This next instalment in Ubisoft’s assassin series, originally called Assassin’s Creed Red, is the franchise’s first trip into feudal Japan. It is scheduled to be released later this year in November

The next entry in the Assassin’s Creed franchise is almost here: Ubisoft debuted the first trailer for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, set to launch later this year, featuring a dual protagonist setup.

The trailer is reasonably heavy for a world debut, taking its time to establish the game’s two main characters. One is the African samurai Yasuke, who served as a retainer for Japanese ruler Oda Nobunaga. The second protagonist is Naoe, a shinobi who first opposes Nobunaga’s war and faces off against Yasuke. Shadows was believed to include two main characters, similar to Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, and before the official trailer was revealed, key art from the game emerged, revealing the samurai/shinobi protagonists.

Game director Charles Benoit sheds light on the decision to feature dual protagonists, emphasizing the desire to authentically portray the distinct fantasies of both samurai and shinobi. This entails crafting separate gameplay experiences tailored to each character’s unique abilities and perspectives, ensuring a diverse and engaging gameplay experience for players.

The narrative team delves into the historical context surrounding Yasuke, a figure of intrigue who arrives in Japan during a period of significant upheaval. His encounters with prominent figures such as Oda Nobunaga and interactions with the local culture provide fertile ground for storytelling, seamlessly blending historical facts with fictional narrative elements.

Naoe, hailing from a lineage of shinobi, crosses paths with Yasuke in unexpected ways, their initial clash evolving into a tentative alliance that shapes the course of the game’s narrative.

Shadows, which takes place against the dramatic backdrop of Japan’s unification, gives players a vast, open world just waiting to be explored. Players will travel through a variety of environments full of life and detail, from castle towns to shrines. As players discover hidden mysteries and form alliances to achieve their objectives, dynamic weather and seasonal variations further enhance the complete immersion.