Summary
- Ubisoft's update on Assassin's Creed Shadows reveals the unique weapons and abilities of dual protagonists Naoe and Yasuke.
- Naoe has a katana, kusarigama, and tanto, while Yasuke wields a long katana, naginata, kanabo, bow, and rifle.
- The game includes staple mechanics like hidden blade combat and social stealth, plus RPG elements such as skill trees.
Fans can finally get a more proper look at the weapons available to the dual protagonists of Assassin's Creed Shadows after an update from Ubisoft detailed each character's play style. Previous trailers for Assassin's Creed Shadows confirmed that both characters, Yasuke and Naoe, would have unique abilities, but this is the first time fans have gotten an in-depth look at them.
Assassin's Creed Shadows is changing the usual formulas for the series in a lot of ways while also bringing back a few staple mechanics fans have been asking for, like hidden blade combat and a focus on social stealth mechanics. In any case, the game will still seemingly play like an RPG in a lot of ways, featuring skill trees, a variety of weapon types, and an open world akin to previous entries like Assassin's Creed Odyssey.
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Ubisoft's recently updated the news section for Assassin's Creed Shadows on its website to include a rundown of the weapons and abilities available to the game's dual protagonists, giving fans a more in-depth look at combat. According to the webpage, the stealthy Naoe will have a katana, a ball-and-chain weapon called a kusarigama, and a short tanto combined with her hidden blade.
Assassin's Creed Shadows' Weapons Provide Plenty Of Options
As for Yasuke, who is seemingly intended for a more directly combative approach, he gets a few more options, with a longer katana, a spear-like naginata, a two-handed club known as a kanabo, a large bow, and a rifle. The difference between the two characters' sets of weapons leans into their differences in playstyles, channeling a bit of Assassin's Creed Syndicate with its approach to the dual main characters.
Naoe's Weapons:
- Katana
- Kusarigama
- Tanto and Hidden Blade
Yasuke's Weapons:
- Long Katana
- Naginata
- Kanabo
- Yumi Bow
- Teppo Rifle
Aside from just the weapons list for both characters, the updated news page also detailed some of the various enemies present in the game, such as samurai, ronin, outlaws, and several others, along with some of the more specific combat mechanics. While only Yasuke has a proper block as part of his moveset, both characters will reportedly have dodging and parrying abilities akin to Sekiro, but even those work differently for both.
Given the series' stronger focus on RPG mechanics in its current era, each of these abilities can be augmented with unlockable abilities and skill upgrades that can help the player grow stronger as they explore. In fact, exploration and stealth will seemingly work a little differently from previous Assassin's Creed games as well, as viewpoints will reportedly take on a different role than before to emphasize player-guided travel.
Assassin's Creed Shadows
-
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
WHERE TO PLAY
Experience an epic historical action-adventure story set in feudal Japan! Become a lethal shinobi Assassin and a powerful legendary samurai as you explore a beautiful open world in a time of chaos. Switch seamlessly between two unlikely allies as you discover their common destiny. Master complementary playstyles, create your shinobi league, customize your hideout, and usher in a new era for Japan.
• Explore the captivating open world of feudal Japan, from spectacular castle towns and bustling ports to peaceful shrines and war-ravaged landscapes. Adventure through unpredictable weather, changing seasons, and reactive environments.
• Become Naoe, a shinobi Assassin, and Yasuke, a legendary samurai, as you experience their riveting stories and master their complementary playstyles. As Naoe, use stealth to avoid detection and agility to confound your enemies. As Yasuke, strike your foes with lethal precision and power. Unlock new skills, gear, and progression independently for each character.
• Make information your weapon as you explore the world, and build your own network of spies to be your eyes and ears across locations to hunt down your next target. Along the way, recruit new allies with unique abilities to help accomplish your missions.
• Create a fully customizable hideout for your growing shinobi league as you train your crew, craft new gear, interact with key characters, and choose your base’s layout, decorations, and accessories.
- Engine
- AnvilNext
- Franchise
- Assassin's Creed
- Number of Players
- 1
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unknown
- PC Release Date
- March 20, 2025
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- March 20, 2025
- PS5 Release Date
- March 20, 2025
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
