Assassin’s Creed Shadows Has a Clear and Dominant Theme

While Assassin’s Creed Shadows may deliver a brand-new adventure set within 16th-century Japan, there are also many story beats that some may find familiar. For starters, the entire tale is still built around taking out the Templars, which has been a staple of this franchise forever. On top of that, players will spend much of their time rebuilding the Brotherhood and recruiting allies to save Japan. But at its core, the main theme of the entire story in Assassin’s Creed Shadows may be the most familiar of all: found family.

The theme of found family has become an incredibly popular story to tell over the years, with so many different titles using it as a backdrop. Assassin’s Creed is no stranger to it either, with Assassin’s Creed Shadows seemingly being built around it. The characters within the story spend much of their time finding their place, building new unbreakable bonds, and doing all they can to protect those around them. Even though that set-up may be familiar, it makes for an enthralling adventure nonetheless.

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Assassin’s Creed Shadows is Built Around Found Family

Naoe’s Beginning is All About Finding a New Family

From the very beginning of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the theme of found family is pretty evident. After Oda Nobunaga takes out the Iga, kills Nagato, and leaves Naoe for dead, she is saved by a mysterious man named Sorin and a child named Junjiro. Although distrustful at first, as Naoe heals from her injuries, she grows to trust them and care for them. They not only build strong relationships, but they also play a vital role in helping her to rebuild the Brotherhood that has been destroyed.

Throughout her adventure, Naoe meets even more characters that she grows to trust and vows to protect. However, none are closer to her than the child Junjiro, whom she treats as if he is truly a part of her family. She will seemingly do anything for him, and even though she was responsible for the death of his father, Junjiro will also seemingly do anything for her. That story drives much of their interactions and Naoe’s adventure through Japan, which makes for an incredibly intriguing and heartfelt tale.

Naoe and Yasuke Must Also Learn to Work Together

Naoe is not only growing closer to and vowing to protect all sorts of NPCs throughout her journey, but her and dual protagonist, Yasuke, are also built around the theme of found family. When they first meet, they are on completely opposite sides of the conflict. Yasuke is working for Oda Nobunaga and is responsible for the death of one of the few remaining Japanese assassins, while Naoe is seeking revenge against Nobunaga for her father’s death. While it seems like they will be at odds for the majority of the story, they too forge a powerful bond as their adventure continues.

With a little help from Junjiro, Naoe chooses not to kill Yasuke and Yasuke vows to assist her in her quest. The two of them team up to rid the world of the Shinbakufu, and as they do, they become inseparable allies. They constantly have each other’s backs, they go out of their way to assist each other, and they both work together to rebuild what was lost. While Naoe may not grow as close to Yasuke as she does to those that saved her, this story still leans heavily on that found family theme.

Both Naoe and Yasuke’s stories seem to be built around the concept of found family, with both of them spending a lot of time doing whatever they can for those that they call allies. Because players get to see said story from both perspectives, it makes for a very intriguing tale, the likes of which Assassin’s Creed has not really explored before. And since this is only the start of Shadows‘ lifespan, there is no telling where it will go from here.

Released

March 20, 2025

ESRB

Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language