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Choosing between Naoe and Yasuke in Assassin's Creed Shadows comes down to understanding the differences between the two. Naoe vs Yasuke as a choice is all about your preferred approach to playing Assassin's Creed Shadows, as one is a tool-laden master of stealth, while the other is a robust tank built for combat. If you're interested in all the differences between Yasuke and Naoe in AC Shadows, we've got them all laid out below.
Should you choose Naoe or Yasuke in Assassin's Creed Shadows
Overall, playing Assassin's Creed Shadows as Naoe is definitely the best option thanks to her stealth capabilities and overall lethality. Her unrestricted parkour abilities also mean exploring and getting around on foot is much easier. She is literally an Assassin too, so she fits the typical sneaky infiltration and stabby hidden blade gameplay you expect, and she gets most of the screen time.
Yasuke, on the other hand, is for players who care far less about stealth and just want to cut people down as they explore 16th century Japan – if you're a fan of Assassin's Creed Odyssey and booting people with a big kick, he's the one for you. Although, he fits less well with the overall structure of the game, getting somewhat narratively sidelined and having some notable weaknesses compared to Naoe.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Naoe and Yasuke differences
To put it simply, Naoe is a stealthy, nimble shinobi who uses melee weapons and a variety of tools while Yasuke is a much more robust and martial samurai, excelling at using a mix of melee and ranged weapons. For a much more in-depth breakdown, here are all of the most important similarities and differences between Naoe and Yasuke in AC Shadows:
- Stats: Yasuke has more health, deals more damage, and has more Adrenaline for abilities than Naoe.
- Naoe's weapons: Katana, Tanto, and Kusarigama. These are all melee weapons with varying reach, but they're all best at dealing damage to single target (and they're probably the best Assassin's Creed Shadows weapons, full stop). All of them are upgraded with Ironsand.
- Yasuke's weapons: Long Katana, Naginata, Kanabo, Teppo, and Bow. All of Yasuke's melee weapons, particularly the Naginata, can handle lone and multiple enemies and he uses Tamahagane to upgrade them. The Teppo and Bow deliver single-target damage at range and are bolstered with Oakwood.
- Hidden Blade and assassinations: Only Naoe has a hidden blade and can perform all sorts of assassinations with it – there are lots of skills to master in the Assassin skill tree that improve assassination damage and unlock new ways of assassinating. Naoe can also stealthily grab and knockout enemies. Yasuke does not have a hidden blade, but you can unlock Brutal Assassination in the Samurai skill tree to deal massive damage to an unsuspecting enemy.
- Tools and ammo: Kunai, Smoke Bombs, Shinobi Bells, and Shuriken are only available to Naoe. Similarly, only Yasuke can use special ammo types. He gets regular, serrated, silent, and poison arrows for his bow and regular, steel, concussion, and shrapnel bullets for his teppo.
- Quests: Many of the main quests feature both Naoe and Yasuke, though you often have to choose which one to play as. Due to their differing styles, who you pick will determine which objective you'll do next. Yasuke may provide a loud distraction while Naoe infiltrates, and you won't always get the chance to do both – using Assassin's Creed Shadows Canon Mode will remove some of these choices. Additionally, some quests can only be completed by a particular character, which also goes for side quests and certain Ally recruitment questlines.
- World activities: Both characters can collect Lost Pages in Temples (Yasuke's limited parkour may prevent him from reaching some pages) and complete Shrines by praying (all of these activities grant Assassin's Creed Shadows Knowledge Points).
- Only Naoe can complete Kuji-Kiri, Hidden Trails (parkour challenges), and Kofun with narrow entrances.
- Only Yasuke can complete Kata exercises, Horse Archery training, and Kofun with blocked entrances.
- Eagle Vision: Can be used only by Naoe to see enemies through walls and mark them, but Yasuke can still mark lootable objects and quest areas through walls just by observing (LT/L2). He requires line of sight to mark enemies, however.
- Parkour: Naoe has full parkour capabilities and a grappling hook to help with climbing and swinging. Yasuke has lesser parkour skills, limiting how far he can climb and therefore what he can reach.
- Wanted status: Not shared by Naoe and Yasuke and each one can have their own wanted status per region. For example, becoming wanted in one region as Naoe means you can switch to Yasuke to avoid getting attacked on sight, assuming he also isn't wanted in the same region. You'll have to wait for the changing of the Assassin's Creed Shadows seasons for that to clear, or, if you've upgraded your hideout correctly, you can use the special Assassin's Creed Shadows Scouts to clear it.
- Swimming: Both characters can swim, though Naoe can stay submerged in shallow water. You can also unlock the Shallow Water Breathing Shinobi ability to let her lie in shallow water indefinitely.
- Going prone: Naoe and Yasuke can lie down but only Naoe can dodge roll while prone.
- Obstacles: Naoe can squeeze through narrow gaps, but Yasuke is too big to fit. However, Yasuke can sprint at certain walls and doors to smash through them and can lift heavy objects blocking paths, whereas Naoe cannot.
- Moving bodies: Naoe moves incredibly slowly when carrying a body, but Yasuke's strength means he is almost unimpeded when doing so.
As mentioned, you'll be playing as both characters throughout the story anyway, but it's important to know how to switch characters in Assassin's Creed Shadows so that you can play as whoever you want between quests.
Both characters will also make an appearance in the upcoming DLC which you can learn about with our Assassin's Creed Shadows roadmap.
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