Summary
One of the highlights ofAssassin’s Creed Shadowsis its dual protagonists — Naoe, a stealth-based assassin, and Yasuke, a samurai who specializes in brute force and raw power.Assassin’s Creed Shadowsisn’t the first game in the series to feature dual protagonists, as that title belongs toAssassin’s Creed Syndicate, which allowed players to alternate between its twin protagonists,Jacob and Evie Frye, for the first time in the franchise. WhileAC Syndicatecertainly offered an unprecedented way to experience the series' iconic gameplay,Assassin’s Creed Shadows' dual protagonists have all but snuffed out the fire of the Frye twins with a fresh take on the concept.
Assassin’s Creed Shadowsis the first game in the series to feature dual protagonists sinceAC Syndicate, so it has been around a decade since players have had the opportunity to swap between two different characters mid-game. Rather than simply offering players two unique protagonists in the name of greater quantity, however,Assassin’s Creed Shadowsincreases the quality of its gameplay by allowing players a method for approaching the game with two distinct playstyles in Naoe and Yasuke without needing to respec skill trees or change weapons. In doing so, it effectively atones for the “sins” ofAC Syndicate, whose protagonists were largely interchangeable.
AC Shadows' Protagonists Make Up for the Shortcomings of AC Syndicate
AC Syndicate’s Jacob and Evie Frye Were Largely Interchangeable
The purpose ofAssassin’s Creed Syndicate’s dual protagonists was sound: to offer players two distinct playstyles to choose from. Evie offeredstealth-based gameplay, whereas Jacob offered a melee-focused playstyle. In some ways, the two protagonists were different enough — with Evie having stealth skills that Jacob didn’t have, and vice versa. However,AC Syndicatemade it far too easy to play the entire game as only one of them, as the vast majority of their skills and passive abilities overlapped, thereby trivializing their uniqueness.
While the Frye twins are arguably too similar in their gameplay design, they make up for it with their unique personalities — Evie being more methodical and patient, and Jacob being more brash and impulsive.
AC Shadows' Naoe and Yasuke Offer Two Distinct Playstyles
More or less,Assassin’s Creed Shadows' Yasuke and Naoeare the more extreme versions of their Frye twin cousins. Just asAssassin’s Creed Syndicate’s Jacob and Evie represent brute force and stealth playstyles, respectively, so do Yasuke and Naoe inAssassin’s Creed Shadows. The most significant difference, though, is thatAC Shadowshas ensured that neither of its protagonists can be replaced by the other. If a situation calls for a stealthy assassin, players should use Naoe. On the other hand, if it calls for raw power and open combat, Yasuke should be used.
Should players enter open combat asNaoe inAssassin’s Creed Shadows, they will find overcoming the odds to be more challenging than it has ever been in anAssassin’s Creedgame. This is due to Naoe’s stealth and agility specialization and her lower defensive stats and abilities, so unless players are skilled and reactive enough to avoid defeat, their only option is to run and hide. With Yasuke, players can mow down enemies with a fair bit of ease, but any attempts to remain undetected or escape generally prove futile.
More or less,Assassin’s Creed Shadows' Yasuke and Naoe are the more extreme versions of their Frye twin cousins.
In other words,Assassin’s Creed Shadowseffectively atones for the sins ofAssassin’s Creed Syndicateby featuring two protagonists who are not as interchangeable as the Frye twins. It is still possible to succeed in all aspects of the game by controlling only one ofAssassin’s Creed Shadows' dual protagonists, but that method involves far more challenge than it did inAC Syndicate, making a strong case for the series to continue experimenting with this idea and refining it in future entries.
