Why Did an African Samurai Appear in Feudal Japan? Assassin's Creed: Shadows Trailer Released
Assassin's Creed: Shadows Official Trailer Released
Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the latest Assassin’s Creed Game, has been given a proper unveiling via a flashy cinematic trailer, confirming both its leaked November 15 release date and revealing that we’ll be playing as two protagonists for the first time in the series since Syndicate almost a decade ago.
One of those heroes is the African samurai Yasuke. Some may wonder if that really took place in Feudal Japan?
Two Protagonists to Choose
"Shadows" mean multiple playable protagonists, making the long-expected Assassin’s Creed ninja game both a ninja and samurai game.
Sneaky Ninja: Naoe
Sneaky ninja Naoe fits into the classic mould of Assassin’s Creed, uh, assassins, specialising in creeping up on targets - helped by the ability to zip around using a new grappling hook - and stabbing them with the familiar hidden blade.
Yasuke's story has been reimagined to align with the game's themes and direction. The female protagonist, Naoe Hijikata, is the daughter of Fujibayashi Nagato, a legendary ninja leader.
At the beginning of the game, Naoe and Yasuke are archenemies, but they later become allies due to their shared desire for the unification of Japan.
Real-life Figure African Samurai: Yasuke
Many are puzzled by the presence of an African Samurai in feudal Japan. Some even suspect it's another ploy by Sweet Baby Inc.
Today, the prominent black influencer Kaida released a video expressing that it would be as nonsensical as setting the game in Africa and opting for a white male protagonist.
Recently, game companies prioritize diversity to attract a wider player base, introducing characters from different races, genders, and cultures. Yet, balancing cultural authenticity with diversity presents a challenge.
Yasuke in Nioh 2
Yasuke, also known as the Obsidian Samurai, is a Boss in Nioh 2 and attacks players with a large Axe and a Sword.
Yasuke in Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Actually, Yasuke is a real historical figure, likely of African origin, served as a servant and retainer to the Japanese daimyō Oda Nobunaga from 1581 to 1582 during the Sengoku period. This marks the first time players have taken control of an actual historical figure in Assassin’s Creed, rather than just interacting with them.
Compared to Naoe's stealthy approach, Yasuke thrives in direct combat. His playstyle resembles the action-RPG feel of recent Assassin’s Creed games or Ghost of Tsushima. As a charismatic samurai, he strikes with brutal precision and power, utilizing combat-oriented skills like attacking, blocking, parrying, and defeating enemies.
More Details to be Anticipated
While the cinematic trailer doesn't show actual gameplay, IGN managed to extract some details from Ubisoft developers. These include a revamped lighting system to aid Naoe's stealth, a grappling hook traversal akin to Spider-Gwen for assassinations, and improvements to the Anvil engine for realistic sword cutting.
The game promises classic samurai duels and dynamic seasons affecting gameplay, with the map size comparable to Assassin’s Creed Origins' central Japan recreation. More details will come before the November 15th release, but as a fan of Assassin’s Creed, samurai, and ninja, I'm certainly intrigued.
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