Assassin’s Creed Shadows promises ninja stealth and samurai showdowns, but will it carve out a masterpiece or leave you lost in the shadows? Our full review slices through the hype to reveal if this dual-hero adventure deserves your hours.
The Assassin’s Creed franchise, born in 2007, has carved its name across history, from Altair’s crusades to Eivor’s Viking raids, blending stealth and storytelling into a global phenomenon. Assassin’s Creed Shadows finally answers fans’ pleas for a Sengoku Japan setting, building on hits like Black Flag and refining the RPG sprawl of Valhalla for a 2025 masterpiece.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Storyline
Set in the Sengoku period of late 16th-century Japan, Assassin’s Creed Shadows dives into a chaotic era of warring clans, samurai honor, and ninja intrigue, spotlighting Yasuke, the real-life African samurai under Oda Nobunaga, and Naoe, a young Shinobi from the Iga Clan. This turbulent historical backdrop fuels Ubisoft’s latest open-world adventure, merging fact and fiction in a rich Japanese tapestry.
Two Protagonists – Two Choices – Two Interweaving Storylines
Assassin’s Creed Shadows introduces dual protagonists—Yasuke and Naoe—delivering two distinct gameplay styles in one epic package. Yasuke’s brute-force samurai combat contrasts Naoe’s ninja stealth, letting players swap mid-mission for a dynamic experience.
Their interweaving storylines explore loyalty, betrayal, and survival in Sengoku Japan, with player choices subtly steering their fates. This dual-narrative approach echoes AC II’s depth, offering a fresh twist that has made Assassin’s Creed Shadows a standout title for Ubisoft fans searching for its next big hit.
Ninja Naoe
Naoe’s ninja prowess is a stealth lover’s dream, wielding kunai, shurikens, grappling hooks, and a kusarigama for precision kills in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Her fluid parkour and shadow-hugging tactics outshine Odyssey’s Kassandra, making Naoe gameplay some of the best in the franchise.
Her story digs into clan duty and personal loss, adding emotional weight to her silent strikes. As a fictional Iga shinobi, Naoe embodies the ninja fantasy, her missions blending tension and finesse—perfect for players seeking a more stealthy experience.
Samurai Yasuke
Yasuke humbly enters into Assassin’s Creed Shadows as a Portuguese slave, only to be commandeered by Oda Nobunaga, and trained in the ways of the Samurai. His armored frame and katana slicing and chopping through foes with Valhalla-style ferocity. Our gameplay video shows Yasuke in a variety of epic battles, each ending in the decapitation of his many foes.
As Japan’s first Black samurai, his outsider journey fuels a raw, identity-driven arc that’s as gripping as his fights. Yasuke is a powerhouse who anchors the game’s action, blending historical intrigue with visceral thrills.
Japanese Weaponry
The Assassin’s Creed Shadows weaponry is a Sengoku-era buffet, with Naoe’s ninja toolkit—kunai, shuriken, and the wickedly versatile kusarigama—stealing the stealth spotlight. Yasuke counters with heftier fare, his katana and nodachi slicing through armor like butter. He also has access to a loud and powerful teppo and his quieter bow, offering a brutal contrast that gives him a little more range for his deadly attacks.
Customization adds spice so be sure to upgrade weapons with elemental effects or tweak throwing weapons for range, tailoring your playstyle in ways that echo Odyssey but feel much fresher now. Increasing the level of weaponry requires a forge in your hideout, but it’s an investment that pays you back exponentially in the blood of your foes.
Your Hideout Becomes Your Home for Everything
Your main Hideout in Assassin’s Creed Shadows will become the place for all of your battle needs. It will require a ton of resources, and a bunch of gold, but building and upgrading things like your forge, your dojo, and your kakurega offers you assistance throughout your gameplay experience.
Each of the main buildings can be upgraded to give you more allies, more scouts, or even access to much better weapons. Resources can be a pain to acquire, but once you start completing contracts, you’ll be piling that stuff up in no time. It’s an important side hustle for anyone that wants to tackle this game on the harder difficulties.
Allies and Scouts Putting in the Work
Assassin’s Creed Shadows allies bring Sengoku Japan’s factions to life, with Naoe’s Iga ninja kin offering stealth support—think shadowy scouts or distraction-throwing comrades—while Yasuke rallies samurai loyalists who charge into battle like a steel tide. These Naoe and Yasuke companions aren’t just set dressing; they’re recruitable assets, hinting at a ‘best of AC Shadows allies debate’.
You’ll build these bonds through missions—Naoe’s covert ops might sway a rogue shinobi, while Yasuke’s battlefield heroics win a ronin’s respect—adding a layer of strategy that echoes Brotherhood’s assassin recruits.
Focus on Graphics and Environments
Ubisoft’s graphics in Assassin’s Creed Shadows stun with Sengoku Japan’s misty peaks, lantern-lit villages, and blood-stained snow, all powered by the Anvil engine. This open-world beauty rivals Ghost of Tsushima, making it one of Ubisoft’s best looking games to-date, and clearly the best looking and best playing Assassin’s Creed game of the franchise.
Dynamic weather amps up immersion—rain-slicked roofs boost Naoe’s stealth, mud hampers Yasuke’s charge, and fog sets ambush vibes. The environments are a visual feast and you’ll be seeing Assassin’s Creed Shadows screenshots in gaming forums and social media for years to come. Photo mode gives you more options than you can shake a katana at, and you can easily lose thirty minutes working on one photo.
The Music of the Ancient Japanese Gods
The Assassin’s Creed Shadows original score fuses taiko drums and shakuhachi flutes with soulful chants tied to Yasuke’s roots. It shifts from Naoe’s tense stealth beats to Yasuke’s booming battle anthems, potentially outshining Black Flag’s shanties. Featuring music entirely composed by The Flight, the score elevates every moment of the game. It’s not just background—it’s a cultural bridge, tying the dual protagonists into Sengoku Japan’s sonic soul. The entire 59 tracks are already available on all major streaming services at this link: https://ubisoftmusic.ffm.to/assassinscreedshadowsost.
Conclusion
Assassin’s Creed Shadows delivers a bold and breathtaking plunge into Sengoku Japan, wielding its dual protagonists—Yasuke and Naoe—as twin blades that carve out distinct yet harmonious paths through a world of stealth, steel, and stunning vistas. With Naoe’s ninja finesse and Yasuke’s samurai fury, the game strikes a balance that satisfies both stealth purists and action enthusiasts, while its rich historical setting and jaw-dropping visuals elevate it to one of Ubisoft’s finest.
The dynamic interplay of storylines, customizable weaponry, and a hideout that grows with your ambition add layers of depth, though resource grinding may test some players’ patience. Backed by a hauntingly beautiful score from The Flight, Assassin’s Creed Shadows doesn’t just meet the hype—it forges a new legacy for the franchise. Whether you’re scaling rooftops or clashing katanas, this is a masterpiece that deserves your hours, proving Assassin’s Creed still has plenty of life left in its franchise.
9
Assassin’s Creed Shadows review code provided by publisher and reviewed on a PS5 and PC. For more information on scoring, please read What our review scores really mean.
