The newest trailer for Assassin’s Creed Shadows has provided more details about Ubisoft’s latest entry in the franchise—and fans have mixed reactions surrounding a series staple.
The new trailer sheds light on the game’s most notable feature: the ability to switch between two protagonists, the melee-centric Yasuke and the stealthy assassin Naoe. Assassin’s Creed Shadows is not the only game in the franchise to feature dual protagonists, but it’s the first to limit or change gameplay features depending on your current character.
The discourse started today after a small portion of the trailer was posted on X (formerly Twitter) showcasing Yasuke’s parkour skills, or lack thereof. In the clip, Yasuke struggles to gracefully use the iconic Leap of Faith jump because he has heavy samurai armor weighing him down.
Although this portion of the trailer was meant to highlight a small comedic moment, Yasuke’s inability to use the series’ core stealth mechanics has some fans questioning the game’s overall direction. One fan shared their confusion, claiming they “don’t understand why you even play as him if he’s not gonna be an assassin.”
Many gamers have different playstyles in Assassin’s Creed, like focusing on combat or sticking to the shadows. Since it’s confirmed that Yasuke seriously struggles to use stealth mechanics and Naoe is weaker in combat, fans are wondering why you’d ever switch outside of your preferred playstyle.
Another fan pointed out it’s strange to have “a playable character in a game called Assassin’s Creed who can’t do assassin things.” While the developers have promised that each mission can be completed by Yasuke or Naoe, it’s still unclear if portions of the game will only center on one character. This has left fans worried they may be shoehorned into one playstyle during certain missions.
On the other hand, another portion of the player base is cautiously optimistic about these changes. Assassin’s Creed has had previous monotonous releases, so these fans are hopeful the changes will breathe some new life into the franchise. In the YouTube comments of the trailer, one fan noted “the game looks genuinely fun, everyone should give it a try,” since people were being overly cynical before the official release.
While the full extent of Yasuke and Naoe’s playstyles is still unknown, we’ll continue to cover any sneak peeks we get of Assassin’s Creed Shadows before the game’s official release on Nov. 12.
