Assassin’s Creed Shadows is amazing, but I wish I had known just how massive it is before diving in.

I had a blast diving into the world of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, especially its stunning portrayal of Japan. The environment is rich with detail, bustling with life, and the dynamic weather adds an immersive touch that really pulls you in. However, the game is absolutely packed with content. In many areas, Naoe and Yasuke can barely walk a hundred meters without stumbling upon a quest NPC, a settlement, or some other engaging activity.

The abundance of things to do in Assassin’s Creed Shadows is both exciting and overwhelming. I appreciate how the smaller activities and side quests offer glimpses into the culture of feudal Japan, but when you mix in the usual dialogue systems, quest choices, skill points, upgradeable gear, and base management, it can feel like a lot to juggle. If you’re new to Assassin’s Creed Shadows, take my advice and check out some guides to help you navigate the ways of the Kakushiba Ikki.

When you start a new game, you’re given options like Canon Mode and Immersive Mode, allowing you to shape the game’s presentation from the get-go. Canon Mode streamlines the experience into a more linear path, while Immersive Mode has most NPCs speaking in their native language, which is great for those who prefer subtitles over dubs.

The game kicks off with a straightforward, albeit lengthy, tutorial. If you opt for Canon Mode, it’s wise to familiarize yourself with the various dialogue symbols early on. You begin as Yasuke, meeting key characters and getting a taste of the central conflict before switching to Naoe. Your first stealth assassination mission involves retrieving a box, leading you to encounter the cunning Shinbakufu gang.

There are no multiplayer modes in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, so you won’t have other players joining you on your quest for revenge, and it’s not available on Game Pass.

After some initial tutorials and prologue content, you’ll finally step into the expansive world as Naoe, and it’s impressive how vast the map is, especially just an hour into the game. If you’re curious about the game’s length, there are resources available to help. A good starting point is to hunt down the nearby Makinoodera Temple lost pages for an easy Knowledge Point, and keep an eye on tips that will be invaluable moving forward.

Make sure you understand how Knowledge Points and Mastery Points work, as you should have earned at least one of each by now. Accumulating both is essential for enhancing Naoe and Yasuke’s combat abilities across their skill trees. If you’re looking for advice on where to allocate your points, there are guides available on the best skills for both characters.

You might be eager to switch to Yasuke, but you’ll need to complete a significant quest chain as Naoe first. It’s helpful to know the differences between Naoe and Yasuke for when you finally get to play as the legendary samurai. Yasuke’s approach is quite different from Naoe’s, and I was surprised by how much less stealthy he is.

As for Naoe’s journey, there’s some groundwork to lay before diving into her quest, specifically establishing a base of operations with Tomiko at the Hideout. This introduces some light base management mechanics that may seem complex at first but are actually quite straightforward.

The Hideout is crucial because you can build and upgrade various structures that provide passive benefits and unique features. I wish I had completed the early Way of the Blacksmith quest in Sakai sooner, as it unlocks the Forge, which is essential for upgrading weapons and armor. Just remember, you’ll need specific crafting resources and Mon to fund these upgrades. Building structures in the Hideout also requires certain resources, so farming for Hideout Resources is key, with scouts being the best way to gather them.

Once your Hideout is set up, you can explore the Izumi Settsu region, including the towns of Sakai, Osaka, and Amagasaki. The game’s seasons will also start to play a role, unexpectedly altering the environment and weather as you complete quests. This mechanic can be a bit confusing at first, as it’s influenced by both your actions and an in-game timer.

As you navigate these towns, you’ll follow quest leads for two of Naoe’s targets: the Golden Teppo and The Wounded. These quest chains will take you to various locations, so be sure to spend your Mon on Kakurega fast travel points whenever you can and prepare for some key challenges:

The Golden Teppo: Acquire kosode (Dress for Success), participate in the tea ceremony (The Tea Ceremony), and confront either Otama or Wakasa (The Tea Ceremony).

The Wounded: Eliminate the executioner (The Killing Fields), locate Mitsumune (Stolen Faith), and make a choice regarding Yaya Mitsumune (Heads Will Roll).

Completing that final quest can also influence how you recruit Yaya, allowing her to join the Hideout as one of several Allies. These potential companions can be found through quests and can even become romance options for Naoe or Yasuke.

As you wander through Japan, you might encounter NPCs with intriguing questions, so having the answers to the riddles handy could be beneficial.

Once you’ve taken down at least one of Naoe’s first two targets, you’ll be directed to the Yamashiro region and Kyoto with a new quest. However, I recommend wrapping up more in Izumi Settsu first. If you’ve defeated The Wounded but not the Golden Teppo, I suggest going after the latter, as it rewards Naoe with a fantastic tanto weapon—arguably one of the best in the game. Don’t forget to raid Katano Castle and Takatsuki Castle for their main chests to equip Naoe with some of the best armor available.

Hopefully, you’ve utilized Naoe’s stealth skills to gather most of this gear without much hassle, but if you’ve attracted a Wanted status, it’s not always a major issue, though it’s preferable to avoid it. Make sure you know how to clear your Wanted status. There are also plenty of side quests and activities in the region to help you level up and boost your Knowledge Rank for tougher challenges ahead:

– Kabukimono
– Thrown to the Dogs quest and key
– Gansenji Temple lost pages
– Tennoji Temple lost pages
– Nishinomiya Shrine
– Makino Kurumazuka Kofun

If you’re looking for even more side activities, there are Projects from the Animus, but you’re not missing out on much by skipping these.

The Butterfly Collector mission is a great way to earn some easy Mastery Points, as long as you can track down all the insects.

With that, you should be ready to head to the Yamashiro region and Kyoto for Naoe’s next targets. This will involve tackling the Belly of the Beast quest, which will eventually allow you to take control of Yasuke. By this point, you may have upgraded your Forge and acquired some solid Legendary gear that you can enhance further with engravings.

As mentioned, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a massive game, and unlocking Yasuke feels like the moment the adventure truly begins, even if it happens a bit later than expected. If you’ve been following along, you should be well-prepared to tackle the rest of this shinobi and samurai saga. And if you enjoy it enough, you can dive back in for a fresh experience with New Game Plus!