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

Thanks to a renewed focus on the series' core concepts, *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* delivers the most satisfying experience the franchise has seen in years. The game reintroduces fluid parkour reminiscent of *Unity*, enhanced by a grappling hook that lets you ascend to prime vantage points with ease. Perched on a tightrope high above enemies, you're just a drop away from executing the perfect kill—as long as you're playing as Naoe, one of the game's protagonists. Switch to Yasuke, the second protagonist, and you're in for a completely different gameplay experience.

Yasuke is slow, clumsy, and incapable of silent kills. His climbing ability is akin to that of a cautious grandfather, making him a stark contrast to the typical agile assassin. This design choice by Ubisoft is both baffling and fascinating, as playing Yasuke feels less like *Assassin’s Creed* and more like a different game altogether.

Initially, the disparity between Yasuke’s capabilities and the series' traditional stealth and parkour philosophy was frustrating. What's the point of an *Assassin’s Creed* protagonist who struggles to climb and can't perform silent takedowns? However, the more I played as him, the more I appreciated the unique perspective he brings to the series. Yasuke addresses some of the issues *Assassin’s Creed* has faced in recent years, despite his obvious limitations.

You don't get to play as Yasuke until several hours into the campaign, after spending time with Naoe, a swift shinobi who embodies the assassin archetype better than any protagonist in a decade. Transitioning to Yasuke after mastering Naoe's skills is jarring. This towering samurai is too large and noisy to sneak through enemy camps effectively and can barely climb anything higher than his own head. His inability to find handholds on rooftops and his slow, precarious movement introduce significant friction, making climbing feel like a chore.

While Yasuke isn't forced to stay at ground level, the game encourages it. This limits his ability to gain a strategic overview of the area, as he lacks the high vantage points and Naoe's Eagle Vision. Playing as Yasuke means sacrificing almost everything except raw strength.

*Assassin’s Creed* has always been about stealthy kills and vertical exploration, elements that Yasuke directly opposes. His gameplay feels more akin to *Ghost of Tsushima* than *Assassin’s Creed*, emphasizing fierce combat over stealth. Yasuke's design challenges players to rethink how they approach the game. Unlike previous protagonists who could climb effortlessly, Yasuke's limitations require careful environmental observation to find hidden pathways to objectives. These paths, while more challenging to discover, add a layer of strategic depth missing from the series' earlier, more straightforward climbing mechanics.

However, Yasuke's paths only lead where he needs to go, limiting his freedom for general exploration and making it difficult to gain the high ground for reconnaissance. His only stealth ability, the "Brutal Assassination," is more of a combat opener than a stealth move. Yet, when combat ensues, *Shadows* offers the best swordplay the series has seen in over a decade, with purposeful strikes and a variety of techniques that make for thrilling encounters.

The separation of combat and stealth into two distinct characters prevents the blending of styles seen in previous games like *Origins*, *Odyssey*, and *Valhalla*. Naoe's fragility means she can't engage in prolonged combat, forcing players to rely on stealth and repositioning. Yasuke, on the other hand, offers a break from this tension with his combat prowess, making him a compelling choice for those seeking intense battles.

Despite the intention behind Yasuke's design, his fit within the *Assassin’s Creed* framework remains questionable. The series is built on stealth and vertical exploration, elements that Yasuke directly opposes. While characters like Bayek and Eivor ventured into action territory, they still retained core assassin abilities. Yasuke, as a samurai, is thematically appropriate in his lack of stealth and climbing skills, but this means you can't play *Assassin’s Creed* in the traditional sense when controlling him.

The real challenge for Yasuke is his counterpart, Naoe. Mechanically, she is the best *Assassin’s Creed* protagonist in years, with a stealth toolkit perfectly suited to the verticality of Sengoku Period Japan. Naoe embodies the essence of *Assassin’s Creed*, offering a highly mobile and silent killing experience. Even her combat benefits from the same swordplay enhancements as Yasuke, though she can't endure as long in battle.

Naoe also benefits from the design changes that shape Yasuke. While she can climb almost anywhere, the series' "stick to every surface" approach has been replaced with a more realistic system, requiring players to assess routes and use the grappling hook strategically. This enhances the open-world experience, turning it into a true *Assassin’s Creed* sandbox. On the ground, Naoe's combat is as impactful as Yasuke's, though less durable.

Ubisoft's attempt to offer two distinct playstyles with Yasuke and Naoe is commendable, yet it creates a double-edged sword. Yasuke's unique approach provides a fresh and compelling experience, but it also opposes the core ideas of *Assassin’s Creed*. While I'll return to Yasuke for the thrill of combat, it's through Naoe that I'll truly explore *Shadows'* world. Playing as Naoe feels like playing *Assassin’s Creed*.