A promising preview of Assassin's Creed Shadows reveals a polished and exciting experience. The game offers a unique dual protagonist system with Yasuke, a powerful samurai, and Naoe, a traditional shinobi, each providing distinct playstyles. The Japanese setting is beautifully realized, capturing the essence of the era with stunning visuals and historical accuracy.
Last week, I had the opportunity to play Assassin's Creed Shadows for nearly four hours. While the game has faced several delays, there's no need for concern. The build I experienced felt exceptionally polished, and it's shaping up to be the best Assassin's Creed game since Black Flag, set for release on May 20, 2025. Unlike some recent Assassin's Creed games with multiple protagonists, Shadows' pair of warriors offer vastly different play styles.
Yasuke, the former slave turned samurai, stands out for his ability to smash through doors with a shoulder charge instead of opening them. He's a formidable figure, delivering powerful strikes, but not particularly agile. Since Assassin's Creed has always emphasized stealth gameplay, Yasuke presents a unique departure from the norm. You can't easily climb buildings or sneak around. Instead, the combat feels reminiscent of For Honor, where you charge into battle, ready to face any enemy.Naoe, the other protagonist, is a more traditional shinobi assassin. You'll hide in tall grass, scale structures effortlessly to strike from above, and set up stealth kills with ease. However, Naoe's standard attacks are relatively weak, and you'll want to avoid one-on-one combat whenever possible. Unlike Yasuke, you can't simply brawl your way out of every situation. Essentially, Ubisoft empowers players to choose their preferred play style. During most missions, I was given the option to select who to play as, outside of the more cinematic opening sequences. I primarily focused on Yasuke, eager to experience a combat-heavy approach to an Assassin's Creed game. Yasuke has special skills you can equip and utilize your special meter for, including a cool move that momentarily turns the screen black-and-white, reminiscent of an old Akira Kurosawa samurai film, before delivering a powerful blow. Defense and parrying remain crucial even with Yasuke's strength, as you can easily be overwhelmed by multiple enemies. Spacing is also key to ensuring you can navigate battles effectively. You have various options at your disposal; I had to switch to using a bow and arrow after struggling in an encounter and even attempted some clumsy stealth as the large samurai. There are plenty of weapon types available, though I stuck with the sword, as it felt most appropriate for a samurai. As the demo concluded with an epic assassination of Ukita Naoie, one of Japan's Three Great Villains, I primarily switched to playing as Naoe, as she suited the mission's demands better. This felt like the classic Assassin's Creed I know and love: infiltrating a castle undetected, taking out guards one by one, and utilizing the cover of darkness to my advantage by extinguishing lights inside. While I thoroughly enjoyed playing as Yasuke, Shadows retains all the core elements of a fantastic stealth game. What truly impressed me about Assassin's Creed Shadows was its portrayal of Japan. The setting is visually stunning, with gorgeous architecture and charming villages to explore (plus various dogs and cats to pet!). I loved seeing historical figures I've learned about in the past appear in the game, such as Oda Nobunaga recruiting Yasuke to fight for him. Ubisoft's greatest strength has always been world-building, and this shines through once again. After a highly promising initial few hours, I'm eagerly anticipating everything Assassin's Creed Shadows will offer. I had a fantastic time playing as both Naoe and Yasuke. It will be interesting to see how the characters develop over time, as it did feel somewhat limiting to either be stealthy or powerful, rather than a blend of both, like Ezio or other protagonists. However, the skill tree system appeared robust and promising. The true star, however, is the Japanese setting, meticulously recreated by Ubisoft
Assassin's Creed Shadows Ubisoft Open-World Action-Adventure Stealth Samurai Japan Yasuke Naoe Review Preview Gameplay
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