Yasuke or Naoe: Who to Choose in Assassin’s Creed Shadows?

Assassin’s Creed Shadows introduces a groundbreaking shift in the franchise with its dual protagonist system. For the first time, players can seamlessly switch between two distinct characters—Yasuke, the mighty Samurai, and Naoe, the agile Shinobi—each bringing a unique playstyle that reshapes how you experience Feudal Japan. With their contrasting strengths and weaknesses, choosing the right character at the right time can make all the difference. Here’s a detailed breakdown to help you decide who to play as and when.

Yasuke the Samurai – Pros and Cons

Yasuke overlooks a coastal vista in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Image via Ubisoft

Yasuke stands out as one of the most compelling protagonists in the series from a gameplay standpoint. Towering and powerful, he plays unlike any previous Assassin’s Creed hero. Inspired by FromSoftware’s intense melee mechanics, controlling Yasuke feels like commanding a boss straight out of Dark Souls—deliberate, weighty, and devastatingly effective.

As a Samurai, Yasuke dominates in direct combat. His heavy attacks and superior strength make him ideal for crowd control, allowing him to cut through groups of enemies with ease. He excels at taking down high-tier foes such as Daimyo lords who guard castles, making him indispensable during large-scale confrontations. While primarily a melee powerhouse, Yasuke can also wield a bow, giving him solid ranged capabilities when needed.

However, Yasuke falls short in traditional Assassin roles. His stealth takedowns are slower and more exposed compared to Naoe’s, increasing the risk of detection. His parkour is functional but limited—climbing and traversing rooftops is noticeably slower, and many synchronization points are either unreachable or extremely difficult for him to access. This can make early exploration frustrating, especially when trying to reveal the map in uncharted provinces.

Naoe the Shinobi – Pros and Cons

Naoe and Yaya team up in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Image via Ubisoft

Naoe embodies the classic Assassin’s Creed fantasy. As an Iga Shinobi, she moves with precision and grace, offering the stealth and agility fans have come to expect from the series. Her nimble traversal allows for swift navigation across rooftops, dense forests, and narrow alleys, making her the ideal choice for stealth-based gameplay.

With the right skill investments, Naoe becomes a master of invisibility and silent elimination. She excels at aerial assassinations, hidden blade takedowns, and navigating heavily guarded areas undetected. Once you reach Knowledge Level 2 and enhance her Assassin and Shinobi mastery, she becomes a ghost—striking from the shadows and vanishing before enemies know what hit them.

That said, Naoe struggles when the fight turns public. She has significantly less health and weaker melee attacks than Yasuke, making direct combat risky. Engaging even two or three enemies at once can quickly become overwhelming. When detected, the best strategy is often to disengage, reposition, and return under cover of stealth rather than fight head-on.

When to Play as Each Protagonist in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Naoe and Yasuke team up in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Image via Ubisoft

While the choice between Yasuke and Naoe often comes down to personal preference, certain scenarios clearly favor one over the other.

Play as Naoe for:

• Exploration and map discovery – Her speed and agility make her perfect for clearing the fog of war and reaching synchronization points with ease.
• Stealth missions and assassinations – Whether it’s eliminating a high-value target or completing a contract unseen, Naoe shines in any scenario that rewards subtlety.
• Parkour-intensive environments – Cities, temples, and mountainous regions are all more navigable with her fluid movement.

Play as Yasuke for:

• Open combat and boss fights – He’s your go-to for taking on elite Samurai and clearing enemy strongholds.
• Castle raids and Daimyo hunts – These high-risk, high-reward scenarios are far more manageable with Yasuke’s raw power.
• Missions with heavy enemy presence – When stealth isn’t an option, Yasuke’s durability and damage output keep you in the fight.

In story-driven quests, the game may lock you into one character, especially in canon mode. But when you have the freedom to choose, switching between them strategically enhances both gameplay depth and narrative immersion.

Ultimately, your preferred protagonist may come down to playstyle and personality. Do you crave the silent, elusive assassin, or the unstoppable warrior who carves through enemies with honor and fury? With Assassin’s Creed Shadows, you don’t have to choose—experience both.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows launches on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S on March 20th.