Both Assassins Creed Shadows Protagonists Are an Absolute Blast to Play As

There’s a great deal to appreciate about “Assassin’s Creed Shadows.” In terms of stealth, parkour, world design, and more, this game seems like the most robust, cleverly designed, and immersive Assassin’s Creed installment in years. While all these aspects are areas where the series has excelled at different times in the past, “Shadows” stands out in one unique way that feels like uncharted territory for the franchise. I’m specifically talking about its innovative approach to its dual protagonist structure.

Indeed, it’s not the first “Assassin’s Creed” game to have multiple protagonists; Ubisoft Quebec, developers of “Shadows,” have previously released “Assassin’s Creed” games with two main characters. While the execution has changed each time, Jacob Frye from “Syndicate” was primarily the focus of the main story, with Evie Frye playing a secondary role. In contrast, “Odyssey” allows players to choose between Kassandra or Alexios as their character, while the other remains a non-player character in the narrative.

For the first time ever in the franchise, Shadows introduces two main characters who share a relatively balanced role (although Naoe arguably plays a more pivotal part in the main narrative), each presenting distinct personalities and offering contrasting gameplay experiences. What’s even more exciting is that both characters are incredibly fun to control, almost remarkably so. From a storytelling standpoint, Naoe and Yasuke are captivating and endearing leads, and they might be the only positive aspects in an otherwise awkward and underwhelming narrative. However, it’s in their gameplay that these characters truly excel, as they effectively showcase the game’s key strengths.

In the game “Assassin’s Creed Shadows,” as a dedicated fan who had longed for the series to return to its roots in stealth and parkour following years of departure from these elements, I was confident that I’d be predominantly controlling Naoe. However, despite spending more time with Naoe than Yasuke due to my affinity for stealth, I found myself enjoying extended playtime as Yasuke, a delightful surprise.

Among the two main characters, Yasuke stands out for his combat proficiency. Trained as a samurai and having seen his fair share of battles, this skill is evident in his gameplay. He’s not only resilient, absorbing a good deal of damage, but he’s also lethally precise with his attacks. Although he may move at a slightly slower pace, the impact of his strikes makes up for it. His blocking and parrying abilities are more efficient, and he has additional health items to utilize. Furthermore, he possesses extra adrenaline chunks that allow him to unleash special skills. The variety of weapons he can wield is also engaging, from naginata spears, kanabo hammers, to teppo rifles – each one a potent tool, and more delightful to use than the last.

In “Assassin’s Creed Shadows,” the combat system is likely the finest in any Assassin’s Creed game, with only the exception of “Odyssey.” The combat experience peaks when you play as Yasuke, but even Naoe, who isn’t particularly skilled in combat, can still engage effectively. The thrill of charging into fortified strongholds and decimating opponents with powerful combos is exhilarating. While combat may not be Naoe’s forte, she still manages to hold her ground, and it remains enjoyable even with her. She might not endure as much damage or deliver hits as forcefully, but she’s more agile, faster, and her unique weapons – kasurigama, tanto, and the Hidden Blade – all perform superbly in combat.

In comparison, Naoe is the character who excels in stealth, much like how Yasuke shines in combat. The game’s stealth mechanics really shine when Naoe takes control, creating an enjoyable and challenging experience. Both characters have a solid foundation for stealth, making it fun regardless of who you choose, but Naoe, due to her training as a shinobi, has additional tools at her disposal that enhance the gaming experience. She can use Eagle Vision, which lets her see and mark enemies even through walls. Indoors, she can hide above soldiers by hanging from ceilings. She can also employ smoke bombs to conceal herself or bells to distract opponents.

In a refreshing twist, playing as Naoe feels incredibly lethal and stealthy maneuvers are exhilarating, a departure from the norm in Assassin’s Creed for quite some time now. Fortunately, Yasuke isn’t devoid of stealth skills either. While Naoe excels in stealth, Yasuke isn’t a complete stranger to it; he possesses his own, more subtle approach to stealth when the situation calls for it.

In terms of gameplay, the two main characters, Naoe and Yasuke, offer distinct experiences when it comes to their moment-to-moment movement or traversal. Naoe, being more agile than Yasuke, makes movement feel unique for each character. To put it simply, among all Assassin’s Creed protagonists so far, Naoe stands out as one of the fastest and most nimble. She also has a grappling hook, which enhances her ability to navigate her environment. This means that parkour with Naoe feels more enjoyable than it has in an Assassin’s Creed game for quite some time. On the other hand, Yasuke is less agile compared to Naoe, resulting in his parkour feeling somewhat restricted. However, he still retains the fun aspect of being an Assassin’s Creed protagonist, just in different ways and not quite as much as Naoe.

In Assassin’s Creed Shadows, both characters, Yasuke and Naoe, are distinctively well-developed, each offering unique strengths that make you want to explore their abilities extensively. Despite my initial preference for Naoe, who is central to the game’s emphasis on stealth and parkour, I found myself spending a considerable amount of time with Yasuke as well. This is partly because his gameplay focuses on aspects I wasn’t anticipating engaging with much, but the excellent combat system in Shadows made it an enjoyable experience nonetheless. In essence, both characters effectively prove their worth as main characters in Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

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2025-03-23 21:48

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