Assassin’s Creed is one of the most beloved franchises in gaming history. But for a franchise built around stealth, we’ve seen less and less of that in recent years. But guess what? For all its failures and faults, Ubisoft is trying new things. Assassin’s Creed Mirage was a step in the right direction and Assassin’s Creed Shadows is going to be the studio’s leap of faith.
Now putting all the drama aside, and there’s a lot of it, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is taking a bold step with its dual protagonist system. We’re gonna get the long-awaited return to pure assassin gameplay with Naoe, but we’re also gonna get the brawler and action-oriented Yasuke. But what if we want to play Yasuke stealthily? Well, you can. Sort of.
Don’t expect to be the typical assassin with Yasuke in Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Unlike any protagonist we’ve seen before in the Assassin’s Creed series, Yasuke will not have any assassin-like abilities as he is not an assassin, and Ubisoft has made it clear that he never will be. Associate game director Simon Lemay-Comtois previously confirmed to GamesRadar+ that Yasuke won’t have classic abilities like Eagle Vision, and his combat style is entirely different from the other protagonist, Naoe. And it might just work out.
This design choice makes it so that we’ll have different approaches to every situation in the game. Yasuke’s role as an outsider in Feudal Japan also plays into his identity because his journey and ours will be about adapting to his surroundings rather than following the creed of the Assassins. This also already sets him apart from the franchise’s norm.
However, Ubisoft has assured us fans that Yasuke is not entirely incapable of stealth. According to Creative Director Jonathan Dumont’s interview with Geek Culture, Yasuke will still have tools like his bow that let him take out enemies quietly from a distance. So his lack of tools like smoke bombs or hidden blades can still be made up for, albeit with limitations.
In the case of Yasuke, I think we really wanted a character that was combat-oriented. Even though, if it means taking away some of the stealth things, he can still stealth a little bit with his bow and arrows. You’ll be surprised how much you can hide and snipe people with him.
So while you certainly can’t expect to go around scaling rooftops or vanishing into crowds like Naoe, players who prefer a more tactical approach can still be somewhat stealthy. This is where the dual protagonist approach will find a chance to shine. Because Naoe represents the return to full assassin gameplay that we’ve waited so long for.
Ubisoft has to get the dual protagonist approach right
The clear separation of Yasuke and Naoe’s abilities is going to be one of Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ most important features. Ubisoft has confirmed that their weapons, armor, and skill trees are completely separate. We can expect to see different missions that suit one character or the other, and missions that suit both and let us plan out our style of execution.
There has been a lot of drama and controversies weighing the game down before it’s even out. Despite this, Assassin’s Creed Shadows appears to offer the most engaging stealth experience in years. We’ve seen multiple previews and showcases over the last few months and while there are still negatives, the positives are very promising.
Yasuke may not be an assassin, but that doesn’t mean he can’t take advantage of stealth mechanics. If you find yourself wanting to goof around and try to play stealth on an unconventional “hard mode” with Yasuke, there will probably be a lot of challenges, and fun, to find. Will you be playing Assassin’s Creed Shadows? Let us know in the comments!
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