic, *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* delivers a deeply satisfying experience, reminiscent of the franchise's golden days. The game introduces the most fluid parkour system since *Unity*, allowing players to seamlessly transition from the ground to castle rooftops. A new grappling hook further enhances this experience, enabling quick ascents to prime vantage points. When playing as Naoe, you can perch on a tightrope high above your enemies, poised for the perfect silent kill. However, switch to Yasuke, the second protagonist, and the gameplay shifts dramatically.

Yasuke is a stark contrast to the typical *Assassin’s Creed* protagonist. He's slow, clumsy, unable to kill silently, and struggles to climb effectively, more akin to a cautious grandparent than a nimble assassin. This design choice by Ubisoft is both baffling and fascinating, as it fundamentally alters the gameplay experience, shifting away from the series' traditional stealth and parkour.

Yasuke changes the rules of Assassin's Creed, promoting grounded combat over parkour stealth. | Image credit: Ubisoft

Initially, the vast difference between Yasuke's abilities and the *Assassin’s Creed* ethos was frustrating. What's the purpose of a protagonist who can't climb well or perform stealthy takedowns? Yet, as I spent more time with him, I recognized the value in his design. Yasuke challenges the series' conventions, pushing players to engage more directly with combat and rethink traditional strategies.

You don't get to play as Yasuke until several hours into the campaign, spending the initial period mastering Naoe, a swift shinobi who embodies the assassin archetype perfectly. Transitioning to Yasuke after this can be jarring. His size and noise make stealth nearly impossible, and his climbing is limited and slow, encouraging ground-level engagement. This lack of access to high vantage points hampers your ability to scout and plan, forcing a more direct approach to missions.

*Assassin’s Creed* has always been about stealthy kills and vertical exploration, elements that Yasuke directly opposes. Playing as him feels more like *Ghost of Tsushima* than *Assassin’s Creed*, with a focus on fierce combat rather than stealth. Yasuke's gameplay requires players to adapt and rethink how they engage with the game world, using environmental clues to navigate prescribed routes rather than freely scaling everything in sight.

Yasuke's pathways are designed to get him where he needs to go, but they limit his overall exploration and ability to gain a strategic high ground. His only stealth-related skill, the "Brutal Assassination," is anything but subtle, serving more as a combat opener than a stealth move. However, when combat ensues, *Shadows* offers some of the best swordplay the series has seen in years, with varied techniques and impactful finishing moves that starkly contrast Naoe's stealth approach.

Yasuke enjoys the best combat mechanics Assassin's Creed has ever had. | Image credit: Ubisoft

The separation of combat and stealth into distinct characters prevents the blending of styles seen in previous games like *Origins*, *Odyssey*, and *Valhalla*. Naoe's fragility ensures she can't engage in prolonged combat, maintaining the tension of stealth gameplay. Meanwhile, Yasuke's strength allows for more aggressive encounters, offering a refreshing change of pace.

Despite the intention behind Yasuke's design, it's challenging to reconcile his role within the *Assassin’s Creed* framework. While characters like Bayek and Eivor veered into action territory, they still adhered to the series' core mechanics of climbing and stealth. Yasuke, being a samurai and not an assassin, is thematically appropriate but mechanically at odds with the *Assassin’s Creed* experience.

Naoe, on the other hand, is the ideal *Assassin’s Creed* protagonist. Her abilities, combined with the verticality of Sengoku Period Japan, perfectly fulfill the series' promise of being a highly mobile silent killer. Even her climbing mechanics, while slightly more realistic, maintain the essence of *Assassin’s Creed* by requiring strategic route planning and use of the grappling hook.

Naoe's combat is as impactful as Yasuke's, yet she can't endure long battles, reinforcing her reliance on stealth. This raises the question: why play as Yasuke when Naoe offers the quintessential *Assassin’s Creed* experience?

Ubisoft's attempt to provide two distinct playstyles with Yasuke and Naoe is commendable but creates a double-edged sword. While Yasuke's approach offers a fresh and compelling experience, it challenges the very foundations of *Assassin’s Creed*. Ultimately, while I'll enjoy the thrill of Yasuke's combat, it's through Naoe that I'll truly explore *Shadows'* world, as she embodies the essence of *Assassin’s Creed*.