Over the years, the Assassin's Creed franchise has experimented with its approach to protagonists. The first couple of games followed a pretty standard action-adventure model. Assassin's Creed Unity tried to provide more of a co-op experience, and the RPG titles have given players multiple protagonists to control during their journey. That final path would not have been possible without Assassin's Creed Syndicate blazing that trail, but with Assassin's Creed Shadows, Ubisoft has taken the dual protagonist concept to new heights.
Assassin's Creed Syndicate was the first of its kind, as it let players alternate between Evie and Jacob Frye throughout their adventure. That feature was then carried over to Origins, though one protagonist was controlled much more than the other, while Odyssey and Valhalla gave players a choice between two characters that they then controlled for their entire journey. Now, Assassin's Creed Shadows has brought the two protagonist approach back to how it was in Syndicate, which makes for a pretty exciting tale. However, unlike Syndicate, these two protagonists could not be more different from each other, something that serves as a fantastic change of pace for the franchise.
Assassin's Creed Shadows' Flashbacks Are a Double-Edged Sword
Assassin's Creed Shadows features a wealth of flashbacks in both its main and optional content, and their placement is a bit of a double-edged sword.
AC Shadows and Syndicate Are Two Sides of the Same Coin
AC Syndicate Laid the Groundwork for the Two Protagonist System
After Ubisoft dabbled in the co-op side of things with Assassin's Creed Unity, it decided to bring the franchise back to a more standard action-adventure with the release of Assassin's Creed Syndicate. However, instead of just controlling one protagonist, players were actually able to play two distinct characters; the Frye Twins. Evie represented the standard assassin with a focus on stealth, while Jacob was all about taking down his enemies with brute force. At the end of the day, their gameplay was relatively similar, but their differences truly shined in their personalities and writing. Both of which make for an exciting adventure, with their relationship being a real highlight.
Since they are twins, the duo spent much of Syndicate working alongside each other. Jacob's primary goal was to liberate London's boroughs from Templar-run gangs, while Evie wished to find the powerful Piece of Eden that resided within London. Both of their goals aligned with each other, and they spent much of the game allied with each other. There were times when they argued, and their approach was at odds with each other, but through the story they came to realize their differences. And for the most part, their fights were never more than what real-world siblings may deal with, as they remained a united front.
AC Shadows Has Put a New Twist On the Concept
With Assassin's Creed Shadows, the original dual protagonist system created with Syndicate has returned. In the new release, players can control the assassin Naoe or the samurai Yasuke as they attempt to save 16th-century Japan from the Shinbakufu. But, this time around, these two characters seemingly have very different goals and stories to tell.
At the very start of Assassin's Creed Shadows, both of these characters are on completely opposite sides of the main conflict. Yasuke is working alongside Oda Nobunaga and even ends up killing one of the few remaining members of the Japanese Brotherhood of Assassins, while Naoe is desperately trying to defend her people from Nobunaga's invasion. Both of these characters do not even really meet until Naoe has killed off a couple of the Shinbakufu, and when they do, they are instantly at odds. But, throughout the game's story, they grow to trust and rely on each other.
That tale is in stark contrast to the story that Syndicate told, which makes for a very special adventure. Couple that with the fact that both Naoe and Yasuke also have extremely unique gameplay styles, and it's clear that Ubisoft has taken the dual protagonist system to new heights. Hopefully, future titles will be able to put even more unique spins on the concept.
Assassin's Creed Shadows
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 82%
- Released
- March 20, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Quebec
- Publisher(s)
- Ubisoft
