Assassin's Creed Shadows is not the first game in the Assassin's Creed series to feature two protagonists, but it is unique in that its playable characters are distinct individuals with no prior connections. Naoe, a shinobi from Iga, and Yasuke, a samurai in the service of Oda Nobunaga, meet and team up for the first time during the events of the game. Players of Assassin's Creed Shadows can choose at practically any time which character they want to control, minus a few dedicated missions. Both have very different stories and gameplay styles informed by their background, experience, weapon proficiencies and more.

Game ZXC spoke to Assassin's Creed Shadows associate narrative director Brooke Davies and associate game director Simon Lemay-Comtois about the process of creating Yasuke and Naoe. Mechanically, the pair are quite different, with Naoe focused on stealth and carrying out traditional assassinations, while Yasuke is "a mountain" who stands tall and lets enemies come to him. However, their stories connect as they work together and become "more than the sum of their parts," in Davies' words. Ultimately, both gameplay and narrative come together to portray two characters who are extremely distinct but share a valuable connection.

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Assassin's Creed Shadows: First Look Gameplay Trailer

The first look at Assassin's Creed: Shadows shows off impressive samurai combat in a stunning feudal Japanese setting.

Yasuke And Naoe Have Completely Different Play Styles

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Lemay-Comtois explained that Assassin's Creed Shadows' Yasuke and Naoe's samurai vs. shinobi training make them extremely different to control in combat. Naoe is constantly on the back foot, avoiding attacks and striking at lightly armored areas whenever possible. Yasuke, who Lemay-Comtois revealed is "bigger than Assassin's Creed's usual protagonists," fights his foes head-on, utilizing his larger variety of weapons to chip away at their armor and parry frontal attacks.

Naoe is the more traditional "assassin" of the pair, with a gameplay style reminiscent of previous games like Assassin's Creed Mirage. Lemay-Comtois described some of her available assassination techniques as such:

"Each weapon that Naoe has unlocks a specific type of assassination that is unique to that weapon...the katana through the shoji door, the kusarigama's rush assassination over a little gap.nd. The tanto and hidden blade combo, you can do a classic double assassinate with those two tools."

Yasuke, meanwhile, is not built for stealth. When asked if stealthy gameplay with Yasuke was possible, Lemay-Comtois laughed and exclaimed "You can try!" He explained that it's possible, but incredibly difficult. Due to Yasuke's size, he makes noise and sticks out from cover while sneaking around, meaning that playing stealth with Yasuke could be a challenge even for experienced players.

The Narrative Highlights Their Similarities And Differences

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Davies explained that the beginning of the game focuses on establishing the differences between Yasuke and Naoe. As a samurai serving Oda Nobunaga, Yasuke is very familiar with the conflicts of the Warring States period and the effects they have had on Japan. Naoe, on the other hand, comes from the isolated, "fiercely independent" Iga. She has been sheltered from the conflict until Shadows' events forcibly expose her to it. "Yasuke and Naoe don't start off on the right foot," Davies revealed. "The moment of confrontation between the two is a very interesting starting point."

However, Assassin's Creed Shadows' Naoe and Yasuke ultimately learn and grow from one another, becoming a pair who work well together on their shared mission. Summarizing the effect the two have on one another, Davies had this to say:

"Vengeance is a lonely path." Until they meet and come together, Naoe and Yasuke are both on this lonely path of vengeance. In coming together, they're going to complete each other and remove themselves from this cycle of vengeance, from this path.