Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed: Shadows promises a bold return to its stealthy roots with two distinct protagonists and a breathtaking setting in feudal Japan.
Assassin’s Creed is one of the most iconic video game franchises of all time.
From its origins with Altair and the legendary Ezio Trilogy, which began in 2007, the open-world stealth series quickly established itself as a cornerstone of the gaming industry.
For the upcoming Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, scheduled for release in early 2025, Ubisoft is introducing two playable characters and significantly faster, more agile gameplay mechanics.
"She feels like a panther stalking her prey."
In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Creative Director Jonathan Dumont shared exciting new details about the game’s dual protagonists and their unique playstyles.
Players will be able to choose between Yasuke, a melee-focused samurai Assassin inspired by the historical African warrior who served in Japan, and Naoe, a fictional assassin who emphasizes stealth, speed, and agility.
'Assassin's Creed Shadows' lead exclusively reveals new details to the backstory of Naoe, one of two chief protagonists of the game: 'Naoe is the fastest Assassin we ever made.' https://t.co/0kc5XNSZ57
— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) December 20, 2024
While little is known about Yasuke’s narrative or abilities, Ubisoft aims to use Naoe’s gameplay to reintroduce the series’ classic stealth mechanics.
Naoe’s character is designed to appeal to fans longing for a return to the "hidden assassin" archetype.
A nod to Ninja culture
Ubisoft has teased playful nods to Japanese pop culture, including an homage to the ninja run made famous by anime shows like Naruto.
In certain sequences, Naoe will mimic the iconic running style with arms stretched back and torso leaning forward, a clever Easter egg for ninja enthusiasts.
“We do have a run on top of buildings that has a little bit of a wink-wink to it.”
Set in a dark, visually striking version of feudal Japan, Assassin’s Creed: Shadows explores themes of betrayal and revenge.
Naoe’s backstory centers on a devastating betrayal that cost her everything, including her family.
Motivated by loss and the desire for justice, she joins the Assassins to fight against oppression while pursuing her personal vendetta.
A Stealthier Assassin
“Naoe runs super fast, has a lot of gadgets to maintain her stealth, and avoids direct combat whenever possible. We wanted to give players the ninja-Assassin experience they’ve been craving.”
Naoe’s gameplay emphasizes quick, precise strikes and advanced stealth tactics, offering a fresh and strategic approach.
However, her vulnerability in direct combat adds an extra layer of challenge, taking on more than four or five enemies at once could quickly turn deadly.
See you in 2025. #AssassinsCreedShadows #ACDay pic.twitter.com/L3l6rATsZc
— Assassin's Creed (@assassinscreed) December 21, 2024
By contrast, Yasuke is built for head-on melee combat, providing a more traditional Assassin's Creed experience.
The dual characters allow you to tailor your play style, whether you prefer stealth or action-packed confrontations.
Assassin’s Creed: Shadows will launch on February 14, 2025, and will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Ubisoft+, Amazon Luna, Macs with Apple silicon via the Mac App Store, as well as Windows PC through the Ubisoft Store, Steam, and the Epic Games Store.
Are you looking forward to the new Assassins, or have you missed out on the last few games? Let us know in the comments!