Assassin’s Creed Shadows transports players to feudal Japan, offering a massive open world to explore as dual protagonists Yasuke and Naoe. With so much to discover, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed at first. This guide covers 12 key tips to help you get the most out of your early gameplay experience.
Focus on Character Strengths
Yasuke and Naoe each excel in different areas. Yasuke is built for direct combat, wielding traditional weapons like katanas with devastating effect. Naoe, on the other hand, specializes in stealth and agility. While both characters can handle various situations, you’ll have the most success by playing to their individual strengths.
Yasuke’s Combat Focus:
- Engage enemies head-on
- Utilize powerful combo attacks
- Upgrade melee weapon skills
Naoe’s Stealth Approach:
- Stick to the shadows
- Prioritize silent takedowns
- Invest in stealth-enhancing abilities
Customize Your Experience
Assassin’s Creed Shadows offers several options to tailor the game to your preferences:
Language Settings
For a more immersive experience, try the native language audio option. This setting has characters speak in their historically accurate languages, including Japanese, English, and Portuguese. It adds cultural authenticity and depth to the game world.
Adjust Brightness
The default brightness setting may be too dark, especially in interior or nighttime scenes. Increase the brightness slightly to ensure you don’t miss important details or enemies lurking in the shadows.
Difficulty Tuning
The game allows you to adjust combat and stealth difficulty independently. This means you can create a custom experience that challenges you in the areas you enjoy most while easing up on others.
Master the Environment
Painted Walls
Keep an eye out for painted walls throughout the game world. These surfaces indicate climbable areas, allowing for faster traversal and access to hidden areas or vantage points.
Synchronization Points
Climbing and synchronizing at viewpoints is a crucial early-game activity:
Step 1: Locate tall structures or landmarks on your map.
Step 2: Climb to the highest point.
Step 3: Interact to synchronize.
Benefits of synchronization:
- Reveals nearby points of interest
- Unlocks fast travel options
- Grants valuable early-game XP
Prioritize Base Upgrades
Investing in your hideout early on will pay dividends throughout your playthrough:
1. Forge
Step 1: Make building the forge your first priority.
Step 2: Gather the required resources.
Step 3: Construct the forge at your hideout.
The forge is essential for two reasons:
- Completes an important early quest
- Allows weapon upgrades, boosting your combat effectiveness
2. Study
Step 1: After the forge, focus on building the study.
Step 2: Allocate resources to its construction.
Step 3: Activate the study at your hideout.
Benefits of the study:
- Adds an extra scout to your team
- Reduces search zones by 25%, speeding up exploration
3. Stable Upgrade
Step 1: Once the study is complete, upgrade your stable.
Step 2: Gather the necessary materials.
Step 3: Implement the stable upgrade.
Stable upgrade advantages:
- Cuts scouting time for resource recovery in half
- Improves overall resource gathering efficiency
Unlock Kakuregas
Kakuregas serve as mini-hideouts scattered throughout the game world. They offer valuable services but require activation:
Step 1: When you receive a Kakurega unlock notification, open your map.
Step 2: Locate the Kakurega marker on the map.
Step 3: Spend 800 mon (in-game currency) to activate the Kakurega.
Activated Kakuregas provide:
- Fast travel points
- Supply restocking
- Hideout upgrade options
Choose Your Path Wisely
Early in the game, you’ll face a choice between two main quests, each offering a unique legendary weapon for Naoe:
- Golden Teppo Quest: Rewards the Tanto, a dagger that can be upgraded for double assassinations.
- Wada Koretake Quest: Grants the Kusarigama, a chain weapon effective against multiple enemies.
Consider your preferred playstyle when choosing:
- For stealth-focused gameplay, prioritize the Golden Teppo quest.
- If you enjoy taking on groups of enemies, start with the Wada Koretake quest.
Explore Kuji Kiris
Kuji Kiris are meditation spots that offer both gameplay and narrative benefits:
Step 1: Check your map for Kuji Kiri locations.
Step 2: Travel to the marked spots.
Step 3: Interact with the Kuji Kiri to meditate.
Each Kuji Kiri provides:
- 1 Knowledge Point (used for character progression)
- XP boost
- Insights into Naoe’s backstory
By focusing on these key activities early in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, you’ll build a strong foundation for your journey through feudal Japan. Take your time to explore, upgrade, and experiment with different playstyles to get the most out of this rich, open-world experience.
Remember, Assassin’s Creed Shadows rewards thorough exploration and preparation. Don’t rush through the main story – take time to engage with side activities and build up your characters for the challenges ahead.