You know, I've been gaming for over fifteen years now, and I still get that childlike excitement whenever a new Assassin's Creed title drops. There's something magical about stepping into these beautifully reconstructed historical settings, and Assassin's Creed Shadows had me particularly intrigued with its Japanese setting. But let me tell you, after spending about 45 hours completing the main story and side content, I've got some thoughts about how this game handles its dual protagonists - thoughts that might surprise you.
When I first heard about Shadows featuring both Naoe and Yasuke, I was genuinely excited. The concept reminded me of those classic buddy-cop films where two completely different personalities have to work together. Naoe, the shinobi seeking justice in her own way, and Yasuke, the historical African samurai - what an incredible pairing! The game's setting mere decades after the Ezio trilogy initially made me expect some direct connections to the European conflict between Assassins and Templars. But here's where it gets fascinating: Japan's isolation during this period means these characters treat the whole Assassin-Templar conflict like Japan treated the Portuguese at the time - as something foreign and distant. This creates such a unique dynamic that I wish the game had explored more deeply.
Let me paint you a picture of what this feels like in practice. There's this moment early in the game where Naoe encounters what we recognize as Assassin ideology, but she approaches it like someone discovering a new philosophy rather than joining an established organization. It's like watching someone independently inventing calculus without knowing Newton already did it centuries earlier. She's trying to forge her own path toward justice, completely unaware that she's essentially reinventing the Assassin Brotherhood wheel. This could have been the entire emotional core of the game - this beautiful irony of her journey mirroring the Brotherhood's ideals without her ever knowing they exist. But here's my main gripe: the game doesn't fully commit to this brilliant concept.
What happens instead is that Naoe's personal growth gets pushed to optional side content. Once you unlock her personal questline, you can pursue it whenever you want - or never touch it at all. The result? Her character development feels disjointed and strangely paced. I found myself in Arc 2 watching her make decisions that seemed completely out of character, then in Arc 3 she'd regress to earlier behaviors. It created this narrative whiplash that made it hard to stay invested in her motivations for hunting the main targets. There were moments where I literally paused the game and asked my screen, "Wait, why is she doing this again?"
And don't even get me started on Yasuke's treatment. For roughly 70% of the game, his entire motivation revolves around helping Naoe. It's only in the final few hours - we're talking maybe the last 3-4 hours of a 25-hour main story - that he finally gets some independent motivation. I kept wondering why the developers bothered including this fascinating historical figure if they weren't going to give him his own compelling reasons to be involved in the central conflict. It feels like such a missed opportunity, especially considering how much potential his unique perspective could have brought to the narrative.
The investigation system itself isn't bad - in fact, I quite enjoyed the process of uncovering clues and building cases against targets. But the way Naoe's personal quest is structured as just another investigation means its themes never properly integrate with the main narrative. It's like having two separate stories running parallel but rarely intersecting in meaningful ways. I found myself wishing the developers had taken more risks, maybe forcing players to engage with Naoe's philosophical journey as part of the critical path rather than making it optional content.
Here's what's particularly frustrating: when the game does focus on Naoe's internal struggle and her unintentional mirroring of Assassin ideals, it's absolutely brilliant. There's a sequence in the second arc where she's trying to explain her concept of justice to a village elder, and you can see the proto-Assassin philosophy taking shape through her words. In those moments, the game achieves something special - it makes you feel like you're witnessing the birth of an ideology rather than just participating in an established conflict. But these moments are too few and far between, often buried beneath more conventional open-world activities.
What surprised me most was how much I ended up caring about these characters despite the narrative missteps. There's genuine chemistry between Naoe and Yasuke, and when the game allows them to just exist as partners navigating this unfamiliar philosophical landscape, it's genuinely compelling. I found myself wishing for more quiet moments of them discussing their differing approaches to justice and honor, rather than the sometimes forced main plot progression.
If I had to put a number on it, I'd say the game only utilizes about 40% of its potential when it comes to character development and thematic depth. There's a masterpiece lurking in the shadows of this game (pun intended), but it never fully emerges. The foundation is there - the unique historical setting, the fascinating character dynamic, the fresh perspective on the Assassin-Templar conflict - but the execution doesn't quite live up to the ambition.
Still, despite my criticisms, I'd recommend the game to dedicated Assassin's Creed fans. The world-building is exceptional, the combat feels refined, and those moments when the character work does shine through make the experience worthwhile. Just don't go in expecting the narrative depth of Origins or the character development of the Ezio trilogy. Approach it as an interesting experiment in the franchise rather than a polished masterpiece, and you'll likely find plenty to enjoy. Sometimes the journey matters more than the destination, and in Shadows' case, watching these characters navigate their unique circumstances provides enough compelling moments to make the experience memorable, even if it doesn't quite stick the landing.