Ever wanted to parkour as a ninja? Now you can with Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Gear up, Assassin’s Creed lovers. The iconic series is finally back with Assassin’s Creed Shadows and it’s set to throw yourself deep into brand new territory:16th century Japan.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows, out March 20, will take place in the very turbulent Sengoku period of Japan’s history. The Sengoku period was a time of intense civil war in feudal Japan. It marked a brutal free-for-all for control of the country, with powerful lords (daimyo) battling it out for ultimate rule.

As you dive into the game, you’ll take on two roles. First, there’s Naoe, a highly-skilled ninja Assassin from the Iga Province. Slippery and sneaky, playing as Naoe means using noise, light, shadows and actual parkour to avoid being spotted by your enemies. You can use a number of skills at your disposal — kunai, shuriken, grappling hooks and even smoke bombs — to help you infiltrate enemy bases and make short work of your targets with a hidden blade. Stealth and precision is the name of Naoe’s game, and fans are already in love with her playstyle.

In fact, Naoe is the most skilled Assassin to date.

But when you’re not playing as Naoe, you’ll be taking on the role of Yasuke. Where Naoe is all about stealth, Yasuke is all about brute force. As Yasuke, you have the power to absolutely DESTROY enemies with proper samurai skills — think blocks, parries, the lot. You're a one-man army with a shedload of weapons, from kanabos to deadly bows, all in the name of liberating Japan from its oppressors.

Now, Assassin’s Creed Shadows lets you choose whether you’re going to play as samurai or ninja. No matter what your preference, both Noae and Yasuke are fully realised characters, and you’re bound to fall in love with either one. While both fully fleshed out, and you’ll get to know more about them as the game progresses, they both sport different strengths and weaknesses, skills and gear, progression and stats. You can approach different missions with either character, and work to smash every mission.

But, for example, if you’re after the parkour playstyle, you don’t have to stick to Naoe. Yasuke can be stealthy, employ parkour and deliver that fantasy — he’s just not as skilled at it as Naoe. And vice-versa — Naoe will still pack a punch, but it’s not going to be as powerful as Yasuke’s. The choice is yours.

Of course, like every beloved instalment of Assassin’s Creed, Assassin’s Creed Shadows isn’t just about the protagonist. To achieve your goals, you’re going to have to network with figures you meet out in the world. Around every corner lurks more secrets and more information that can help build your intel and tackle your next mission. Build out your arsenal with not only gear, but recruited allies who themselves possess skills and abilities that you’ll need to hit your goals.

So, get ready to bounce between ninja and samurai as Assassin’s Creed Shadows drops on PS5, PC (including Steam), Xbox Series X/S and macOS on March 20. The fate of feudal Japan is counting on you.