Assassin’s Creed Shadows: My Wild First Night in Japan

Last night, I was on a mission: get Assassin’s Creed Shadows downloaded and dive into feudal Japan. The game’s a monster—110 GB—so I hit “download” and sat there, buzzing with excitement. But fate had other plans. A power cut plunged my house into darkness, and I groaned, “Seriously?!” My dreams of slicing through enemies were on hold. I tossed and turned, waiting for the lights to flicker back on. Finally, at midnight, they did. Half-asleep, I stumbled to my PC, added the game to the queue, and collapsed back into bed. The clock hit 6 a.m., and I bolted awake—time to play before work. What I found blew me away, but it wasn’t all perfect. Let me take you through it.

The Setup: A Rough Start

Picture me, coffee in hand, firing up the game. The screen lights up with a new intro for the AC series, rolling out the characters and their timeline. I’m ready to see legends like Ezio Auditore, the guy who put AC on the map. But wait—he’s not there. Not a single nod to him. I’m yelling at my screen, “Ubisoft, Ezio made you! How do you skip him?!” That stung, but I shook it off and jumped in.

Yasuke: Big Guy, Big World

The story kicks off with Yasuke, this massive African samurai stepping onto Japanese soil. You see why Oda Nobunaga picks him—he’s strong, sharp, a total beast. A few months flash by, and suddenly, I’m him, running through a world that looks unreal. I’ve got ray-traced global illumination cranked up, high settings, frame gen on—no upscaling—and I’m hitting 90 frames. The wind’s blowing, particles are flying, war’s raging around me—it’s insane. I’m grinning like a kid.

Combat’s where it gets tricky. Killing moves? Awesome. But swinging my sword feels… light. I want that heavy thud like in Ghost of Tsushima, you know? I’ve got two abilities to play with, and they’re pretty cool—I’m warming up to them. Still, parrying’s a letdown. There’s a timer, but nailing it doesn’t make me feel like a champ. Yasuke’s a tank, though—maybe too much. I’m tearing through enemies, feeling unstoppable.

Naoe: The Assassin I Didn’t Expect

Then the game switches gears, and I’m Naoe, riding a horse into her story. The horse moves smoother than anything in old AC games—I’m hooked already. Her combat hits different. She’s fast, flashy, flipping around like a ninja movie star. Every move she makes is so cool I can’t stop watching. Her attacks don’t hit as hard as Yasuke’s, but who cares? She’s a blast. Then she grabs the hidden blade, and it’s game over—smooth, quick kills that scream “assassin.” Parkour’s on point too. She’s zooming up walls, darting around like the Flash, and it doesn’t even look goofy like it did in those early trailers. I’m in love.

The Bumps: Faces and Fades

Here’s where I hit some snags. The world’s a stunner—clothes flapping, wind howling, everything screaming 2025. But the faces? They’re stuck in 2010. Stiff, awkward, totally out of place. Some scenes are decent, but most of the time, I’m cringing. And don’t get me started on the fade-in, fade-out nonsense. Every scene’s fading to black and back—I’m over it, Ubisoft!

The story’s got issues too. Naoe’s new to the Assassins, right? So why’s she pulling off perfect leaps of faith and slick kills from the jump? I wanted to see her mess up—maybe fumble the hidden blade, learn as she goes. Her sword skills being sharp makes sense—thanks, Dad—but the assassin stuff should’ve started rough. It’s like she’s a pro day one, and that bugs me.

The Moment That Hit Me

But then, something magic happens. The villains roll in—masked men with a crazy entrance I won’t spoil. The music swells, and I’ve got goosebumps. That soundtrack? It’s fire. It ties everything together, making even the shaky bits feel epic. I’m still thinking about that scene.

Naoe vs. Yasuke: My Pick

If I’m picking a favorite, it’s Naoe all the way. Yasuke’s tough, but his fighting’s just okay. Naoe’s got the moves, the speed, and the assassin vibe I live for. She’s stealing the show, and I’m here for it.

What’s Next

I’m hooked on Assassin’s Creed Shadows. It’s gorgeous, it’s fun, even with the weird faces, story hiccups, and Yasuke’s so-so combat. I’m counting the minutes until my shift’s over so I can run home and play more. Give me a few days—or weeks—and I’ll drop a full review once I’ve beaten it.

What’s your take? Hit me up below—tell me if Naoe’s your jam too or if something else is driving you nuts. Want to know what I thought before all this? Check out my last post: Assassin’s Creed Shadows: A New Era Begins.