If there\u2019s one element of the Assassin\u2019s Creed series that has evolved significantly, it\u2019s the combat. While earlier games established the franchises\u2019 trademark stealth skillset \u2013 skulking across rooftops and expertly luring unsuspecting foes into bushes \u2013 later instalments introduced a more direct approach, with explosive entrances and confrontational hand-to-hand fights. While previous games have chosen to lean more heavily in one of those directions, Assassin\u2019s Creed Shadows<\/em><\/strong> offers the opportunity to indulge in both <\/em>in a refreshing and incredibly seamless way.<\/p>\n During a recent preview, Xbox Wire got to spend a few hours with Assassin\u2019s Creed Shadows<\/em>, playing through the prologue missions of the two protagonists, Naoe and Yasuke, and spending some time getting to grips with their two contrasting but complimentary combat styles. We also got to freely explore the game\u2019s open world \u2013 which takes us to a gorgeous recreation of Feudal Japan, a new, long-requested setting for the series. What we found was a game that takes Assassin\u2019s Creed forward by respecting multiple facets of its past.<\/p>\n The contrast between the two characters\u2019 combat styles was a standout aspect for me while playing Assassin\u2019s Creed Shadows<\/em>. Naoe and Yasuke both have their own distinct way of doing things, and this is immediately prevalent as soon as you start playing with either of them. This not only separates two wildly different ways of playing into distinct entities, it also gives two characters a fighting style that complements their narratives and personalities, an approach that Assassin\u2019s Creed has taken before, but never as intensely.<\/p>\n Naoe feels like a \u2018classic\u2019 Assassin\u2019s Creed character, and she performs at her best shrouded in silence and darkness. She can navigate rooftops and trees with ease and, of course, has her trusty Hidden Blade for swift, brutal takedowns. She\u2019s also equipped with a grappling hook to reach high spots quickly, smoke bombs for distraction or stealthy attacks, and kunai to throw. Naoe can hold her own in close quarters combat in a pinch, with the option to wield similarly effective katana and kurisarigama swords, but her strength is in that familiar assassin\u2019s approach. She feels absolutely badass to wield with this arsenal \u2013 a tad squishy if she\u2019s overwhelmed and out in the open \u2013 but it\u2019s very easy to regain the element of surprise and recalculate her attacks.<\/p>\n Yasuke\u2019s combat is a stark variation, with a lot of focus on ground combat and confrontational brawling. He compliments Naoe\u2019s stealth with pure brawn, equipped with heavy sword and parrying skills, a naginata spear \u2013 which deals strong, sweeping attacks to multiple enemies within range \u2013 and a Portuguese firearm, a teppo, for devastating ranged blows. There is rarely a cause for retreating to the shadows for Yasuke \u2013 the only entrance he needs to scout for is the one he plans to shoulder barge through before launching into an all-out siege, swinging at anything in his path. Yasuke can climb to a more Assassin-friendly perch in a pinch, but his strengths lie in well\u2026 his strength.<\/p>\n Best of all, I never felt the need to \u201cmain\u201d one of these characters. Assassin\u2019s Creed Shadows<\/em> allows you to switch between them at will, so it doesn\u2019t feel as though you\u2019re hard committing to one or the other. That said, if you\u2019re a big fan of either classic stealth characters \u2013 your Ezios and Altairs \u2013 or later, more aggressive leads like Edward and E\u00edvor, there\u2019s always the option to stick solely with what you love best.<\/p>\n Switching between the two also lends itself naturally to roleplaying in a way that Assassin\u2019s Creed games have rarely allowed for. Initially, I chose to take on missions as Naoe, favouring that slick, stealthy assassin outfit. After getting to know the characters a little more, I found myself choosing who to play based on the narrative, as well as their abilities.<\/p>\n To give an example of this: At one point, I managed to talk myself out of a combat situation entirely, choosing to assign a more calculated resolve to Naoe\u2019s character than I would have engaging in the same conversation with Yasuke, who, in my mind, would have just thrown a punch. In another scenario, I took Yasuke on a quest to find someone in a hidden gambling den, and felt like his approach of smashing in with a firearm raised might be more fun than a sneaky extraction mission as Naoe.<\/p>\n Switching between both protagonists while out in the world is incredibly convenient and barely interrupts the flow of your play \u2013 once you change character, the one you picked appears exactly where the previous one was standing, so you can immediately crack on with whatever you were doing, whether you need to scale a building, enter dialogue with a certain character or barge into a stronghold for a brawl.<\/p>\n As I did this, I realised I\u2019m intertwining my own <\/em>story with the one that Assassin\u2019s Creed Shadows <\/em>is weaving. The result is a highly personalized adventure that you have control of every step of the way, with the ability to change it up whenever and wherever you feel it necessary, and we can\u2019t wait to play more.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/xxboxnews.blob.core.windows.net\/prod\/sites\/2\/2025\/01\/Naoe-Perc-AC-Shadows-23e38c583cd7ba946873.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nSneak or Siege \u2013 The Choice is Yours\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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