It looks like Ubisoft got all-in on the hype from Ghost of Tsushima and Shogun because they have their feudal Japan take on Assassin’s Creed dropping this March.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is going to be telling the story of two characters—one of which is an actual historical figure—but what do fans know about the story so far?
Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Story Trailer
Ubisoft has dropped a new story trailer for Assassin’s Creed Shadows which highlights the relationship between new protagonist Naoe and the 'black samurai' Yasuke. Check this out:
Japan, 1579 — The country is on a brutal path toward unification driven by the iron will of daimyo Oda Nobunaga. Unrest grows as new coalitions appear and corruptive foreigners infiltrate the land. After the brutal invasion of the peaceful province of Iga, a young shinobi embarks on a journey to fulfill an impossible promise while a legendary samurai finds new purpose confronting the demons of his past.
The two leads of the game are Naoe and Yasuke, and players are said to be able to switch between both of them within the game. While Naoe is more focused on the stealth missions and assassinations, Yasuke is a more straight up fighter and can take on enemies head on.
The Legend of Yasuke
Although Naoe is a new character created for the game, a lot of people are familiar with the legend of Yasuke the Black Samurai. In history, Yasuke was a samurai of African descent who had served under Oda Nobunaga in the 1500s.
The story of Yasuke has inspired several depictions of him over the years. It was said that he was the main inspiration behind the anime Afro Samurai; and in 2021, Netflix released an animated Yasuke series from studio MAPPA.
There was even said to be a Yasuke movie in the works titled Black Samurai starring Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman attached to the part. With Boseman’s death though, it looks like the film is currently stuck in development.
Naoe the Shinobi
Going back to Naoe though, it looks like she’s the one who’s going to have a story that’s more connected to the Assassin’s Creed lore: after all, she is the one who has been granted the franchise’s iconic Hidden Blade weapon—each AC entry always has a variation on it.
So far, it looks like this blade can also bend, which means that Naoe can use it for stabbing. Besides that, it functions like the usual hidden weapon.
As far as the trailer can show, Naoe’s family is connected to the Brotherhood, but this also looks like a personal story for her; one that she’s going to undergo with Yasuke.
Actual history has always been at the core of Assassin’s Creed, so Shadows should have an interesting take on the secret goings-on during the reign of Oda Nobunaga. With Ghost of Yotei still well away from release, this should do for anyone who is looking for some action in Feudal Japan.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is set to launch on March 20 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.