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

Thanks to a renewed focus on the core concepts that the series was originally built upon, *Assassin’s Creed: Shadows* delivers the most satisfying experience the franchise has offered in years. The game features the best parkour system since *Unity*, allowing you to seamlessly transition from the ground to castle rooftops. The addition of a grappling hook further enhances your ability to reach prime vantage points swiftly. Perched on a tightrope high above your 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. However, switching to Yasuke, the second protagonist, transforms the gameplay entirely.

Yasuke is slow, clumsy, and unable to perform silent kills. His climbing abilities are so limited that they resemble those of a cautious grandparent. He represents a stark departure from the typical Assassin’s Creed protagonist, making him one of Ubisoft’s most intriguing yet perplexing design choices. Playing as Yasuke feels like stepping into a different game altogether, one that challenges the very essence of what Assassin’s Creed has traditionally been about.

Initially, the significant difference between Yasuke’s capabilities and the series' core philosophy was frustrating. What's the purpose of an Assassin’s Creed protagonist who struggles to climb and can't execute silent takedowns? However, the more I played as him, the more I appreciated the unique perspective he brings to the game. Yasuke’s design, while undeniably flawed, addresses critical issues that the series has grappled with in recent years.

You don’t get to play as Yasuke until several hours into the campaign, after spending your initial time with Naoe, a swift shinobi who embodies the assassin archetype better than any protagonist in the last decade. Transitioning to Yasuke after mastering Naoe’s fluid movements 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 the jutting roofs of Japan’s streets, and his slow, precarious movement on rooftops, introduces a level of friction that makes scaling environments feel laborious. This design encourages Yasuke to stay at ground level, limiting his ability to gain a strategic overview of the area and plan his moves.

Unlike Naoe, who can rely on Eagle Vision to highlight enemies, Yasuke has no such advantage. Choosing to play as him means sacrificing almost everything except raw strength. Assassin’s Creed has always been about stealthy kills and vertical exploration, concepts that Yasuke directly opposes. Playing as him feels more akin to *Ghost of Tsushima* than *Assassin’s Creed*, emphasizing fierce combat over stealth and parkour.

Playing as Yasuke forces you to rethink how to approach *Assassin’s Creed*. Historically, the series has allowed players to climb anywhere effortlessly, akin to a knife-wielding Spider-Man. Yasuke’s limitations challenge this by requiring careful observation of the environment to find hidden pathways designed specifically for him. For example, a leaning tree trunk might lead to a sync point otherwise unreachable without a grappling hook, or a castle might have an open window accessible via a staircase-like arrangement on the courtyard’s exterior wall. These paths are more engaging to discover than the mindless climbing of past games.

However, these pathways only take Yasuke where he needs to go, limiting his freedom for general exploration and making it difficult to gain the high ground to observe enemy patrols. Yasuke’s only stealth ability, the “Brutal Assassination” skill, is anything but subtle, involving impaling an enemy on his sword, lifting them off the ground, and yelling—a clear signal to start combat rather than a stealthy takedown. Yet, when combat does begin, it’s exhilarating. *Shadows* features the best swordplay the series has seen in over a decade, with purposeful strikes and a variety of techniques, from brutal rush attacks to satisfying ripostes. The finishing moves are particularly striking, cleaving heads from shoulders and highlighting the contrast between Yasuke’s combat prowess and Naoe’s stealthy approach.

The separation of combat and stealth into two distinct characters prevents the blending of styles seen in previous games like *Origins*, *Odyssey*, and *Valhalla*, where direct conflict often overshadowed stealth. In *Shadows*, Naoe’s fragility means she can’t engage in prolonged combat, forcing players to flee, reposition, and reset the stealth loop. Meanwhile, Yasuke’s strength allows him to endure the game’s toughest challenges, making his combat-focused approach a refreshing change of pace.

Yasuke’s design is intentional, but it’s challenging to reconcile with the traditional *Assassin’s Creed* experience, which is built on stealth and vertical exploration—elements Yasuke directly opposes. While characters like Bayek and Eivor ventured into action territory, they still retained the fundamental abilities of an Assassin’s Creed protagonist, such as climbing and using hidden blades. Yasuke, as a samurai rather than an assassin, struggles with these core mechanics, making it difficult to 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. Her stealth toolkit, combined with the towering verticality of Sengoku Period Japan, allows for an experience that truly embodies the essence of *Assassin’s Creed*: becoming a highly mobile silent killer. Naoe also benefits from the design changes that shape Yasuke, requiring players to assess climbing routes and find anchor points for her grappling hook, yet she can leap further and climb faster. Her combat, while as violent and impactful as Yasuke’s, is limited by her inability to endure prolonged battles, raising the question: why play as Yasuke when Naoe offers a more complete *Assassin’s Creed* experience?

Naoe’s design enhances the core *Assassin’s Creed* experience, making her the preferred choice for many players. While Yasuke offers a unique and compelling combat-focused gameplay, it’s through Naoe’s eyes that players will truly explore the world of *Shadows*. When playing as Naoe, you feel like you’re playing *Assassin’s Creed*.