While Assassin’s Creed Shadows shares some similarities with its predecessors, it shifts the focus away from purely stealth-based gameplay. Although stealth remains a key element, especially when playing as Naoe, the game offers a different experience compared to previous entries. Yasuke can handle multiple enemies in combat, but Naoe, a skilled Iga shinobi, excels in covert operations rather than direct confrontations. Her tools and abilities are designed for silent takedowns, making her less effective in open combat scenarios.

If you’re not optimizing your playstyle by equipping the best gear possible, Naoe might struggle to take out enemies in one hit, even when using silent takedowns. This can lead to unavoidable combat, which is a significant challenge for her. The issue often arises due to enemy armor or high health, making it frustrating to rely solely on Assassinations.

To enhance the stealth gameplay experience without constantly upgrading your gear, there’s a simple solution. Access the Options menu and navigate to the Gameplay tab. Within this menu, locate the Difficulty Tuning settings. Here, you can adjust Combat Difficulty, Stealth Difficulty, and most importantly, enable Guaranteed Assassinations. Enabling this option ensures that every successful Assassination will result in an instant kill, regardless of the enemy’s remaining health.

Some players might feel that enabling Guaranteed Assassinations is akin to cheating, but it significantly improves the stealth experience in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Without this setting, the Assassination mechanic feels underwhelming, as it often falls short of completing the takedown. With this option turned on, you can focus solely on the thrill of sneaking through environments and executing precise, lethal strikes.