Assassin’s Creed Shadows is officially out and has several significant changes to combat, weapons, protagonist selection, and even the dynamic weather which will impact your decision-making as you utilize pure strength and stealth interchangeably. The biggest difference to Assassin’s Creed Shadows is the controversial protagonist selection where instead of playing 1 specific character or choosing the gender of your character, you will play 2 separate characters with completely different combat prowess, weapons, and storylines. As you play your way through AC Shadows you will play between Yasuke the strong and deadly samurai or Naoe Fujibayashi a true Shinobi Assassin who specializes in stealth and silent takedowns. Upon completing both characters' introductory tutorial and story you will be able to have a flexible approach to missions and choose which protagonist will have the greatest advantage given the details of the mission/level. If you are looking for an added challenge when playing, choosing a protagonist who does not align with the format of the mission can increase the difficulty and test your true combat skills. This approach of including 2 main characters adds a lot of flexibility to the Assassin’s Creed formula and allows for more replayability since the New Game+ feature has not yet been confirmed. Ubisoft did a great job building a massive open world to explore so even if you have completed both storylines there is plenty to do if you are looking to 100% this game.

Best Controller Settings and Upgrades to Improve Precision and Accuracy 

Any game that introduces multiple playable characters will most likely have different controls per those characters and Assassin’s Creed Shadows is no different. The main area you should take a look at in settings is going to be sensitivity when it comes to controlling movement and aim. For a character like Yasuke, who will be in close combat the majority of the time, a high horizontal and vertical sensitivity could help make quick movements when surrounded by enemies or when timing a parry or block. Aim sensitivity being higher can help you line up headshots with Naoe when lurking in the shadows or looking to assassinate without exposing your cover. Once you are in combat settings like Auto-Lock Targeting and the Camera Follow Combat Target being turned on will give you an easier time focusing on the most important target when engaging multiple. Also utilizing the tap to parry instead of hold will make it easier to learn timing so you can take less damage and leave enemies open for heavy attacks after a successful block or parry. 

KontrolFreek Performance Thumbsticks are another addition to your arsenal that you can include to immediately see improvements to your aim, precision, and overall gameplay. For a game like Assassin’s Creed Shadows, any mixed thumbstick height will complement the versatility that comes with combat in this game. The two thumbsticks I have used the most are the KontrolFreek FPS Freek Galaxy and the Inferno as they both include mixed-height thumbsticks, one mid-rise and one high-rise thumbstick. Equipping these will allow you the precision and accuracy improvements you need to get headshots with ranged weapons but quickly adapt to any close-quarter fight. The concave indentation on both thumbsticks will allow you to maximize your grip and provide a larger surface area than your traditional thumbstick to prevent any possible slippage when playing. Utilizing a pair of KontrolFreek’s for Assassin’s Creed will be the perfect tool for those looking to remain stealthy in the shadows or for those who are looking to cut down enemies with precision using the Katana.  

Learn The Combat Differences Between The Two Protagonists

The biggest talking point surrounding Ubisoft’s recent release of Assassin’s Creed Shadows is the 2 protagonist system that allows the player more flexibility. These two protagonists are opposites in several ways when comparing movements and combat types but they both capture the look and feel of what combat may have been like back in the Sengoku period of Japan. If you decide to play with Naoe, you can expect most of your combat to be rooted in pure stealth as she is a Shinobi trained in assassinations. Her playstyle can be described as speed, agility, and stealth where she is typically using her smaller size and surrounding elements to give her an advantage to catch an enemy off guard. Combining her agility with parkour you will have plenty of opportunities for silent takedowns and swift ambushes to eliminate a target before they even detect your presence. 

The weapons you can expect to be using when playing as Naoe are the classic kunai and shuriken which require aim and precision as you throw these from the shadows or execute a silent takedown from a hiding place. Naoe also utilizes tools like the grappling hook which gives your movement a major boost as you can use this for escapes and in combination with smoke bombs to reset your stealth if needed. My personal favorite to use with Naoe is the Kusarigama which does take getting used to but once mastered can be life-saving when you are forced into a crowd battle or have multiple targets to deal with at once. This weapon also does destructible damage to the surrounding environment which can give you the needed space to make a stealthy escape or just open the area up to make combat easier. 

Yasuke is everything but stealth with his large build and samurai training he is the strongest of the two and uses several different traditional Japanese weapons. Mechanics like parry, targeting weak points, and heavy attacks to break through tough defense are all part of Yasuke’s arsenal, and bows or teppo help make up for the lack of ranged combat. Yasuke’s approach to combat is direct and if you are the type of player who would rather overpower an enemy with brutal force or a lengthy battle to see who is the strongest he is the perfect option. When fighting with Yasuke depending on your weapon there are a few aspects you will need to understand to set yourself up to be victorious. 

Weapons like the kanabo and katana will focus more on timing your parries and posture breaks to deliver devastating counterattacks when your enemy is stunned or loses balance giving you an opening. Unlike Naoe who uses her agility to dodge incoming attacks, Yasuke uses his durability and strength to physically block incoming attacks so your armor plays a factor in upgrading defense. Bows are another powerful weapon that Yasuke can use and give him the much-needed versatility in combat where you can whittle down a group of enemies before engaging in battle. This style of combat also allows for a limited bit of stealth given the range of the bow and silence that comes from it versus a firearm. The last weapon for Yasuke I want to call attention to is the Naginata which is the ultimate weapon for engaging groups of enemies or any enemy you might want to keep father away. This weapon gives you the largest area of attack but it can also deal out massive damage to anything that comes in contact with and is the perfect selection for anyone clearing out a base or more fortified enemy.