Assassin's Creed Shadows is not the first game in the Assassin's Creed series to feature two protagonists, but it is unique in that its playable characters are distinct individuals with no prior connections. Naoe, a shinobi from Iga, and Yasuke, a samurai in the service of Oda Nobunaga, meet and team up for the first time during the events of the game. Players of Assassin's Creed Shadows can choose at practically any time which character they want to control, minus a few dedicated missions. Both have very different stories and gameplay styles informed by their background, experience, weapon proficiencies and more.