5 things you might have missed in the Assassin's Creed Shadows trailer

There are a few things that you might have missed in the Assassin's Creed Shadows trailer that revealed the first official look into feudal Japan, and calling it impressive would be an understatement. The trailer contained some subtle elements that may have failed to grab your attention during the global premiere.

This article mentions five such things that fans may have missed from the Assassin's Creed trailer.

Top 5 Things that you may have missed from the Assassin's Creed Shadows trailer

Here are some subtle things depicted in the Assassin's Creed Shadows trailer that might have missed to catch your attention during the premiere's launch:

1) Sengoku Jidai - The war of Unification

Ubisoft's latest installment in the Assassin's Creed series explores Japan's rich history. After all Japanese history is rich with iconic eras, from the rise of the Tokugawa Shogunate to its fall during the Bakkumatsu period.

Read more: AC Shadows release date

The trailer drops hints that your journey in the new Assassin's Creed installment will lead you to the war-torn landscape of the Sengoku Jidai period. During the Assassin's Creed Shadows trailer, you can hear Naoe stating the following:

"All I have ever known in my life... our customs... my family, burns in the name of Unification"

If you are not familiar with Japanese history, the Sengoku Jidai or the Warring States period saw the various regions of the Japanese Archipelago uniting under the Shogunate banner of the Tokugawas. The process of unification was started by Oda Nobunaga and ended with Tokugawa Ieyasu winning the battle of Sekigahara and forming the Tokugawa Shogunate.

Also, there is the presence of Yasuke, Oda Nobunaga's loyal retainer, and the known African man who yielded the Katana. The hints scattered throughout the Assassin's Creed Shadows trailer all point to the Sengoku Jidai period, which might go unnoticed by those unfamiliar with Japanese history.

2) The Warlord of Gunpowder - Oda Nobunaga

You will meet the iconic Great Unifier of Japan, Oda Nobunaga (Image via Ubisoft)

One of the great unifiers of Japan, Oda Nobunaga appeared in the Assassin's Creed Shadows trailer, revealing a sinister tactic that may have caught you by surprise. While many associate samurais primarily with katanas, they also wielded another weapon acquired from their European trading partners.

The Assassin's Creed Shadows trailer showcased this deadly weapon, the firearm known among the Japanese as Tanegashima. It was Nobunaga's usage of matchlock firearms that made him one of the most powerful and feared daimyos during the Sengoku era.

Also read: All Assassin's Creed games ranked

3) Dual protagonists - A warrior and an assassin

Assassin's Creed Shadows trailer gave us a glimpse of our two protagonists (Image via Ubisoft)

Given Ubisoft Quebec has once again taken the wheel of development, it should not be surprising that Assassin's Creed Shadows will have a dual protagonist system. Previously we played as the English Frye twins making their way throughout Victorian London and from the looks of it, we will once again embark on our fight against the Order as two characters.

The first character is Naoe, a member of the Japanese Assassin's Brotherhood from the Sengoku Jidai period. Yasuke, Nobunaga's loyal retainer Yasuke will join her in her crusade against the Order. Similar to Syndicate, Yasuke will be brawl-focused, allowing you to take enemies head-on, while Naoe will be the stealthy Assassin, taking out enemies from the (you guessed it), shadows.

4) A callback to another Assassin

"Niente è vero, tutto è permesso" (Image via Ubisoft)

We have played many protagonists in the Assassin's Creed series, but no one has been more iconic than Maestro Ezio Auditore da Firenze. A man whose legendary feats comprised toppling the Borgia order of Templars, and building the Roman brotherhood by himself. His travels even took him to Constantinople to learn more about the Masyaf Library while simultaneously taking on the Byzantine remnants of the Templar Order.

Ezio's contribution to both the Brotherhood and the Assassin's Creed series is massive. If you played the second part of Ezio's story, AC Brotherhood, you might remember him uttering the phrase "We Work in the Dark to Serve the Light", something which his dear friend, Machiavelli said to him when he became an Assassin.

The latest Assassin's Creed Shadows trailer paid a small tribute to the legendary Ezio Auditore when Naoe and Yasuke uttered the phrase "We are the Shadows, that serves the light".

5) The Switchblade variant makes its return

The Assassin's Creed Shadows trailer showcases the return of the switchblade (Image via Ubisoft)

The iconic Hidden Blade has seen multiple iterations throughout the franchise. From Ezio's Hookblade to Arno's Phantom Blade, even the introduction of grappling hooks or gun mechanisms brought more variations to the weapon, enhancing gameplay and distinguishing each game in the series.

If you are an ardent fan of the franchise, you may or may not have noticed a returning Hidden Blade variant that Ubisoft showcased during the Assassin's Creed Shadows trailer. It is the forgotten Switchblade version of the iconic weapon that Connor Kenway used in his fight against the Colonial British. This variant will finally make its glorious return, but instead of the Templars in the American Colony, the Blade will spill the blood of the Japanese Order.

Assassin's Creed Shadows will take us through a war-torn Japan during the Warring States or Sengoku Jidai period in November of 2024. We will be covering the game religiously so make sure to keep your Eagle Vision ready for more updates and make sure to follow our Assassin's Creed Shadows section.

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