Yasuke in Shadows: A Fresh Take on Assassin's Creed

With a renewed focus on the core ideas that the series was originally built upon, Assassin’s Creed: Shadows emerges as the most satisfying entry in the franchise in years. The game reintroduces a fluid parkour system reminiscent of Unity, enhanced by a grappling hook that accelerates your journey to strategic vantage points. Perched high above your foes on a tightrope, you're just a drop away from executing the perfect kill—as long as you're playing as Naoe, the game's swift shinobi protagonist. However, switch to Yasuke, the game's second protagonist, and you're thrust into an entirely different experience.

Yasuke is deliberately designed to be slow, clumsy, and unable to perform silent kills or climb with ease. This design choice by Ubisoft is both baffling and intriguing, as it fundamentally challenges what we expect from an Assassin’s Creed protagonist. When controlling Yasuke, the game no longer feels like Assassin’s Creed; instead, it shifts towards a focus on grounded combat rather than stealth and parkour.

Initially, the stark contrast between Yasuke's abilities and the traditional Assassin’s Creed gameplay was frustrating. The inability to climb effectively or perform silent takedowns seemed counterintuitive for a series known for stealth and vertical exploration. However, as I spent more time with Yasuke, I began to appreciate his unique contribution to the franchise. His limitations force players to engage with the game differently, addressing issues that have plagued the series in recent years.

You don't get to play as Yasuke until several hours into the campaign, after spending significant time mastering Naoe's swift and stealthy gameplay. The transition to Yasuke is jarring—his size and noise make sneaking through enemy camps nearly impossible, and his climbing abilities are severely limited. This encourages a more grounded approach, restricting access to high vantage points and thus challenging the traditional Assassin’s Creed strategy of mapping out threats from above.

Assassin’s Creed has always been about stealthy kills and vertical exploration, but Yasuke's design directly opposes these principles. His gameplay feels more akin to Ghost of Tsushima than Assassin’s Creed, with a focus on fierce combat rather than stealth. Playing as Yasuke requires a complete rethinking of how to approach the game, as his limited climbing ability means finding specific paths designed for his capabilities.

These paths guide Yasuke to his objectives but limit his general exploration and ability to gain the high ground. His only stealth ability, the "Brutal Assassination," is anything but discreet, serving more as a combat opener than a stealth takedown. Yet, when combat does ensue, Shadows offers the best swordplay the series has seen in over a decade, with a variety of techniques and satisfying finishing moves that starkly contrast Naoe's stealthy approach.

The separation of combat and stealth into two distinct protagonists helps maintain a clear distinction between these gameplay styles, preventing the action-heavy focus seen in recent entries like Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla. While Naoe must rely on stealth and cannot engage in prolonged combat, Yasuke's strength allows for a more direct approach, providing a break from the tension of stealth gameplay.

Yasuke's design is intentional, yet it challenges his place within the Assassin’s Creed series, which is built on stealth and vertical exploration. Although thematically fitting for a samurai, his limitations mean that playing as Yasuke doesn't feel like traditional Assassin’s Creed gameplay.

The real challenge for Yasuke, however, is Naoe's presence. As the better option mechanically, Naoe offers the quintessential Assassin’s Creed experience with her advanced stealth toolkit and the verticality of Sengoku Period Japan's architecture. Naoe benefits from the same design changes that affect Yasuke, such as a more realistic approach to climbing, yet she remains the agile and deadly assassin the series is known for.

Naoe's combat flow is as impactful as Yasuke's, yet she cannot endure battle as long, reinforcing her reliance on stealth. This raises the question: why play as Yasuke when Naoe offers the full Assassin’s Creed experience?

Ubisoft's intent to offer two distinct playstyles with Yasuke and Naoe creates a compelling yet double-edged experience. While Yasuke provides a thrilling combat-focused alternative, it's Naoe who truly embodies the essence of Assassin’s Creed, allowing players to explore Shadows' world as the series intended.