Choose Naoe if you want to sneak, infiltrate, and use agility to control encounters. Choose Yasuke if you prefer direct combat, blocking attacks, and staying in a fight against groups. Neither is universally better: the choice is about which approach you enjoy, and Ubisoft says you can switch between them in the open world after they are united.
Which character should you choose?
| If you want… | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Quiet entry, avoiding detection, and picking off targets | Naoe | Her stealth toolkit includes Eagle Vision, hiding in shadows, low-profile movement, and distractions or escape tools. Ubisoft’s stealth overview details these abilities. |
| Parkour and shinobi-style infiltration | Naoe | Ubisoft presents her as the agile stealth specialist, with movement and tools built around infiltration. |
| Taking on several enemies in a prolonged fight | Yasuke | His armor and combat mechanics make him better suited to sustained, open fights. Ubisoft warns that Naoe is at a significant disadvantage as enemy numbers grow. |
| Blocking attacks and trading blows | Yasuke | Blocking is unique to him; his parries push enemies back and create counterattack opportunities. |
| Several weapon styles for combat | Yasuke | His arsenal ranges from the balanced long katana to the group-controlling naginata, heavy kanabo, yumi bow, and slower-firing teppo rifle. |
| Trying both approaches | Both | Ubisoft says you can switch characters in the open world once they are united. That does not establish unrestricted switching in every mission or story sequence. |
What Naoe does best
Stealth and information
Naoe is the stronger choice for avoiding detection and deciding when to engage. Her Eagle Vision can reveal enemies behind obstacles and relevant sounds; both protagonists have Observe, but Eagle Vision is specific to Naoe. At night, shadows can conceal her from enemies. Crouching reduces visibility and footstep noise, while going prone reduces visibility further.
Distraction, escape, and quick takedowns
Smoke bombs, shinobi bells, kunai, and shuriken give Naoe ways to distract enemies, escape, or attack. Her tanto, combined with a dedicated skill, enables double assassinations. These tools reward a measured approach: gather information, isolate a target, and avoid letting a controlled encounter become a fight against a crowd.
Her limits in open combat
Naoe can handle a single enemy with her speed and agility, and her deflect can turn an attack aside to expose an enemy’s flank. But Ubisoft says she is at a significant disadvantage as opponents multiply because she lacks armor and has limited combat resources. The deflect movement can also leave her open to surrounding enemies. If you prefer to stand your ground against groups, Yasuke is the better fit.
#1 Best Overall
- Only at Amazon Limited Edition Content includes the base game and Sekiryu Character Pack
- Explore the captivating open world of feudal Japan, from spectacular castle towns and bustling ports to peaceful shrines and war-ravaged landscapes. Adventure through unpredictable weather, changing seasons, and reactive environments.
- Become Naoe, a shinobi Assassin, and Yasuke, a legendary samurai, as you experience their riveting stories and master their complementary playstyles.
- Make information your weapon as you explore the world, and build your own network of spies to be your eyes and ears across locations to hunt down your next target. Along the way, recruit new allies with unique abilities to help accomplish your missions.
- Create a fully customizable hideout for your growing shinobi league as you train your crew, craft new gear, interact with key characters, and choose your base’s layout, decorations, and accessories.
See Ubisoft’s stealth gameplay overview for the full description of Naoe’s stealth and movement abilities.
What Yasuke does best
Resilience and direct fighting
Yasuke is built for prolonged combat. His armor and block mechanic let him stop incoming attacks, including arrows and kunai, while parries push enemies back. His combo finishers can break an enemy’s guard without a posture attack.
Rank #2
- ENTER FEUDAL JAPAN - Explore the captivating open world of feudal Japan, from spectacular castle towns and bustling ports to peaceful shrines and war-ravaged landscapes. Adventure through unpredictable weather, changing seasons, and reactive environments.
- MASTER COMPLEMENTARY PLAYSTYLES - Become Naoe, a shinobi Assassin, and Yasuke, a legendary samurai, as you experience their riveting stories and master their complementary playstyles. As Naoe, use stealth to avoid detection and agility to confound your enemies. As Yasuke, strike your foes with lethal precision and power. Unlock new skills, gear, and progression independently for each character.
- MAKE INFORMATION YOUR WEAPON - Travel the world and build your own network of spies to be your eyes and ears across locations to hunt down your next target. Along the way, recruit new allies with unique abilities to help accomplish your missions
- BUILD A PLACE TO CALL HOME - Create a fully customizable hideout for your growing shinobi league as you train your crew, craft new gear, interact with key characters, and choose your base’s buildings layout, decorations, and accessories.
Weapons for different situations
- Long katana: a balanced option.
- Naginata: suited to controlling groups.
- Kanabo: delivers heavy blows that break armor.
- Yumi bow: offers ranged precision.
- Teppo rifle: provides more range and armor penetration, but fires and reloads more slowly.
Yasuke is not simply unable to use stealth: Ubisoft’s overview says he can be stealthy in some circumstances. His defining advantage is that he can also meet enemies openly and sustain the fight. For the full combat breakdown, see Ubisoft’s combat gameplay overview.
Can you switch between Yasuke and Naoe?
Yes, in the open world once the two protagonists are united, according to Ubisoft Québec’s announcement. The announcement also describes character-specific weapons, gear, and skills. It does not say that you can freely change characters during every mission or scripted sequence, so treat the choice as flexible in exploration rather than universal in all gameplay situations.
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- Only at Amazon Limited Edition Content includes the base game and Sekiryu Character Pack
- Explore the captivating open world of feudal Japan, from spectacular castle towns and bustling ports to peaceful shrines and war-ravaged landscapes. Adventure through unpredictable weather, changing seasons, and reactive environments.
- Become Naoe, a shinobi Assassin, and Yasuke, a legendary samurai, as you experience their riveting stories and master their complementary playstyles.
- Make information your weapon as you explore the world, and build your own network of spies to be your eyes and ears across locations to hunt down your next target. Along the way, recruit new allies with unique abilities to help accomplish your missions.
- Create a fully customizable hideout for your growing shinobi league as you train your crew, craft new gear, interact with key characters, and choose your base’s layout, decorations, and accessories.
Pick the playstyle you want—or use both
- For a stealth-first Assassin experience: start with Naoe. Use observation, hiding, distractions, and movement to avoid turning every encounter into a group fight.
- For direct action and pressure: favor Yasuke. His armor, blocking, and weapon choices support a more confrontational route.
- If you enjoy both: use Naoe to infiltrate and isolate targets, then switch to Yasuke when you want a direct fight or the situation favors his durability. Open-world switching is confirmed after the protagonists unite; mission-by-mission freedom is not established.
Does the latest update change the choice?
No. Ubisoft’s June 16, 2026 update announcement says the game’s final update added Black Tides, a story capper of about two hours, and Domains, five challenge maps with modifiers and equipment rewards. The update adds activities, not a reason to prefer one protagonist’s core playstyle over the other. Black Tides requires completing the main story and the earlier post-launch quests “A Critical Encounter” and “A Puzzlement”; Ubisoft says it does not require the Claws of Awaji expansion. See Ubisoft’s final update announcement for those requirements and details.
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