Summary
- Yasuke wields powerful melee weapons, breaking through tough opponents’ armor effortlessly in AC Shadows.
- Yasuke has superior ranged weapons compared to Naoe, with a gun and bow for more effective combat strategies.
- Yasuke’s size allows him to smash through doors, utilize explosives, and ride horses, offering unique advantages in AC Shadows.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows begins with Yasuke as he arrives in Japan with a couple of monks trying to preach the Christian faith in Portuguese. Lord Nobunaga, the ruler of Japan at that time, takes a shining to Yasuke and barters a deal with the monks. In exchange for Yasuke, who was their slave, Lord Nobunaga would permit the monks their freedom to preach across Japan, and it’s a deal they happily take.
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The narrative then switches to Naoe, a ninja, for quite a few hours, until Yasuke gets unlocked again later in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. For some, they will be overjoyed when they can play Yasuke again. Here are some key reasons why Yasuke makes for a fantastic Assassin’s Creed protagonist.
6
Strong As An Ox
Blow Through Enemies With Ease
Yasuke may control like a tank, but he also has the power of one. Any melee weapon that Yasuke wields can easily be twice as strong as anything Naoe can equip. Yasuke can wield three melee weapons in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, a long katana, a naginata (which is like a spear), and a kanabo, which is a giant club.
All three weapon types can break through even the toughest opponent’s armor as if they were made of butter and Yasuke is wielding a giant knife. It’s an incredibly refreshing feeling to go into a place like a castle and absolutely wreck it in minutes, compared to playing as Naoe wherein players have to be stealthy to make it out alive in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Playing stealthily is arguably how players should approach an Assassin’s Creed game, but it’s hard not to enjoy the sheer power of Yasuke, even if he wrecks everything up to and including the point of this series.
5
Two Ranged Weapons
A Greater Assortment As A Whole
Naoe has a bit of range to her arsenal, including Kunai and Shuriken. They may not be that strong, but given certain enemies, they can one-shot them. Yasuke has two ranged devices as well, and they can be equipped as weapons, while Naoe’s tools can only be upgraded via her various skill trees.
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Yasuke can use a gun called a teppo, which requires loading after every shot. While this can be tedious, upgrading Yasuke’s skill trees can make reloading faster in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. It’s like wielding a cannon, as the attack power is easily quadruple that of anything Naoe can equip. Yasuke also has a bow, which is easier to pick enemies off with, and the shots are silent. Strangely, Naoe didn’t get access to the bow, which might balance these characters better.
4
Doors Mean Nothing
Yasuke Smash!
Yasuke towers over most enemies in the game and with some, including Naoe, it can be quite comical. Yasuke’s gigantic size isn’t just good for wielding more weapon types than Naoe; his whole body is a weapon. He is slower to move, but unlike Naoe, Yasuke can build momentum when he runs.
This momentum can propel him through a door, and it’s a mechanic that never gets old. Imagine being a soldier on duty, guarding an important gate, when it literally explodes into a million splinters. The first thought may be cannon fire, which is alarming but understandable. It’s less understandable, and far more alarming, to see just one man behind the barrage, like a feudal version of The Hulk coming in for the kill.
3
He Can Pick Up Explosives
Good For Tomb Raiding
Players may or may not know that they can explode red pots strewn throughout compounds in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. It’s a good way to take out enemies, and Naoe has a way to use them if she can lure multiple enemies into an explosive zone with her various tools. Yasuke, on the other hand, can just carry a red pot over to an enemy and explode it with his bow or teppo.
That may also be something players aren’t aware of, but Yasuke does have the capability. Logically, it doesn’t make sense that Naoe can’t pick up explosive barrels. After all, she can carry bodies twice her size, so the fact she can’t carry these red pots is a bit ridiculous. Still, players can’t argue against mechanics, as Yasuke wins this fight hands down, on top of being able to carry and throw bodies more easily than Naoe.
2
Horse Riding
Yasuke’s Bow Training Requires A Mount
There aren’t as many mini-games in Assassin’s Creed Shadows compared to something like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, which just oozes with variety. They also don’t fit into stereotypical mini-games in RPGs. Naoe, for example, can practice Kuji-kiri in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, which is a type of meditation where players have to go through Quick Time Events to find their zen.
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Yasuke has a Quick Time Event-based meditation game too, called Kata, that is more challenging. Naoe can also go through obstacle courses called Paths and Yasuke can do a bit of exploring as well through treasure tombs called Kofuns, many of which require exploding those aforementioned red pots. There are some Kofuns for Naoe too, but not as many. On top of that, Yasuke can practice using his bow while on horseback. If not for the horseback riding, Yasuke and Naoe would be even here, but this gives him another win, as slight as it may be.
1
An Outsider’s Perspective
Yasuke Is A Rational Person In A Strange Land
Even though he isn’t a native of Japan, Yasuke’s story is compelling. He’s a slave who found freedom through Lord Nobunaga. Even though the crimes he commits at Lord Nobunaga’s behest are atrocious, he is a loyal samurai to the end.
As brutal as his killings are, it’s obvious he does not revel in them. Yasuke would love nothing more than peace and, compared to Naoe, he is more level-headed. Yasuke approaches situations with kindness rather than hostility, which is refreshing. Both characters have their place in the game’s story, but Yasuke’s kind soul is an easier one to empathize with.
- Released
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March 20, 2025
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language