For as long as I’ve been playing Assassin’s Creed, Japan has been the dream setting. It’s one of those time periods that just makes perfect sense for the franchise—shinobi assassins, samurai, political drama, and a world steeped in honor, betrayal, and deception.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
To address the elephant in the room, titles that scratched that itch such as Ghost of Tsushima and Rise of the Ronin gave us some of that but it’s worth noting that Shadows complements the setting. So after nearly two decades of fans begging for it, Shadows is finally here, it feels surreal. It also feels… almost exactly like what I expected—both for better and for worse and honestly? It delivers.
Ubisoft’s vision of Sengoku-era Japan is breathtaking, dynamic, and immersive, bringing one of history’s most fascinating periods to life. Shadows also represents an evolution of the Assassin’s Creed formula, refining stealth, parkour, and combat in ways that make it one of the strongest entries in years.
With two protagonists, Naoe the shinobi and Yasuke the samurai, Shadows attempts something bold—offering two very different ways to approach combat and traversal. It mostly works, though Naoe’s gameplay is far more in line with what fans expect from Assassin’s Creed, while Yasuke’s combat-heavy playstyle sometimes feels like it belongs in a different game. Ironically making it feel like Naoe feels like a natural fit for the series, while Yasuke is the outsider.
The game attempts to balance two distinct playstyles, giving players control of two protagonists—Naoe, a deadly shinobi, and Yasuke, a powerful samurai. While this duality offers variety and cinematic storytelling, it also leads to some uneven pacing and an imbalance in gameplay styles. And while the game excels at immersive world-building and rewarding stealth mechanics, it still suffers from some of the franchise’s lingering issues, such as a bloated mid-game and repetitive mission design.
Yet despite these flaws, Shadows gives us a well-crafted adventure in a world that feels lived-in and beautiful to say the least. It’s still very much an RPG-era Assassin’s Creed game, with a large open world, gear progression, and a narrative structure that leans into non-linear assassinations. Ubisoft however lets you choose how you play and besides the story missions, giving players their prefered experience is what makes Shadows one of the best AC titles fans are going to love in the years to come.
The Shinobi and the Samurai
From the very beginning, Shadows makes it clear that its two protagonists represent two very different play styles.
Naoe is the perfect embodiment of the series’ stealth-focused roots. She is Assassin’s Creed at its most refined, a master of the shadows whose every movement feels precise and calculated. Climbing rooftops, slipping through screen doors to stab an unsuspecting target, using a grappling hook to silently ascend a temple wall—all of it feels fluid, dynamic, and deeply satisfying.
In stark contrast, Yasuke is a force of nature, a warrior whose presence is impossible to ignore. He doesn’t skulk in the darkness or rely on subtlety; he storms the gates, breaking enemy defenses with sheer brute force. His combat is weighty, almost theatrical, emphasizing parries, counters, and devastatingly powerful attacks.
But while the contrast is fascinating, the balance between the two isn’t always even. Shadows is, at its core, an Assassin’s Creed game, which means its world is fundamentally built around the experience of stealth, parkour, and deception.
For fans of the classic Assassin’s Creed formula, Shadows is a return to form. Like Mirage, Stealth is a core mechanic that rewards patience, planning, and precision. Guards actively react to environmental changes, investigating extinguished lanterns, missing allies, and suspicious sounds. The reintroduction of double assassinations, crawling under buildings, and assassinations through walls makes infiltration feel more dynamic than ever.
Yasuke’s combat, while enjoyable, often feels at odds with the larger design philosophy. Missions that allow for free choice invariably favor Naoe, simply because sneaking through enemy encampments is often a more efficient, experience than brute-forcing your way through them. Yasuke is at his best when you’re playing missions specific to him, where the game fully embraces his samurai prowess, pitting him against formidable foes in duels that feel straight out of a Kurosawa film. But in open-world encounters, his playstyle feels less essential.
Naoe’s fights are about speed and precision, Yasuke’s battles are slower and more deliberate, emphasizing timing over raw aggression. But while Yasuke’s duels are some of the most cinematic in the series, combat can become repetitive over time, particularly against lower-level enemies.
Yasuke, like I mentioned takes a back seat in the opening hours of the campaign. Once you push through an extensive opening chapter Assassin’s Creed Shadows truly begins to unfold. From that point onward, players gain full control over switching between Naoe and Yasuke, allowing for a flexible approach to missions.
Despite this, both protagonists are equally compelling. Naoe’s journey is deeply personal, a quest for vengeance against those who destroyed her clan, while Yasuke’s arc is about finding purpose in a foreign land, navigating a world that constantly reminds him that he is an outsider. Their relationship is one of reluctant allies turned confidants, and some of the game’s best moments are the quieter ones, their conversations, their disagreements over honor and duty, and their eventual understanding of each other’s pain.
A Living, Breathing Feudal Japan
Ubisoft has always excelled at world-building, but Feudal Japan is arguably the most immersive setting the franchise has ever explored. You’ll traverse bustling port cities or ride on horseback to the serene burial grounds hidden deep in the forests. What sets it apart from previous entries, however, is the introduction of dynamic seasons, which not only change the aesthetic of the world but also impact gameplay in meaningful ways.
Winter covers the landscape in snow, slowing movement and making rooftops slippery, while autumn fills the air with swirling golden leaves, creating natural cover for assassinations. Spring and summer bring lush, vibrant scenery, with rice fields swaying in the wind and festival lanterns lighting up villages at night. It is an incredible immersive experience, but more importantly, it adds a level of depth and immersion that Assassin’s Creed has never had before.
Dynamic weather plays a key role as well—heavy rain can obscure movement, while strong winds may muffle the sound of footsteps. Additionally, the ability to go prone adds another layer of tactical maneuverability, allowing players to crawl through tight spaces or blend seamlessly into the environment. Shadows, too, become a vital tool—under the right conditions, they can render an assassin nearly invisible, turning the darkness itself into a powerful ally.
Enemies now have enhanced vision, detecting threats from greater distances, making careful positioning crucial. Different walking surfaces produce varying levels of noise, requiring players to tread carefully to avoid detection.
But it isn’t just the environment that makes the world feel alive—it’s the people. Townsfolk react to the changing seasons, merchants close their shops early during harsh weather, and samurai patrols shift based on the time of day. AC Shadows encourages a more organic approach to exploration.
The game lets you discover its secrets naturally, rewarding curiosity rather than simply demanding completion. As you progress in the game and unlock bases, you can use scouts to reveal objectives on the map if you don’t feel inclined to find the objective i.e. a target or a mission specific area, yourself.
And finally, there’s a nice little base building system to design the hideout how you want and upgrading individual buildings can help you with your missions later. It’s a small part of many side missions you’ll do in Asssasin’s Creed but this was one of my favourite things to do.
Two ways to play
Naoe is a shinobi of the fallen Iga clan, a young woman who grew up in the shadow of war, betrayal, and death. Her father, Fujibayashi Nagato, was one of the last great shinobi of the Iga Ikki, a real-life historical figure who was instrumental in the resistance against Oda Nobunaga’s campaign to unify Japan.
After the fall of Iga, Naoe is left with nothing but a burning desire for revenge, eventually finding herself drawn into the larger conflict between the Brotherhood of Assassins and the Order of the Templars.
Yasuke, on the other hand, is a warrior with no home, a man who was plucked from Africa by the Jesuits and brought to Japan, only to rise to prominence as a samurai in Oda Nobunaga’s court. Yasuke is a historical figure, and Ubisoft treats him with the reverence and depth he deserves, exploring his struggles, his loyalty to Nobunaga, and his place in a country that sees him as both a foreigner and a warrior.
The clashing ideologies of Naoe and Yasuke, one driven by revenge, the other by honor form the core of Shadows’ narrative, and their reluctant alliance creates one of the best character dynamics in the series’ history.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows embraces an open-ended mission structure, giving players the freedom to tackle objectives in their own way. While the game provides suggested story missions, there’s no actual linear path. You can stumble upon key missions earlier than expected, creating a sense of organic discovery.
Unlike previous entries, Shadows removes traditional map waypoints for mission objectives. Instead, players must rely on scouts to uncover targets based on contextual hints, adding an investigative layer to the gameplay especially if you’re playing with Guidance turned off. The need to investigate areas, scope out surroundings, and carefully plan each move before striking creates a thrilling sense of immersion. Both Naoe and Yasuke offer distinct advantages in these scenarios, allowing for dynamic gameplay that prevents things from feeling repetitive or predictable.
The real highlight of this approach is the sheer emphasis on assassination. Missions focus on eliminating high-value targets, each presenting unique challenges and rewarding players with valuable gear for their efforts. Optional assassinations further expand this, offering dynamic encounters that encourage creativity and strategic thinking. This has now become one of my top 5 AC games of all time and like Mirage, this feels like an Assassin’s Creed game truly feels like it prioritizes assassination as its core gameplay element, and that’s incredibly refreshing.
From Shadows comes a new dawn
For years, what began as a stealth-driven, narrative-rich series slowly morphed into something else—sprawling RPGs, where assassination didn’t take precedence and that split the franchise into two clear camps. With Shadows, we’re back to carefully planned assassinations, strategic infiltration, and the exhilarating feeling of being a master of deception.
The level of immersion, from investigating targets to using shadows as a true weapon, feels like a love letter to everything we’ve wanted for years. A special note that the accessibility options offer more contextual ways to play especially with the audio.
And speaking of the audio, it is simply sublime. I primarily played using the Japanese and Portuguese dialogue option and the performances from the voice actors were brilliant. And coupled with the music choices especially during Yasuke’s sequences, let me just say you are in for an experience.
Both Naoe and Yasuke, offers fresh, dynamic gameplay, letting players approach missions with the agility of a shinobi or the brute force of a samurai. The world is alive, not just a backdrop but an evolving environment where choices matter. The developer team at Ubisoft has gone beyond the expected, crafting a world that respects history while making you feel like an integral part of it.
What’s even more remarkable is how Shadows manages to feel polished in an era where big-budget games often launch unfinished. What we have her is a refined experience that flows naturally, with deep mechanics that respect the player’s intelligence. Small, authentic touchesfrom removing your shoes before entering a building to engaging in traditional tea ceremonies make this world feel more real.
For fans who feared that Assassin’s Creed had lost its way, Shadows offers hope. It’s proof that Ubisoft still knows what makes this series special, and if they continue down this path, the future of Assassin’s Creed has never looked brighter.
The company does have a lot of expectations for Assassin’s Creed Shadows to do well and they know it. We’ve seen it with the amount of polish taken here and this has led them to deliver something exceptional, a game that not only lives up to its name but also sets a new standard for the series.
This is a masterclass in rebuilding a franchise while staying true to its foundations and so we are reminded again why we fell in love with Assassin’s Creed in the first place.
