Naoe Is The Best and Most Refreshing Assassin’s Creed Lead We’ve Had In Years

by

I was starting to grow tired of assuming control of heavy-set, powerful warriors in the Assassin’s Creed series. From the launch of Assassin’s Creed Origins in 2017, we’d been treated almost exclusively to a line-up of mythical demigod characters, from the fearsome Eivor to the immortal Kassandra.

Assassin’s Creed Origins featured the last ‘normal’ character in Bayek of Siwa, and even he was a rippling, imposing figure that could deal immense damage with ease.

In Assassin’s Creed Shadows, players take control of Naoe, a nimble and swift shinobi whose abilities flow seamlessly, boasting some of the finest mechanics ever seen in the series. It’s incredibly enjoyable to step into the role of a character who truly embodies an assassin’s essence.

We’ve Been Waiting For Naoe

Assassin’s Creed Shadows provides a split between two characters: Naoe and Yasuke. You can decide which character to play as when the game begins, but certain missions require you to switch between them at specific points.

As I explored Assassin’s Creed Shadows in the weeks before the game hit the market, I found myself heavily gravitating to and sticking with Naoe, the game’s shinobi character. Very early in the game, you learn that Naoe is destined for assassin greatness, receiving a hidden blade from her father and bearing traits of an assassin, such as eagle vision.

As the game progresses, Naoe flourishes, and soon enough, you’re darting through the game environment at top speed, resembling a lively, unpredictable ghost, slashing through enemies in the shadows and employing a collection of weapons that reflect the essence of an assassin.

Naoe feels fast; she’s smooth, she’s eternally fluid, and she’s incredibly impressive as a character. As a person, she embodies the literal assassin’s creed without knowing it, and everything she does, she does for her family, for honour, and the good of her people. She’s a graceful juxtaposition, boasting an innocent, almost childlike facade that veils a capable killer streak and set of abilities.

If I had the choice, I wouldn’t play as Yasuke at all, and I’d put all my hours in Assassin’s Creed Shadows into Naoe. That’s not to take anything away from Tongayi Chirisa’s performance – he’s a fantastic actor – but I just don’t have ‘any need’ for Yasuke in my game. He’s just too cumbersome and enormous for me to enjoy playing as him.

In simpler terms, Although I was eager to use his abilities to swiftly raid an enemy stronghold without much thought, it felt like I wasn’t experiencing an Assassin’s Creed gameplay.

Brought to Life

It also helps that Naoe is masterfully portrayed by Masumi Tsunoda, a relatively unheard-of name in the acting world. Until Assassin’s Creed Shadows came around, Masumi had played much smaller parts and focused more on music than physical performances. Her biggest role until now had been in Yakuza Princess, which set her up perfectly to land the role of Naoe years later.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows has a very emotional opening, and Masumi delivers perfectly, snatching the player’s attention and firmly grasping it. I became fully invested in Naoe’s story within the opening hours of the game, and that can be attributed to Masumi’s abilities behind the Naoe character.

On a cosmetic level, I also love how Naoe looks. Her outfits, weapons, and general aesthetic are superb, and I massively prefer the ‘shinobi look’ to the heavily-armoured appearance of Yasuke, the samurai. It just fits more with what we’ve come to expect (and desire) from an Assassin’s Creed game.

Speaking as a dedicated Assassin’s Creed enthusiast from day one, I firmly believe that Naoe could potentially be ranked among the finest protagonists in the entire series.

For more Assassin’s Creed Shadows content, check out my full review of the game

Read More

2025-03-18 20:48