Assassin’s Creed Shadows trailer puts samurai and shinobi side-by-side in feudal Japan

Ubisoft just dropped the first cinematic trailer for its next game in the Assassin’s Creed series – Assassin’s Creed Shadows. As expected, the trailer showcases all the Samurai action we expected (and wanted) at its bloody best. But among the swords, blades and helmets, are many new additions and even some recurring themes.

Here’s a quick look at what’s new, and when the game is set to launch.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows: What’s new?

Assassin’s Creed Shadows takes us to feudal Japan, a setting fans have wanted to see the series go to for years now. Set in the midst of a 16th century uprising in the land of the rising sun, the trailer kicks off with what looks like a daimyo on the run, as our sneaky protagonist catches up to him.

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This is where the trailer drops its first reveal – a female protagonist. While Shadows will not be the first game in the series to have a female protagonist, it is still nice to see a lady pick up the katana, in a theme and setting that has almost always depicted men wielding power.

Our protagonist, Naoe, comes from a small, but rebellious mountain village that’s depicted as the birthplace of shinobi. We see a hint of her origins, and it seems she’s possibly the only survivor from a village burned by samurai pawns in their quest to conquer, or as the daimyos probably see it, ‘unification’.

It is here that we see the second reveal – a second protagonist. The armour-clad Yasuke, an outsider of African-origin, appears to be a skilled samurai who has grown sick of motives that fuel greed and power.

Samurai and shinobi, together

In what feels like a sensei-student relationship, the two protagonists form an alliance that, for the first time, puts the stealth and precision of a ninja and the brute and honour of a samurai side-by-side. It is here that the trailer circles back to the opening scene, with the fleeing daimyo finally put to rest by the iconic Assassin’s Creed hidden blade.

The samurai-shinobi dynamic, which is often depicted as being at odds with each other, already feels like it sets the game apart from titles like Ghost of Tsushima.

It is clear the game wants us to enjoy both sides of the gameplay – some stealthy shinobi action, which may in the spirit of ninja-lore, incorporate lots of tools, and head-on samurai combat, which may rely more on in-hand weapons. Both these elements together should give the game an interesting mix of gameplay styles.

The trailer shows no gameplay just yet, and leaves a lot to the imagination. Will we see a return of the role-playing element of the series? Will naval warfare be a part of the game like some previous titles? How will the plot tie to the larger story of the Assassin order? These are questions that remain unanswered. However, we do get a launch date.

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Assassin’s Creed Shadows will be launching on November 15 this year, and will now be available for pre-order. It isn’t mentioned what platforms the game will come to, but we think it is safe to assume that the title will launch for PC and consoles together. So, whether you have the Sony PlayStation 5 or a gaming laptop, you should be able to play the game on day one.