When I first started Assassin's Creed Shadows, I expected to live out the classic ninja fantasy with Naoe, creeping across rooftops and striking from the shadows. That opening hour certainly delivers. The story begins with Yasuke arriving in Japan alongside Portuguese monks who want to preach Christianity. Lord Nobunaga takes an interest in Yasuke, and in a cold bit of bargaining, he trades the monks' freedom to spread their faith in exchange for Yasuke, who had been their slave. That moment stuck with me long after the narrative switched to Naoe for hours. Still, when I finally unlocked Yasuke again, I realized he is not just a narrative hook; he may be the most satisfying wrecking ball in the series.
Raw melee power is the first reason I kept choosing Yasuke whenever the mission allowed it. He might control like a tank, but he also hits like one. Every melee weapon he carries feels doubled in impact compared to anything Naoe can equip. He can switch between a long katana, a naginata, and a massive kanabo club. Armored guards who would make me retreat as Naoe simply crumble when Yasuke swings. Why sneak through a castle for fifteen minutes when I can crash through the front courtyard and reduce a squad to broken armor in half the time? There is a purist argument that Assassin's Creed should be about stealth, and I respect it. But I cannot deny how refreshing it is to play as a character who treats enemy defenses like wet paper.
Ranged combat is another area where Yasuke surprised me. Naoe has kunai and shuriken, and while they can occasionally one-shot weaker targets, they feel like tools rather than main weapons. Yasuke, however, can equip a teppo rifle and a bow. The teppo requires a reload after every shot, which initially felt clumsy. But after investing in his skill tree, reloading becomes much faster, and each shot lands like a cannon blast. The bow is quieter and perfect for picking off sentries before a fight. It still feels odd that Naoe, the dedicated shinobi, does not get access to a bow, but honestly, Yasuke having both options only widened my preference.
Then there is the sheer physical comedy of Yasuke's size. He towers over most enemies, and standing next to Naoe makes the height difference almost cartoonish. That size is not cosmetic. Yasuke is slower, but he builds momentum when he runs, and that momentum can launch him straight through a wooden door. The first time I triggered this, I was stunned. One second there was a barred gate, and the next there was a shower of splinters and a very confused guard. It feels like playing a feudal version of the Hulk, except with a katana. It is a mechanic that never gets old, no matter how many castles I invade.
Environmental tools also become more fun with Yasuke. I had seen red explosive pots everywhere, but as Naoe I could only lure enemies near them and then use a tool to set them off. Yasuke can simply pick up the pot, carry it toward a group, and detonate it with his bow or teppo. That changed how I approached fortified camps entirely. It may not make logical sense that Naoe can carry bodies but cannot carry a red pot, yet I stopped questioning the rules after watching Yasuke clear an entire checkpoint with one glowing barrel. On top of that, his side activities feel slightly more varied. Naoe has Kuji-kiri meditation and obstacle-focused Paths, while Yasuke has the more challenging Kata quick-time meditation and treasure tombs called Kofuns. Many Kofuns require explosive pots, so Yasuke's ability to handle them directly feels even more useful. He can also practice bow shooting from horseback, which gives him another small edge in downtime.
Beyond the combat, Yasuke's story is what ultimately won me over. He is not a native of Japan, yet he finds freedom through Lord Nobunaga and remains fiercely loyal. The crimes he commits in that service are brutal, but he never seems to enjoy them. Compared to Naoe's fire, Yasuke is more level-headed and often approaches situations with unexpected kindness. He wants peace more than glory. That gentle soul inside a terrifying warrior makes him easier to empathize with than I expected.
So is Yasuke a traditional Assassin's Creed protagonist? Not exactly. But in 2026, after spending dozens of hours with both characters, I keep returning to him whenever the game gives me the choice. Sometimes I want the patient thrill of stealth, and Naoe delivers that perfectly. But other times I just want to feel like an unstoppable force with a complicated heart, and Yasuke is exactly that.