Assassin’s Creed Shadows Walkthrough#
The main story of Assassin’s Creed Shadows revolves around its dual protagonists, running from Iga to Kyoto and finally into the great historical events at the end of the Sengoku period. This page lays out the chapter-by-chapter flow of the main story; the full set of sub-guides is indexed in our Assassin’s Creed Shadows hub.
1. Overall Story Arc#
The game is threaded by its “dual protagonists”: Naoe sets out from revenge in Iga, while Yasuke searches for his own place within the Oda clan and the Sengoku turmoil. The two storylines advance interwoven, are drawn into the millennia-old struggle between Assassins and Templars, and touch major historical events such as the Honnō-ji Incident.
2. Prologue and Opening#
- The fall of Iga: Naoe’s village is destroyed in Nobunaga’s campaign, and her father Nagato falls in battle.
- Yasuke enters: Yasuke serves the Oda clan as a samurai.
- Two storylines begin: each protagonist sets off along the main path.
3. Early Game: Iga and Revenge#
| Chapter | Key Events |
|---|---|
| The Iga chapter | Naoe’s road of revenge begins |
| The growth chapter | Both protagonists grow, accumulating gear and skills |
4. Mid Game: Kyoto and History#
- Pushing into Kyoto: enter the capital and go deeper into its power struggles.
- Historical events: get entangled in the relationship between Oda Nobunaga and Akechi Mitsuhide.
- The Honnō-ji Incident: the game’s central historical event, presented in fictionalized form.
5. Late Game: Converging Storylines#
- The two lines converge: Naoe’s and Yasuke’s storylines interweave.
- Assassins and Templars: the main story closes on the core conflict of the millennia-old struggle.
- The ending: reach the story’s conclusion.
6. Progression Tips#
| Tip | Notes |
|---|---|
| Intel before action | Use Scouts and clues to locate targets |
| Advance both storylines | Alternate between the dual protagonists for a more complete experience |
| Run the Hideout | Building and resource management support your progression |
| Explore along the way | Collect gear and clear strongholds as you push the main story |
7. Expected Main-Story Length#
The main story runs roughly 20-30 hours, depending on how much you explore and how many side quests you take on. Players aiming for full completion can finish the rest through New Game+ after clearing the story.
8. Side Content and Optional Activities#
- Side quests: flesh out character stories and supply gear.
- Fortress challenges: complete fortress infiltration and assaults.
- Full completion: wrap up the Codex and cosmetics after clearing the story.
9. Post-Story Content#
After the main story, you can keep exploring, collecting, taking on fortress challenges, and playing New Game+ at higher difficulty. The world does not stop when the main story ends — it opens into a freer stage of exploration.
10. Summary#
The main story interweaves the two protagonists’ lines with tight pacing. Understand the chapter flow, make good use of intel and the Hideout, and you can advance steadily through the Sengoku turmoil and enjoy this gripping journey through history.
11. Balancing Main Story and Side Content#
Main story and side content do not conflict. While pushing the main story, clearing stronghold side quests, recruiting Scouts, and running the Hideout accumulate resources and gear that in turn make the main story progress more smoothly.
12. Key Story Cutscenes#
The game presents its story cinematically. Do not skip the key cutscenes — you can easily miss important clues. Pay attention to character dialogue and item hints, and you can often sense where the plot is heading early.
13. Post-Story Content#
After the main story, you can keep exploring, collecting, taking on fortress challenges, and playing New Game+ at higher difficulty. The world does not stop when the main story ends — it opens into a freer stage of exploration.
14. The Main Story’s Themes#
The game sets out from revenge in Iga and is finally drawn into the great historical events at the end of the Sengoku period. It is more than a tale of revenge — it is part of a millennia-old struggle about “freedom and order.” Understanding that theme makes the main-story experience feel more complete.
15. Historical Imagination#
The game weaves real historical events into the fictional Assassin’s Creed narrative, keeping the basic outline of history while adding the series’ own imagination. Appreciating this balance of “history plus fiction” gives the main story more flavor.
16. Main Story and Full Completion#
Main-story progression and full completion do not conflict. Collecting gear, Codex entries, and cosmetics while pushing the main story saves you enormous backtracking time later.
17. Mindset#
The main story combines the sweep of historical events with the intimacy of its characters’ fates. There is no need to rush to the ending, and no need to obsess over every side quest — advancing at your own pace is how you get the best experience.
18. The Main Story and the Seasons#
You can schedule main-story progress around the seasons. Setting key stealth missions in spring and summer and head-on fights in autumn and winter lets you play to your strengths in the right conditions.
19. The Main Story and the Hideout#
The Hideout is your resupply and planning node during the main story. Returning to it at key points to gear up and manage resources makes everything that follows progress more smoothly.
Ready to trace the road from Iga to Kyoto yourself? Explore more in our Assassin’s Creed Shadows hub.