(Image credit: Ubisoft)
Experiencing a kusarigama for the first time in Assassin’s Creed Shadows was a mystifying event. After vanquishing my second Onryo target at the heart of Amagasaki Castle, my expectations of looting a sleek katana from the remains of Wada Koretake were dashed. Instead, I found myself staring at a hook tethered by a gigantic metal ball on a chain. This peculiar weapon sparked my curiosity, especially as I realized after hours of rudimentary use that my technique was far from optimal.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows distinguishes itself from previous RPG iterations with its revamped weapons system. By the time I uncovered the kusarigama, I had barely mastered the intricacies of weapon and posture attacks – insider tip: holding the attack buttons unleashes powerful posture moves. The sudden introduction of an entirely new weapon class, demanding different skills from the blades I’d grown accustomed to, felt daunting. However, the endeavor proved worthwhile, revealing what I now believe is the ultimate weapon in AC Shadows. My only dread is switching to Yasuke and surrendering this remarkable tool. Let us celebrate the kusarigama, Assassin’s Creed Shadows‘ underestimated powerhouse.
Having logged 20 hours in Assassin’s Creed Shadows while indulging in its visual allure and design, I’ve found these pursuits to be my primary motivation for advancing in the game. Understanding the kusarigama’s true nature is crucial: it is not a flail, a mistake I repeatedly made. Rashly engaging enemies with frantic light attacks using Wada’s Death Whisperer produced explosive results, painting the battlefield red. Yet, this strategy did not align with the weapon’s intended use.
The kusarigama excels as a defensive instrument, ideal for ranged combat rather than direct melee confrontation. In the hands of Naoe, its stealthy wielder, distancing from foes complements her role as a swift shinobi contrasting Yasuke’s brute force. Despite reminding myself of this, I often plunged headlong into chaotic battles, missing the katana’s straightforwardness. Mastery demands practice, and due to Shadows‘ lack of specific weapon tutorials, I had to navigate this learning curve independently.
The basics of the kusarigama: imagine the boulder end as a bowling ball, and your enemies as mere pins. Charging a heavy posture attack to send adversaries flying is immensely satisfying, taking out multiple foes while astride my horse. The hook end, controlled by the light attack button, facilitates swift close-quarters combat. This dual functionality is unique to the kusarigama among Assassin’s Creed Shadows weapons, and its potential is further heightened by the skill tree.
Ubisoft Quebec offers a distinct RPG experience with its weapon-specific skill trees in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Discovering a new weapon unlocks a corresponding skill tree, where Mastery Points amplify your chosen arsenal. This design allows players to personalize character styles within their prescribed archetypes. However, the most impressive maneuvers lie deep within these skill trees, often restricted by your AC Shadows Knowledge rank. Fortunately, the kusarigama features an immensely beneficial passive for a single Mastery Point: Entanglement. This ability allows Naoe to ensnare and launch an enemy into others, amplifying the metaphor of turning pins against their own ranks for maximum chaos.
Perfecting this timing can be challenging, yet the legendary Death Whisperer perk enhances thrown enemy damage by 200%, making Entanglement a transformative ability. It’s been my survival tactic during the late-early game phases. If you seek to transform Naoe into a solitary strike force reminiscent of a bowling club, this is your cue to embrace and master Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ most intricate weapon – possibly the franchise’s finest. Weekly digests, community stories, and much more await those exploring this exhilarating RPG experience.