There were a few titles going into the Ubisoft Forward event that had people curious. Specifically, they wanted to see gameplay for certain games so that they could get a better idea of what’s coming from the publisher and its teams in 2024 and beyond. To that end, they decided to go big with its ending by giving the first true gameplay look at Assassin’s Creed Shadows. The gameplay trailer focused on sections dedicated to both protagonists, Yasuke and Naoe, and highlighted just how differently they play and how the worlds will change around them as they complete their missions.
For example, Yasuke went to a small village and soon found himself being asked to deal with a corrupt lord and his ruthless Samurai followers. They were oppressing the townspeople, making outrageous demands, and even threatening to kill any who didn’t fall in line. Naturally, Yasuke didn’t take too kindly to this and went to battle.
What’s key to note about Yasuke’s gameplay style is that he’s not simply attacking with a sword. He has a special weapon that allows him to do more clubbing damage and seriously destroy the armor of his Samurai foes. We also see in a later part of the trailer that he will have access to guns, so he can do long-distance damage that way. However, when it’s time for a true duel, he’ll pull out his sword and kill them with honor since they didn’t live in it.
After defeating a group of rogue Samurai, Naoe arrives to assist, and it’s here we see that when it comes to missions, you can easily switch between the two protagonists and see how the other will handle the job.
In the case of Naoe, she waited until nightfall to take on the castle home of the corrupt lord oppressing the village. She uses her various weapons and skills to note just climb walls and run along rooftops, but assassinate quickly, dive around or even up to try and avoid detection. She can even choke out people she doesn’t want to kill to ensure that only the guilty get killed.
Perhaps the most epic aspect was Naoe going into a pool to sneak up on her target and assassinate him before he even realizes what happened.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows has lots to offer, including a one-year storyline that will showcase the changing of the seasons, which will affect how both protagonists, and their enemies, will react. The game arrives on November 15th.
