Overview & Setting
Assassin’s Creed: Shadows is the fourteenth main entry in Ubisoft’s long-running franchise and is set in feudal Japan during the late Sengoku period. This historical era, specifically the late 16th century, was marked by civil war, shifting alliances, and the emergence of powerful figures like Oda Nobunaga. Shadows brings players into a land of cherry blossoms, bamboo forests, towering castles, and war-ravaged provinces.
The game features dynamic environmental systems. Seasons impact the world—lakes freeze over in winter, plant growth alters stealth cover in spring—and the day-night cycle affects visibility and enemy behavior. Weather such as rain or fog can influence stealth tactics or combat encounters, encouraging strategic flexibility in how players approach missions.
Dual Protagonists: Naoe & Yasuke
One of the most distinctive features of Shadows is the dual protagonist structure. The game gives players control over two very different characters:
- Naoe, a female shinobi (ninja) from the Iga clan, represents the classic Assassin archetype. Agile and stealthy, she uses tools like grappling hooks, smoke bombs, shuriken, and kunai to sneak through fortresses and eliminate targets quietly. Her story is deeply personal, rooted in revenge and a rediscovery of the Assassin Brotherhood’s purpose.
- Yasuke, inspired by the real-life African samurai who served Oda Nobunaga, offers a more direct and powerful playstyle. As a warrior unfamiliar with the Assassin creed, he delivers brute-force combat with katanas, naginata, and kanabō clubs. Yasuke’s journey explores themes of alienation, loyalty, and identity, as he navigates his role in a foreign land.
Players can freely switch between characters depending on mission structure and preference. Each has unique missions, character-specific progression, and individual gear and skill trees, offering two parallel gameplay experiences that reflect different aspects of Japan’s historical tapestry.
Gameplay Mechanics & Exploration
Open World Exploration
The game world covers nine provinces of Japan and is designed to be vast yet reactive. Rather than clutter the map with icons, Ubisoft encourages organic discovery. Players uncover locations such as shrines, castles, temples, ports, and forests through exploration. The world is richly detailed but some critics note it can feel sparse in parts, especially during long travel stretches.
A new scout system lets players dispatch agents to reveal hidden areas and objectives. These scouts can only be used sparingly—either seasonally or by spending in-game currency—encouraging thoughtful planning. Additionally, base-building mechanics let players customize their hideouts (known as kakurega) and set up supply chains.
Stealth and Combat
Naoe offers the stealth-focused experience fans of earlier titles will appreciate. She can crouch, hide in foliage, use shadows for cover, and execute silent assassinations with gadgets. Her vertical agility and use of a grappling hook allow her to reach high places and infiltrate fortresses unseen.
Yasuke, in contrast, is built for combat. His fighting style emphasizes strength and resilience. His weapons range from dual blades to heavy clubs and spears. He uses powerful combos, parries, and finishing moves to take down enemies. Combat animations are weighty, and he can break through defenses that would block Naoe’s lighter attacks.
The contrast between Naoe’s stealthy elegance and Yasuke’s raw force creates a unique rhythm to gameplay. Missions can often be approached in multiple ways, depending on which character is selected.
RPG Progression and Tools
Both characters have distinct skill trees, weapon upgrades, and gear customizations. As players level up, they unlock new abilities that cater to different strategies—be it stealth, mobility, or direct combat.
The hideout system lets players craft weapons, upgrade equipment, and gather intelligence. Environmental interactions also play a key role: shadows dynamically shift based on time of day, bamboo groves can be crawled through, and destructible objects can open or block paths.
World activities include:
- Horseback archery mini-games
- Naoe’s meditation rituals for skill boosts
- Painting animals or capturing nature scenes
- Non-linear target assassinations across provinces
Narrative and Cultural Themes
Main Story
The central narrative explores the convergence of two very different lives. Naoe’s world is upended when her clan is destroyed by Nobunaga’s forces. Her mission begins as a quest for revenge but evolves into something deeper as she reconnects with the hidden Assassin Order.
Yasuke, meanwhile, finds himself increasingly embroiled in local conflicts. Though loyal to Nobunaga, he begins to question the morality of his actions and the people he serves. His outsider status provides a unique perspective on Japan’s internal divisions and cultural customs.
Eventually, Naoe and Yasuke must come to terms with their differences and find common ground to face a greater threat—the rise of the Templar influence in Japan. Their alliance is reluctant but gradually becomes a partnership forged in mutual respect.
Cultural Representation
Ubisoft invested heavily in authenticity. Japanese voice acting is available, enhancing immersion. Cultural traditions like tea ceremonies, Shinto rituals, and local folklore are woven into quests and side activities. Locations reflect real architectural and cultural influences from the Sengoku era, including the use of firearms introduced by Portuguese traders and the political landscape under Nobunaga’s unification campaign.
Reception & Criticism
Praise
Shadows has been widely praised for:
- Strong protagonists – Both Naoe and Yasuke have compelling character arcs, and their interplay is well-written.
- Beautiful visuals – Seasonal changes, lighting effects, and weather systems create a living world.
- Refined gameplay mechanics – Stealth has been reimagined and is far deeper than in recent entries, while combat is fluid and engaging.
- Cultural depth – Ubisoft’s attention to Japanese history and customs has added a richness often lacking in open-world games.
Criticism
Despite its strengths, Shadows has received some valid criticism:
- Repetitive gameplay loops – Some side quests and activities fall into familiar Ubisoft tropes, such as fetch quests or territory clearing.
- Sparse open-world moments – Though visually stunning, the game world can feel empty between major landmarks.
- Uneven pacing – The story can sometimes rush important plot points, particularly toward the middle of the campaign.
- Enemy AI limitations – Some stealth sections are too easy due to simplistic enemy behavior.
- Resource grinding – Upgrading equipment and hideouts can feel like a chore over time.
Place Within the Assassin’s Creed Series
Shadows feels like a culmination of both classic and modern Assassin’s Creed philosophies. It blends the stealth-focused gameplay of early entries like Assassin’s Creed II with the open-world RPG elements introduced in Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla.
It also marks a shift in Ubisoft’s direction, with a stronger focus on meaningful storytelling, character development, and cultural authenticity. While some players might miss the tighter narrative structure of games like Mirage, Shadows is an ambitious and largely successful experiment.
Final Thoughts
Assassin’s Creed Shadows stands as one of the most artistically refined entries in the franchise. With two compelling protagonists, a richly detailed world, and gameplay that emphasizes both stealth and strength, it offers something for fans of all styles. The Sengoku setting is fresh and immersive, and Ubisoft’s commitment to historical and cultural nuance shines.
While it doesn’t completely reinvent the wheel—and stumbles occasionally with pacing and filler content—it represents a strong evolutionary step for the franchise. For those seeking a layered Assassin’s Creed experience rooted in history, honor, and shadows, this title delivers with grace and power.
