How Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ Yasuke and Naoe build upon Syndicate’s dual protagonist approach 

Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ dual protagonists will allow players to experience feudal Japan in two very different ways. Japanese kunoichi Naoe Fujibayashi adopts a stealthy approach and plays like a traditional Assassin. African samurai Yasuke, on the other hand, will be more direct and action-oriented. 

But this isn’t the first time Assassin’s Creed has taken a dual protagonist approach. Before the franchise shifted into the action RPG genre, Ubisoft Quebec released Assassin’s Creed Syndicate – an action-adventure game primarily set in 1868 London that features the two playable twins Jacob and Evie Frye. Naoe and Yasuke’s playstyles seem quite similar to Jacob and Evie– with one character focused on stealth and the other on combat. 

Jacob and Evie Frye are two sides of the same coin 

Despite being twins, the Frye siblings are very different from each other. Jacob’s primary focus throughout Assassin’s Creed Syndicate is to expand the Assassin Brotherhood by liberating London from Templar-controlled gangs. Evie’s goal is the same as their deceased father’s, which is to secure Pieces of Eden and prevent them from falling into Templar hands. Since the Templars prevent them from accomplishing their goals, each of the Frye twins often find themselves completing missions that benefit the other. 

From a gameplay perspective, Ubisoft Quebec made Jacob more combat-focused and Evie more stealth-oriented. This is most evident in the game’s skill tree, where Jacob has attacks that can bring groups of enemies closer to death while Evie has skills that make her practically invisible. Although both Assassins are well-versed in combat and stealth, the unique skills and levels tend to funnel players into adopting specific playstyles. 

Naoe and Yasuke seem like evolutions of Assassin’s Creed’s dual protagonist approach 

Since they are not bound by familial ties as Jacob and Evie are, Naoe and Yasuke have more potential from a narrative and gameplay standpoint. Naoe hails from the province of Iga, Japan, and is the daughter of Japanese warrior Nagato Fujibayashi. Using the skills her father taught her as well as those learned from the Assassins, Naoe will stop at nothing to avenge the attack on her village. What’s interesting is that Oda Nobunaga – the one who ordered the attack on Naoe’s village – is being protected by his retainer, Yasuke. Yasuke can be seen during the attack on Naoe’s village in the cinematic trailer, and although the two start out as enemies, circumstances lead them into an unlikely alliance. After they come together, the player will be able to freely switch between Naoe and Yasuke to experience their individual stories. 

Regarding Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ gameplay, we know that Naoe being a shinobi and Yasuke a samurai will give them distinctive playstyles. Naoe will be able to use conventional ninja tools like a grappling hook to make her even more competent in the series’ staple parkour traversal. She can also be seen using a katana and a Hidden Blade. Yasuke, while not as agile, can use brute force and a wide array of weapons to get past enemies. If Assassin’s Creed Syndicate’s protagonists are anything to go by, both Naoe and Yasuke’s experiences will be integral to experiencing the series’ long-awaited Japan title. As Shadows’ director Charles Benoit points out: “Both characters are unique in terms of playstyle, but also on how they see the world and how the world sees them.”