It appears that the secret to rekindling my enthusiasm for a new *Assassin’s Creed* title lies in the revival of elements from the installments I cherished 10 to 15 years ago.
Ubisoft’s most recent open-world experience, *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, enhances the RPG-inspired features of recent games like *Valhalla* while reintroducing aspects and design ideas from earlier gems such as *Brotherhood* and *Syndicate*. From *Brotherhood*, it brings back the mechanic of training and deploying a team of assassins to stealthily eliminate unsuspecting guards at your behest. From *Syndicate*, it takes the dual-protagonist concept, where one character excels in stealth and the other in combat—though this iteration appears significantly refined.
Simultaneously, *Shadows* leverages the strengths of contemporary *AC* titles, providing a breathtaking feudal Japan environment and impactful dialogue choices. After engaging with the game for roughly three hours at a preview event, I was struck by how *Shadows* effectively merges these older mechanics while offering a new experience. Its enhanced stealth gameplay and a somewhat greater, more punishing challenge compared to its predecessors set it apart.
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### Yasuke Is a Compelling Protagonist
While I can’t elaborate much on the overarching narrative of *Shadows*—having only witnessed a brief portion of it—I’m already enthralled by one of its two main characters: Yasuke. What distinguishes Yasuke is that he is inspired by a real historical figure, in contrast to the fictional assassins we typically control in these games. Yasuke was a Black man from Africa who ascended from slavery to become a samurai under the illustrious Oda Nobunaga in 16th-century Japan. He’s a captivating and thought-provoking choice for the leading role.
The other main character, Naoe, is a fictional female assassin who specializes in stealth. While I didn’t gain a strong sense of her personality or motivations during the demo—aside from a standard revenge narrative—I anticipate that her character will be more fully fleshed out in the completed game. For now, she feels somewhat eclipsed by the inherently captivating and historically rooted Yasuke. Nevertheless, as someone who enjoys stealth gameplay, I dedicated most of my time to Naoe and found her mechanics quite engaging.
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### Manage Your Own Assassin Squad
The demo I experienced showcased all the trademarks of a modern *Assassin’s Creed* title: an expansive open world brimming with main quests, side missions, and stunning visuals. While the fundamental gameplay stays recognizable, *Shadows* impressed me by reintroducing mechanics from earlier installments in the franchise.
One notable aspect is the revival of the assassin squad system from *Brotherhood*. You can recruit, train, and elevate NPC assassins, then dispatch them to eliminate guards at the touch of a button. This mechanic adds a strategic dimension and versatility to the gameplay, particularly during demanding stealth sequences. The demo also introduced a summonable NPC ally designed for combat rather than stealth, suggesting greater flexibility in mission approaches.
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### Stealth or Combat? The Decision Is Yours
The dual-protagonist framework in *Shadows* draws inspiration from *Syndicate*, which also featured a male and female assassin with distinct playstyles. However, *Syndicate* often constrained players to utilize the male character for the majority of the storyline, reducing player choice. *Shadows* cleverly sidesteps this pitfall by permitting you to alternate between Yasuke and Naoe during missions. In fact, the demo’s climactic mission provided me with three chances to select which character to control, resulting in a more adaptable and player-centric experience.
As a stealth aficionado, I devoted most of my time to Naoe. Ubisoft has implemented some noteworthy enhancements to stealth mechanics in *Shadows*. Enemies are more alert, frequently spotting you from farther away if you’re not vigilant. The interaction of light and shadow plays a pivotal role—lanterns can be extinguished with throwing knives, and remaining in the shadows can conceal you from nearby guards.
The most substantial addition is the capability to go prone and crawl along the ground. This feature is vital for sneaking through grassy areas undetected and intensifies the tension during stealth encounters. Crawling feels both empowering and perilous—you become stealthier but also more vulnerable. Fans of *Metal Gear* will relish the excitement of crawling stealthily, where success is gratifying, and failure can be harsh.
Naoe also possesses a grappling hook, making the ascent of buildings and navigation of the environment effortless. The level design evidently accommodates this tool, with ample chances to swiftly scale rooftops or evade pursuing guards. While Naoe has the ability to confront enemies, she is delicate and can endure only a few hits, making stealth the more astute choice for her.
Yasuke, in contrast, is tailored for combat. Equipped with a katana, he’s a