The more Ubisoft talks about Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ dual protagonists, the less sense this approach makes.
According to Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ Game Director Jonathan Dumont, players won’t miss out on anything by not switching characters. That statement is what completely bugged me. While I appreciate the choice between two distinct Assassin playstyles, splitting them into separate characters feels unnecessary.
Why create Naoe and Yasuke at all if neither has a unique narrative perspective? The game could just as easily center on a single protagonist — whether it’s Yasuke, a foreigner-turned-samurai coming to terms with his new life, or Naoe, a native of Japan well-versed in its customs.
It seems Ubisoft hasn’t learned from Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate, which also featured two playable characters, Evie and Jacob Frye. Unlike Yasuke and Naoe, Evie and Jacob shared a combat style, yet they still felt like a cohesive unit within the overarching narrative. I did appreciate how Syndicate forced players to switch at key moments — such as Evie handling the Pieces of Eden while Jacob focused on the city’s gang warfare.
The good news is that Assassin’s Creed Shadows will have unique questlines for each of the two protagonists, seemingly following Syndicate’s structure. But since the game isn’t even out yet, we don’t know if their combat styles will significantly impact their respective quests.
If Yasuke and Naoe are simply different combat-wise rather than distinct personalities that shape the story, then what’s the point?
Granted, both are compelling protagonists, but Ubisoft is doing them a disservice if players can pick either one without any meaningful lore implications.
Grand Theft Auto V masterfully handled multiple protagonists by ensuring each had unique questlines central to the story and writing that fully reflected their personalities. In Shadows’ case, both characters could seemingly complete the same objectives without consequences.
RELATED: Ubisoft Hinges Future With Assassin’s Creed: Shadows’ Success
Don’t get me wrong — I love Assassin’s Creed games. But I expected Ubisoft to refine the dual-protagonist structure, not make it feel irrelevant. If choosing one over the other has zero impact on the overall story, what’s the purpose?
While focusing on a single character throughout Shadows’ potentially lengthy campaign might be enjoyable, Ubisoft’s insistence that it doesn’t matter whom you choose leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It suggests they don’t seem to care about the dual-protagonist concept at all.
I’m still looking forward to seeing what Shadows has to offer, as I’m personally invested in Japan’s Azuchi-Momoyama period. While these concerns might seem minor, I genuinely hope Ubisoft does something fresh with Naoe and Yasuke — making them feel like two distinct characters rather than just existing for the sake of it.