Assassin’s Creed Shadows is the long-awaited leap into Feudal Japan that fans have been begging for and it delivers. Whether you’re a die-hard Assassin’s Creed fan or someone who just wants to check out buy cheap PS4 games with great value, this one’s worth your time. It’s got that classic AC vibe, but with fresh energy, a rich historical setting, and a few smart surprises that make it feel like a new chapter for the series.
Stealth with Naoe in Assassin's Creed Shadows
So, the whole “canon” thing in Shadows is kinda wild ‘cause it’s saying there are actually “right” moves—not just in what you say but how you handle missions. And Naoe and Yasuke are basically the vibes Ubisoft’s been stuck on for years, showing two totally different playstyles. Naoe’s the stealth queen. She’s all about sneaky, quick kills with barely any noise. You can climb almost anything, hit up enemies with the hidden blade for those instant silent kills, and she’s packing some sick shinobi gadgets too. Kunai for one-shot snipes, shurikens for chip damage, smoke bombs to vanish, and the bell to bait enemies like a pro. Playing Naoe means you gotta stay lowkey, taking out snipers and ranged threats before they spot you.
Then you got Yasuke, the big brute. His kill move is savage and loud—usually wipes a target instantly but also calls in a swarm of enemies ready to throw down. He can hide in bushes and stuff, but his options are way more limited. His running and jumping animations show he’s heavy and can’t move as slick as Naoe. Shadows straight up asks, “How you wanna roll?” Usually, you get to pick who’s doing what in Japan. You can either ghost around with Naoe or just stomp through and start slashing heads off with Yasuke. But heads up—Yasuke’s stealth game is weak, so he’s kinda stuck with the brute-force approach. What bugs me most is that for some missions, you gotta pick either Naoe or Yasuke, and the one you don’t pick just does their own thing off-screen. That’s kinda lame ‘cause it feels like a missed chance to do both sides of the mission, especially when you’re hunting down key bad guys. Sometimes both end up doing the same thing anyway, which is kinda pointless. Like when you’re tracking a lead at a bathhouse and then hear Yasuke did the same search? Why couldn’t we play both parts and see both perspectives? That would’ve been way cooler.
Fluid Combat
Combat with either Naoe or Yasuke is super smooth, hella challenging, and moves fast—even if it can get kinda repetitive. Both have light and heavy attacks mapped to the right trigger and button, each doing different damage and speed vibes. Blocking’s on L1. If you time a deflect just right on a blue-flashing attack or during a combo, the enemy gets temporarily weak, glows yellow, and takes extra damage. Red attacks can’t be blocked, but if you dodge them last second, the enemy still gets weakened. Bleed, poison, and daze status effects also chip away at health. You can break enemy guards by holding R1 or R2 for a posture attack. I always crank AC games to the hardest difficulty, even if it makes early fights kinda grindy. But Shadows? Combat actually hits different. Enemies come at you aggressive and hit hard, making fights hype and tense. I died plenty as Yasuke but loved using his bigger healing stash to keep going and wreck foes.
Weapon and skill options are sick for mixing it up. Yasuke’s got three melee weapons: a long katana, naginata, and the heavy-hitting kanabo. For ranged, he’s packing a quiet bow and a loud teppo gun. Picking a fave was tough—each one feels unique and it’s not just about mashing R1, though that sometimes works. The kanabo hits brutal but can get faster with upgrades if you time combos right. The teppo nails headshots, but the bow’s dope for sneaky openings.
Naoe rolls with a katana, a dagger-style tanto, and a kusarigama. Like Yasuke’s weapons, each has its own speed and style. The tanto throws out quick hits and can unlock a double assassination move. The kusarigama’s that metal ball on a chain, letting you hit from far and trap enemies, then toss them around. Shadows still has that Ubisoft gear grind, but it’s way less annoying here. Gear comes in rarities and you get it by clearing outposts, finishing quest lines, or finding chests. The best stuff drops from activities, but even low-level gear stays useful thanks to perks and the ability to add bonuses at a forge. What’s cool is that you don’t just swap gear for bigger stats—you do it to build combos that match your playstyle with Naoe and Yasuke.
Immersion in AC Shadows' Japan
Even with all the messy beheadings and Japan’s chaotic political vibes, Shadows really shows mad respect for Japanese culture—like it should. There’s a legit appreciation for the traditions here, and it pops up in small stuff that other AC games might’ve skipped. Like, there’s this mission where Naoe has to learn the tea ceremony just to crash a party where a target’s at. You actually get taught how to bow right, how to handle the tea bowl, and why it matters. Folklore, spiritual stuff, and everyday Japanese life get worked in not just for the big story moments but in chill one-off bits that make you vibe with the setting way more. Even the base-building for Naoe, Yasuke, and their crew is framed like a zen garden. You can just mess with it for the passive perks, or go all out and make it look hella aesthetic. They even let you turn off guided waypoints, which makes you actually have to explore and check your map carefully—maybe even get a scout to help find the next move. AC has always made you think ahead, but here it fits the setting perfectly, like Ubisoft really thought this one through.
A Refined Step Forward for the Series in a Vibrant Japan
After all these years of fans waiting for Ubisoft to finally take us to a historical setting in Japan, I can think of no better offering than Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Yes, this is fundamentally an Assassin’s Creed game through and through. Echoes and hallmarks of past entries are present and are likely coded into the DNA, much like the Animus would eventually give its victim the Bleeding Effect. This is the path the series needs to be set on. There are hints of revolutionary change on the horizon but, more importantly, Shadows acts as a refinement of everything to come, paving the way for more experimental groundwork. Assassin’s Creed Shadows allows Japan to breathe life into a series that has hinged its reputation on tradition. It represents a culmination of the work laid out in Origins but never stumbles over its own size and ambition. While players looking for more than just fine-tuned familiar thrills might be disappointed at the big swings Shadows does take, a focused narrative and progressive combat are enriched by an exceptionally beautiful and detailed setting. Assassin’s Creed Shadows acts as the turning of a new page for Ubisoft’s flagship, one hopefully leading to another vibrant, historical world.
Conclusion
There are plenty of open-world action titles out there. But Shadows hits different:
Beautiful, richly detailed world — possibly Ubisoft’s best to date.
A game that respects the culture it draws from, with missions built around real traditions like tea ceremonies.
The Animus still ties it to the AC legacy, but the modern-day fluff is minimal—perfect for newcomers.
Side quests feel more personal, with humor, heart, and drama that actually stick.
