Assassin's Creed Shadows' lead developer assures players that focusing on a single protagonist won't significantly impact their overall experience. The game features two playable characters: Naoe, a female shinobi, and Yasuke, a historical African samurai, whose inclusion has generated pre-release discussion.
Concerns arose that prioritizing one character might lead to missed story elements or gameplay. Creative director Jonathan Dumont addressed these concerns, describing his own balanced approach: He typically plays 3-5 hours with one character, then switches to the other for 2-3 hours.
However, Dumont clarified that players won't be at a substantial disadvantage by favoring one character. While each protagonist boasts unique opening sequences and personal storylines, the game's narrative adapts to the player's choice. He encourages players to follow their preferences: "The core experience is flexible. Choose your favorite; the narrative will adjust." Essentially, while individual character arcs exist, the main storyline remains accessible regardless of which character players primarily utilize.
