"Assassin's Creed Shadows" distinguishes itself with its dual-protagonist approach, featuring two unique characters with distinct playstyles. Yasuke is a powerful samurai who excels in direct combat, while Naoe is a stealthy Assassin who thrives in the shadows. The game ensures that both characters can engage in stealth and open combat, but each has a clear strength and weakness in these scenarios, making their playstyles uniquely challenging and rewarding.
The game balances their abilities by designing scenarios where each character's strengths are highlighted and their weaknesses are exposed. Yasuke's brute strength allows him to quickly break through enemy armor in combat, while Naoe struggles with armored foes but can bypass armor entirely through stealth. This dynamic is intended to create different opportunities and challenges, as players must adapt their strategies based on the character they are using and the situation they face.
Simon Lemay-Comtois, the associate game director, elaborated that Naoe excels in stealth by targeting unarmored spots for quick kills, while Yasuke, though capable of stealth, is more suited for open combat due to his size and strength. This design encourages players to explore both combat and stealth, finding the most efficient path for each character. These distinct playstyles aim to provide a balanced and engaging experience, motivating players to evenly distribute their playtime between Yasuke and Naoe.