With a renewed focus on the core principles that made the series iconic, Assassin's Creed Shadows delivers the most satisfying experience the franchise has seen in years. The parkour system, reminiscent of the fluidity seen in Unity, allows you to seamlessly transition from the ground to castle rooftops, with the addition of a grappling hook making your ascent to strategic vantage points even quicker. Positioned high on a tightrope above your foes, you're just a drop away from executing the perfect assassination—but this is only true if you're playing as Naoe. Switch to Yasuke, the game's second protagonist, and you're thrust into a completely different gameplay dynamic.

Yasuke is characterized by his slow and cumbersome movement, lacking the ability to perform silent kills and struggling with even basic climbing. His design feels like a stark departure from the traditional Assassin's Creed protagonist, presenting one of Ubisoft's most intriguing yet perplexing choices. Playing as Yasuke shifts the experience away from the classic Assassin's Creed feel, challenging players to adapt to a new style of gameplay.

Initially, the significant difference between Yasuke's capabilities and the series' core philosophy can be frustrating. What's the purpose of an Assassin's Creed protagonist who can barely climb and is incapable of silent takedowns? However, as you spend more time with Yasuke, his unique design begins to reveal its merits, addressing some of the challenges the series has faced in recent years.

You won't encounter Yasuke until several hours into the campaign, after spending your initial time mastering Naoe, a swift shinobi who embodies the assassin archetype better than any protagonist in the last decade. Transitioning to Yasuke after becoming accustomed to Naoe's agility can be jarring. This towering samurai struggles to sneak through enemy camps and can barely scale anything higher than his own head. His climbing is slow and laborious, often requiring the use of scaffolding or ladders to make any progress. These limitations encourage Yasuke to remain at ground level, which in turn restricts his ability to survey the area and plan his moves effectively. Unlike Naoe, who can rely on Eagle Vision, Yasuke has no such advantage, forcing players to rely solely on his raw strength.

Assassin's Creed has always been about stealthy kills and vertical exploration, elements that Yasuke directly opposes. His gameplay feels more akin to Ghost of Tsushima than Assassin's Creed, emphasizing fierce combat over stealth. Playing as Yasuke requires a complete rethinking of how to approach the game. While previous protagonists could climb almost anything with ease, Yasuke's limitations introduce a new level of challenge. Careful observation of the environment reveals hidden pathways designed specifically for him, such as leaning tree trunks or open windows, which add an interesting layer of puzzle-solving to the game.

However, these pathways only lead Yasuke to where he needs to go, limiting his freedom for general exploration and making it difficult to gain the high ground needed to observe enemy movements. His only stealth ability, the "Brutal Assassination," is more of a combat opener than a true stealth move. Yet, when combat does ensue, Shadows offers the best swordplay the series has seen in over a decade, with purposeful strikes and a variety of techniques that make each encounter thrilling.

The separation of combat and stealth into two distinct characters helps maintain a balance that has been missing in recent titles like Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla, where direct conflict often overshadowed stealth. Naoe's fragility ensures that combat remains a tense and strategic affair, while Yasuke's strength allows for a more aggressive approach when needed.

Despite the clear intention behind Yasuke's design, his place within the Assassin's Creed universe remains ambiguous. The series is built on stealth and vertical exploration, concepts that Yasuke directly challenges. While characters like Bayek and Eivor ventured into action territory, they still retained the core abilities of an Assassin's Creed protagonist. Yasuke, as a samurai, is thematically appropriate in his lack of stealth and climbing skills, but this means you can't play Assassin's Creed in the traditional sense when controlling him.

The real challenge for Yasuke is the presence of Naoe, who is arguably the better option. Mechanically, she is the most refined Assassin's Creed protagonist in years, with a stealth toolkit perfectly suited to the verticality of Sengoku Period Japan. Naoe's ability to climb almost anywhere, combined with the more realistic climbing mechanics, enhances the core Assassin's Creed experience. Her combat, while as impactful as Yasuke's, requires a different approach due to her relative fragility.

Ubisoft's attempt to offer two distinct playstyles with Yasuke and Naoe is commendable, yet it creates a double-edged sword. Yasuke's unique gameplay is a fresh take on the series, but it also stands in opposition to the foundational elements that make Assassin's Creed unique. While I'll always return to Yasuke for the thrill of his combat, it's through Naoe that I'll truly explore the world of Shadows. With Naoe, I feel like I'm playing Assassin's Creed.