At one point in my four-hour preview of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Yasuke finds himself perched precariously on a pagoda spire. The 250-pound samurai decked out in full warrior gear definitely should not be up here.

The pair appear to clash at first but later join forces, with Yasuke noting, "Our fates are connected." The action role-playing game had originally been planned for a 2024 release, but was postponed to February, and then again to March 20 amid a possible buyout.

“Assassin’s Creed” fans have clamored for a chapter set in Japan for years. The concepts mesh well enough. Ubisoft’s assassins lurk in the shadows and try to kill without commotion while ninjas in popular culture have the same MO. It was an ideal combination.