For your first hours in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, think of Naoe and Yasuke as complementary answers to different problems: Naoe excels at stealth and traversal, while Yasuke is better equipped for direct combat. Pause to gather information before entering unfamiliar places, and keep the game’s two progression tracks—character level and Knowledge—straight. These ten tips will help you choose a fitting approach without locking you into one playstyle.
1. Pick the protagonist for the task
Naoe is the agile shinobi. Her stealth tools, distractions, grappling hook, and hidden blade make her well suited to infiltrating guarded locations and moving through them unseen. Yasuke is the samurai, with a combat-focused approach built around attacking, blocking, and parrying. He is the more natural choice when you expect open fights.
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Neither character is a universal upgrade. They have distinct stats, skills, gear, and progression, so judge them by the job at hand rather than trying to make one do everything. PlayStation’s game overview and Epic’s beginner guide describe their different roles.
2. Observe before you commit
When you reach an unfamiliar space, take a moment to use Observe before moving in. It can help identify targets, tag and monitor enemies, and highlight loot, collectibles, and quest objectives. Both protagonists can use it, so make it part of your routine regardless of who you are playing.
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- 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.
Ubisoft Associate Game Director Simon put the principle simply: “When in doubt, take a pause, observe the world around you, and only then should you decide what your next move should be.” Ubisoft’s stealth overview explains Observe and other stealth tools.
3. Use Naoe’s Eagle Vision to read blocked sight lines
Observe and Eagle Vision are not the same tool. Naoe’s Eagle Vision can reveal enemy positions through walls and other obstacles, and helps isolate relevant sounds. Use it when you need to understand what is nearby without a clear line of sight. This particular aid is Naoe’s; do not assume Yasuke has it.
4. Know what character level and Knowledge unlock
Character level and Knowledge rank are separate progression systems. Experience from ordinary play raises character level, improves base stats, allows access to stronger gear, and grants a Mastery point as you level. Knowledge is a six-tier track that unlocks ability tiers.
If an enemy feels too strong, your character level may be behind. If an ability tier is unavailable, check your Knowledge rank instead. Ubisoft’s first-play guide and Epic’s guide cover both tracks.
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- Experience an epic, historical action adventure in feudal Japan and become a deadly Shinobi assassin and a powerful legendary samurai as you explore a beautiful open game world in chaotic times
- Sneak as a Naoe to not be discovered, use your agility to confuse your opponents and stretch down your opponents with deadly precision and power as a Yasuke
- Use information as weapons and build your own spy network to have eyes and ears everywhere and find your targets easier and recruit new allies on the go with unique skills to help you with your missions
- Create a fully customizable hideaway for your growing Shinobi league, where you train recruits, craft new equipment and interact with important characters; set the room layout, decoration and accessories yourself
5. Seek out marked Knowledge activities when you need ability tiers
Marked activities are a way to build Knowledge and open higher ability tiers; they are not all mandatory detours. Look for temple scrolls and other activities marked on the map. Depending on what is available to you, activities such as kata and kofun treasures can also contribute. If you are eager to unlock a higher-tier ability, do these activities as a purposeful route rather than clearing every optional marker by default.
6. Prioritize the main objectives if you want free character switching sooner
The opening story keeps you with Naoe for a while after a brief introduction to Yasuke. Ubisoft recommends focusing on the Shinbakufu circle on the objective board to reach the point where you can switch freely between both protagonists. This is a pacing option, not a rule against exploration: take side trips if you want them, but follow those main objectives if switching is your priority.
7. Send scouts when an objective is hard to pin down
If you know the general area of a target but cannot find its exact location, scouts can search within a map area and reveal the objective when it falls inside their search radius. A Study increases scout capacity, while a Stables upgrade can mark resource stockpiles for collection at the end of a season. Once established, Kakurega support scout replenishment and other supplies. Ubisoft’s guide to early progression and the hideout explains these systems.
8. Invest in the hideout for the benefit you actually want
Hideout buildings offer different advantages. Choose based on what would help your current playthrough rather than treating one upgrade as essential:
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| Building | Benefit | Consider it when |
|---|---|---|
| Study | Increases scout capacity | You want more help searching for objectives. |
| Stables | Can mark resource stockpiles for collection at season’s end | You want help locating resources. |
| Tera | 10% experience gain, as listed by Ubisoft in its 2025 guide | You want a published passive experience bonus. |
| Zashiki | 20% ration-efficiency bonus, as listed by Ubisoft in its 2025 guide | You want rations to go further. |
| Kakurega | Outpost functions and support for replenishing scouts and other supplies once the network is established | You want practical support away from the hideout. |
The percentages are Ubisoft’s published game-system values from 2025; later patches could change them. Epic’s beginner guide also describes hideout functions and passive bonuses.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.9. Adjust assassination and dialogue hints to your taste
Guaranteed Assassination is off by default, according to Ubisoft’s March 2025 guide. Turning it on lets the Hidden Blade kill targets regardless of upgrades or enemy level, changing how much your preparation and progression constrain stealth kills. Choose the setting that suits the challenge you want; neither option is the “correct” way to play.
For dialogue guidance, the icons can be set to All, Crucial Only, or Off. Keep all hints if you want clearer guidance, or reduce them if you prefer to make dialogue choices without prompts. These are preference settings, not progression requirements.
10. Experiment with weapons and upgrade a favorite
Each protagonist can equip up to two weapon types, and weapon choices support different strengths and strategies. Try the options you find rather than chasing a single supposedly best setup. If a weapon you like starts falling behind, Epic’s beginner guide says that access to a recruited blacksmith enables gear-level upgrades. Upgrade the weapon that fits your approach instead of switching just to follow a fixed build.
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For more on the weapon differences, see Xbox Wire’s weapon guide.
Quick Recap
A simple opening-hours plan
- Before entering a guarded area: use Observe to identify threats and useful points of interest; use Naoe’s Eagle Vision if obstacles block your view.
- Choose your approach: use Naoe when stealth or traversal fits the task, and Yasuke when you expect to fight directly.
- When progression stalls: check character level for combat readiness and Knowledge rank for ability tiers; seek marked Knowledge activities if needed.
- When the map is vague: send scouts to search the relevant area, and build your hideout around the support you want.
- As your gear develops: test weapon types and upgrade a favorite through a recruited blacksmith.
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