WhileAssassin’s Creed Shadowsfeatures two playable characters, each with distinct playstyles, only one fills the role of the series' traditional Assassin archetype: Naoe. AtAssassin’s Creed Shadows' outset, Naoe is a 17-year-old shinobi from Iga Province, trained by her father, Fujibayashi Nagato, a renowned shinobi master. Described as “determined but compassionate,” Naoe is skilled at subduing enemies while showing empathy towards war victims. Naoe is also the fastest and most agile Assassin featured in the series, allowing her to perform swift parkour movements and rapid traversals.
Game Rant recently spoke with Ubisoft’s Jonathan Dumont,creative director forAssassin’s Creed Shadows, about Naoe’s background and playstyle. During the interview, Dumont went into detail about developing Naoe to be a familiar yet fresh take on the Assassin formula and how her background factors into her story inAssassin’s Creed Shadows.
All About Naoe in Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Naoe’s Playstyle in Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Naoe isn’t necessarily unique as an Assassin, asAssassin’s Creedveterans are likely to know at least a little about what to expect from her gameplay. However,Assassin’s Creed Shadowsis an extremely ambitious installment in the franchise, pushing boundaries that may catch even its most faithful fans off guard. Despite beingAssassin’s Creed Shadows' stealthspecialist, Naoe still sets herself apart as the franchise’s first shinobi, which ultimately not only gives her a different background but also opens up her character to gameplay opportunities past Assassins haven’t had access to.
In developing Naoe’s gameplay and story, Ubisoft had a lot of things to consider when attempting to bridge the gap betweenAssassin’s Creed Shadows' fictional narrative and thehistorical feudal Japan setting, especially since Naoe’s father is based on a real figure in history: Fujibayashi Nagato-no-Kami. When asked about Ubisoft’s process in developing her playstyle and the challenges that might have come with making her feel fresh but familiar, Dumont replied,
“Gameplay-wise, the fantasy of the assassin and the ninja have a lot in common. When we think about an assassin, we think immediately about stealth, parkour, lethality, and brotherhood. We wanted Naoe to really embody those pillars at the core but expand on them in a shinobi way. For example, adding a grappling hook and prone stance to widen her range of actions, making her parkour and combat moves a bit more acrobatic by adding more martial arts influence and flair, adding allies and spies as exploration and gameplay systems.”
Naoe is more than simply a placeholder Assassin inAssassin’s Creed Shadows— she has been intentionally designed to reflect a shinobi from feudal Japan as authentically as possible while still maintaining that classicAssassin’s Creedstealth gameplay feel. Equipped with traditional shinobi tools like a grappling hook, kunai, smoke bombs, and a Hidden Blade inherited from her father, Naoe embodies a stealthy playstyle reminiscent of earlyAssassin’s Creedgameswhile offering players a unique experience with her character in terms of her movement and speed.
Naoe’s Background in Assassin’s Creed Shadows
While Naoe is a fictional character created specifically forAssassin’s Creed Shadows, she is still the daughter of Fujibayashi Nagato, a historical figure known as one of the three great jonin (high-ranking ninja) of Iga, alongside Momochi Sandayu and Hattori Hanzo. While her and her father’s story will presumably be told somewhat differently inAssassin’s Creed Shadows, this still means Naoe has a rich background that will likely influence her narrative in the game. When asked about Naoe’s background, her father, and what, if any, moments contributed to her character ahead ofAssassin’s Creed Shadows' story, Dumont responded,
“Naoe is the fictionalized daughter of the legendary shinobi Fujibayashi Nagato. She is from the farmlands of the more remote province of Iga, which is known to be one of the birthplaces of shinobi. In Iga, community is everything as the villagers are bound together by an oath of honor as they resist the Daimyo regime of the surrounding clans and, more notably, the Oda clan. I do not want to spoil her story, but let’s just say that her family heritage is filled with secrets.”
Naoe’s story remains under wraps for now, but her identity as the daughter of Fujibayashi Nagato and her background certainly makes for an intriguing story. Ultimately,Naoe’s role inAssassin’s Creed Shadowsisn’t just about maintaining the franchise’s legacy of stealth-focused gameplay but redefining what it means to be an Assassin in feudal Japan. Her agility, weapons and tools, and deep connection to her homeland’s shinobi traditions make her a unique addition to the series, blending familiar mechanics with fresh innovations that set her apart from her predecessors.
