Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a decent game. It’s certainly not incredible, but it’s certainly not awful. There’s some truly fun parts to it, like sneaking around as Naoe or bursting into an enemy compound as Yasuke, but there’s some very annoying parts to it as well, like the horrible Knowledge Point system that forces you to do boring exploration activities to unlock only the option to unlock new skills and the surprisingly empty feeling the massive map has. Overall, the game is just okay.
However, there’s one aspect of the game that is a huge gameplay factor that should’ve taken inspiration from Batman: Arkham Knight, and that is the dual protagonist system.
Assassin's Creed Shadows has two protagonists that you can switch between at almost any time. Naoe is all about stealth and speed whereas Yasuke is a human tank all about strength. The game does a very good job of making these two very different characters actually feel different. The most noticeable way it does this is through the perspective of the camera. When playing as Naoe, everything around you feels big. People, buildings, landscapes, even your mount all feel much bigger than you. As Yasuke, everything seems tiny. Every NPC you pass, every character you fight all feel tiny in comparison to Yasuke's massive size. The developers clearly went through a lot of effort to make the protagonists very different. Sometimes, it's pretty annoying.
Like I said, the player can switch between these two characters at almost any time. Almost. Unless you're in the middle of a fight or in a restricted area, you can switch between characters. Save for moments during exploration when you need to parkour, those are the only times switching between characters actually matters.
This situation happens frequently: I decide to infiltrate an enemy camp or castle as either character. I'm in the restricted area for a few minutes, then I realize this activity is much more suited to the skills of the protagonist I am currently not. If I want to switch, I have to leave the base entirely, which can oftentimes be more difficult than it seems, make sure I'm not in combat, open the menu, go to the inventory, switch character, wait for a loading screen, then, finally, play as the character better suited for the situation. The player can also use fast travel to switch, but that just means you have to go to the map instead of the inventory menu. Yes, I can also choose to press forward as the character I’ve chosen to play as, but this makes the chosen task more difficult.
Wouldn’t it be great if players could seamlessly switch between the two characters? Enter Batman: Arkham Knight.
If you haven’t played Arkham Knight, it’s a lot of fun and still holds up as a solid video game ten years after its release. At several points in the game, you play missions in which you can seamlessly switch from Batman to the other character your mission includes: Catwoman, Nightwing, and Robin. This applies to both stealth and melee combat missions as well as several puzzle missions. All you have to do is click one button, the game goes into extreme slow motion, then you’re the other character. No loading screens, no menus, no inconvenience.
Of course, this would come with some challenges for Assassin’s Creed Shadows. In the game, the two protagonists are not both always present. There is either one or the other. Having both protagonists present would fundamentally change the game, but it would be for the better. During stealth missions, Naoe could infiltrate a base while Yasuke stays outside, but, if the player is caught as Naoe, who struggles to fight more than a few enemies at a time especially if they’re brutes, Yasuke can be called in to assist. He would come smashing through the front gates in true style, all attention would be turned to him, and Naoe could slip into the shadows and go back into the role of assassin. Or, a mission could be started this way very intentionally. Send Yasuke in right away. Send him slamming through doors and cutting down enemies with ease while Naoe sneaks into the base, assassinates a key target, loots the surrounding area, then steals the treasure from the tower.
A whole new style of gameplay could be unlocked. Naoe and Yasuke could give each other orders. Naoe could be ordered to stick to the shadows and pick off enemies one by one, or Yasuke could be ordered to make a distraction. Both characters could be seamlessly playable at any moment. This would also make some of those annoying and forced exploration side missions more enjoyable. When a player happens upon one and can only complete it using parkour as Naoe but is currently Yasuke, one button could make the switch. When exploring tight areas found in nearly every base as Yasuke, it’s very difficult and tedious to get him into those spaces. Just switch to Naoe, who is right behind Yasuke, with the click of a button.
This would also heavily improve the story. While Yasuke and Naoe are on the same team and their stories are interconnected, it often doesn’t feel so. If both characters were around for every single interaction, if both characters could contribute to every conversation, their stories would feel like one.
The gameplay opportunities, the solution for tedious character switching, and the storytelling changes would massively improve upon Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
What do you think about Assassin’s Creed Shadow’s dual protagonists? Are you enjoying the game? Let us know in the comments!