ASSASSIN'S CREED SHADOWS

Presenting protagonist double trouble

Don’t call it a comeback - after all, Assassin’s Creed never really went away. However, for the next game, set in Sengoku-era Japan, Ubisoft has already announced its commitment to series hallmarks we’ve not seen in years. For a start, if you’re a fan of 2015’s Syndicate, you’d better prick up your ears now: not only will Shadows focus on a duo no doubt soon to be just as iconic as that game’s, it’ll let you pick your approach for specific missions.

Samurai Yasuke, one of two playable protagonists, is a departure from series tradition in that he’s based on an actual historical figure. We don’t know much about the Yasuke of history beyond the fleeting 15 months he spent as a retainer under the powerful feudal lord Oda Nobunaga, but here he’s imagined as a principled young man who’s far from content to stand back and watch when faced with an abuse of power.