Should You Play as Yasuke or Naoe in Assassin’s Creed Shadows?

Assassin's Creed Mirage introduces a significant change to the franchise: dual protagonists, Yasuke the Samurai and Naoe the Shinobi. Their contrasting strengths and weaknesses make choosing the right character crucial for different gameplay scenarios. Let's break down which character excels where.

Yasuke the Samurai: Pros and Cons

Yasuke offers a unique gameplay experience. This powerful Samurai is a force to be reckoned with in melee combat, reminiscent of a Dark Souls boss. His strength and crowd control abilities make him ideal for tackling groups of enemies and even high-level foes like the Daimyo patrolling castles. He's also proficient with a bow and arrow, adding ranged combat options.

However, Yasuke's strengths come at a cost. His assassinations are slower and leave him vulnerable, unlike the typical agile Assassin. His parkour abilities are also limited, hindering exploration and making some synchronization points challenging or even impossible to reach. This can significantly impact exploration, especially in new provinces.

Naoe the Shinobi: Pros and Cons

Naoe embodies the classic Assassin's Creed stealth archetype. Her agility and mastery of parkour make her perfect for traversing the environment and remaining undetected. With skill investment, she becomes a master of stealth assassinations and aerial takedowns.

But her nimble nature comes with a trade-off. Naoe has lower health and weaker melee capabilities than Yasuke. Direct confrontations with multiple enemies can quickly overwhelm her, making stealth a necessity. If discovered, escaping to regain stealth is often the best strategy.

When to Play as Each Protagonist

The choice often depends on personal preference and the specific mission. Story progression may dictate which character is available for certain quests. However, some situations clearly favor one character over the other.

Use Naoe for exploration, synchronization, and uncovering new areas. Her superior mobility significantly speeds up the process of clearing the fog of war and discovering hidden locations. She’s also effective for assassinations, particularly after investing in Assassin and Shinobi skills.

For combat-heavy situations, especially against powerful enemies like Daimyo in castles, Yasuke is the superior choice. His strength allows for easier takedowns in open combat or brutal assassinations.

Ultimately, the best protagonist depends on your playstyle. Do you prefer the classic Assassin's Creed stealth approach or the more direct combat of newer RPG titles? The choice is yours.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S on [Release Date].