It’s been a long time since Assassin’s Creed had dual protagonists that felt as impactful as Naoe and Yasuke. While there have been strong pairings, in Alexios and Kassandra, the two Eviors, and Jacob and Evie Frye, it feels like Ubisoft has really nailed the dynamic in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, enhancing the game by including two protagonists with very different styles, back stories, and allegiances.
Ahead of the game’s launch on 20 March 2025, I was able to go hands-on with this game’s prologue and an early quest, both of which highlighted the value of Naoe and Yasuke individually, and how their teamwork will shape the events of the game.
The prologue takes a very cinematic tone, introducing Yasuke first – a slave of preachers arriving to Japan – as he’s compelled into the service of daimyo Oda Nobunaga. His introduction is short but punchy, and notably doesn’t shy away from the status of Yasuke (initially known as Diogo) as a Black man entering a relatively cloistered society. Out of curiosity and fascination, Nobunaga invites him to break bread, and so begins a partnership that sees Yasuke elevated to the position of warrior by Nobunaga’s side.
The game takes a brief tour from this whip-fast origin story for a segment of confusion, as Yasuke’s memories are corrupted, and in the canon of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, you’re still experiencing life as an assassin with the aid of Abstergo’s Animus technology. A brief interlude does suggest this will play less of a role in the story of Shadows, as the mysterious digital voice you encounter indicates it will only speak to you one time – but its presence is still notable, and will be intriguing for those who’ve charted the AC story all the way to its roots.
Read: Assassin’s Creed Shadows delayed again, as Ubisoft announces group “reshape”
With this out of the way, Naoe takes centre stage, and it’s arguably her story which is most engaging, from the jump. It’s dark and tense, and emotional, and in both Japanese and English voiceovers (you can switch between multiple options as you like), Naoe’s journey is heartbreaking. To say more would be to spoil her motivation, but suffice to say she picks up the mantle of warrior and ninja for a just and righteous cause.
With this backdrop, the rest of my Assassin’s Creed Shadows preview had ample opportunity to shine. There was a brief time skip between the prologue and the rest of the gameplay segment offered – but the gap could be filled with assumptions. For one thing, we know Naoe and Yasuke’s paths eventually cross, despite them being on opposites sides of a feudal war, and we know they eventually become allies. We also know both mature and grow across the course of the game, refining their skills and leaning into their strengths.
Speaking to Luc Plante, Level Design Director at Ubisoft Quebec, having both Yasuke and Naoe come into their own, to define the game by their unique skills, was a major focus for the game’s development team.
“A swift archetype will ask you to be more reactive – either [using] a faster weapon, [or] a more armed NPC will require a blunt weapon,” Plante told GamesHub during the preview session. “So we create those archetypes [Yasuke is a combat-heavy archetype], and after that, it’s making sure that each location can be approached from a 360 degree angle, that will challenge both in that way.”
Levels are incredibly well-designed around their different skills. Naoe, as a stealthy shinobi, focusses on attacks from the shadow. Around each location, you’ll find candles or lamps that can be extinguished to darken the way forward and help her hide. In addition to kunai and shuriken, Naoe also has access to a grappling hook for climbing tall structures. Her weakness is that she has few hitpoints, and can’t take much damage before needing to retreat.
In total opposition, Yasuke is a fully-armoured samurai, weighed down by the tools of his trade. He deals much more damage than Naoe, and can also take more damage, but he’s much slower and less nimble. He can’t access the same tools as Naoe, and generally gets around by charging through doors and fences (which is incredible fun).
The Ubisoft team shaped the game around these two unique skillsets, meaning that players can tackle any challenge as either Naoe or Yasuke, with different techniques to utilise.
“With the stealth, is there enough lights to turn off?” Plante said. “[Naoe] should bring some little bells that she can throw to distract the enemy, so she can make her way through. As for Yasuke, [its about] making sure that from the main entrance, we have … a ‘snail layout’ that allows us to create progression in levels.”
That is – in stages that Naoe can easily climb up, Yasuke must be able to traverse through by another means. These paths forward will also be complicated by changing seasons, as Assassin’s Creed Shadows will introduce new challenges as the seasons change – in summer, you can swim in lakes, but in winter, these lakes will freeze over. Playing as both Naoe and Yasuke, you’ll need to constantly change up your approach.
It’s not only the game’s level design that’s impacted by the dual presence of Naoe and Yasuke. Per Plante, the storytelling was also able to be greatly elevated by having both characters, with their own motivations and reasons for moving forward.
“With those two clear, distinctive archetypes, it allows us to create deeper storytelling,” Plante said. “Each have their unique personality, they have their unique background, and see how they come together, they work together – but that doesn’t mean that they’re agreeing on everything.”
While there was minimal conflict in the preview build of Assassin’s Creed Shadows I played, there was a clear tension in the decisions you make in your quest, and whether you play as Naoe or Yasuke for certain segments.
The second main quest of the preview, “The Rengakai” saw Naoe or Yasuke accompanying a young boy of a noble family, Ukita Hideie, to a Rengakai – a gathering of live poetry. When Hideie is kidnapped, you’re forced along a trail of clues, to uncover where exactly the boy has been taken, and what political machinations are at play. Throughout the story, you can swap between Naoe and Yasuke to carry out these actions, wielding both of their strengths to uncover a deeper conspiracy.
Per Plante, the Ubisoft team is proud of this quest in particular, due to the research that shaped it, and how much detail was able to be poured into it. “In that time period, it was common that two rival clans would exchange hostages, but it’s not like we know from a European perspective … they will live as if they are part of the new clan,” Plante explained.
To ensure these details were correct, and that the game remains faithful to its historical context, Ubisoft worked to avoid stereotyping, such as is often seen in pop culture, and focus on inspiration from historic texts. “From the very start, we have a historian that works with us … we get thousands and thousands of [sources] for us to look at, and then put through what we feel is interesting and inspiring.”
In the final moments of The Rengakai, you’re given a particular choice – and Naoe and Yasuke have differing opinions on who exactly should do the deed. This determines dialogue in the next moments, as well as changes up the battle tactics ahead, making both pathways unique.
It made me strongly suspect that Assassin’s Creed Shadows will be a game worth playing through twice, if only to see how the game is changed to suit each of the main protagonists. It’s the interplay between Naoe and Yasuke, and what that they each bring to the table that is most compelling about Assassin’s Creed Shadows so far.
Per Plante, it’s also what the Ubisoft team is most proud of developing – and what they’re most excited for players to discover.
Playing through this vertical slice, both protagonists shone brightly. I want to know more about them, how they evolve, and what brought them together in the first place. While this preview kept many of those details under wraps, it teased a rich and intriguing narrative ahead.
After several years away from the Assassin’s Creed games, I’m certainly ready and keen to see how this particular tale plays out.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows launches for PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PlayStation 5 on 20 March 2025.
