5 Things in the Assassin's Creed Shadows Claws of Awaji Expansion We Want to See More of

Article features Spoilers for Assassin's Creed Shadows: Claws of Awaji.

The first major DLC for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, titled Claws of Awaji, released in September of 2025, and many eager Assassins have uncovered its secrets since then. The DLC sees Yasuke and Naoe head to the island of Awaji, where Templar threats still remain. Like the main game, Claws of Awaji gives us targets to take down and several new additions to gameplay. Let’s unpack the five things Awaji did that we need to see more of in Assassin’s Creed going forward.

1) Lateral Playable Cut Scene

One of the most unique elements of Claws of Awaji is how it introduces Naoe and Yasuke to the island. The pair attend a puppet show that seamlessly transitions into a fully playable lateral sequence.

As the storyteller unveils the tale of a mysterious shinobi, you travel across the screen, delivering silence upon your enemies. This play style harkens back to the titles included in Assassin’s Creed Chronicles.

In both artistic direction and execution, this scene serves as an excellent path between the events of the main story and the new journey about to unfold on Awaji.

2) Both Protagonists on the Battlefield at the Same Time

In the main campaign, Naoe and Yasuke acted mostly independently during missions; you would decide who would take on each objective, and that was that. But Claws of Awaji changes this dynamic.

Here, both protagonists take the field of battle simultaneously. You fight as Yasuke, protecting Naoe while she finds the way forward, and during key moments, you’re prompted to switch between the two for smoother execution of your goals.

This approach feels more immersive and gratifying for both characters in a narrative sense; in the next DLC, we’d love to see even more teamwork like this built into the dual-protagonist system.

3) New Ambush Encounters

Want to spice up your open world? Make it more dangerous. On Awaji, even the most innocent-looking villager may be hiding a blade poised to strike. Traps lie unseen beneath your feet, triggering surprise attacks that catch even seasoned assassins off guard. These moments form part of the new ambush mechanic introduced in Claws of Awaji.

In a game with such a vast open world, players often develop a sense of safety outside of missions. Claws of Awaji deliberately strips that comfort away, making you vulnerable to sudden, unpredictable encounters. The result is a subtle but powerful tension; every step feels uncertain, every shadow suspicious.

It’s a great addition that unfortunately fades too quickly if you rush through the main story; but signs point to this mechanic returning. Ubisoft has confirmed that the upcoming Valley of Memory DLC for Assassin’s Creed Mirage will contain ambush encounters. It will be free to all players who own the game when it launches on November 18.

4) The Boss Fights

The crown jewel of Claws of Awaji are the boss fights. The DLC provides 30 new targets for Yasuke and Naoe. There are four main adversaries and 26 minor targets all out to keep our heroes from achieving their goals.

Hunting down the lesser targets remains similar to the main campaign, but facing down the primary antagonists is where Claws of Awaji shines brightest. Each of the encounters has narrative weight to it and is more unique than any of the enemies Yasuke and Naoe have faced before.

The structure draws inspiration from the best elements of prior games: the open-ended “black box” assassinations of Valhalla and the “weaken your enemies first” progression found in Odyssey. Some lesser foes can be eliminated strategically to gain advantages in later encounters, while one key target even receives a cinematic assassination that nails the DLC’s tension perfectly.

These showdowns deliver some of the most memorable combat in the series; if future titles continue to build on the depth and creativity of these boss encounters, they could set a new standard for Assassin’s Creed combat.

5) Becoming More a Part of the Wider Assassin–Templar Conflict

It’s been a long time since players truly stepped into the era of the Assassins and Templars. Since Origins, we’ve followed the Hidden Ones and their allies, watching the early philosophies that would one day define the Brotherhood. But with Shadows, the series finally returns to a period where both factions exist in full. This marks a return to form and, more importantly, stabilization of the overall narrative.

Naoe and Yasuke indeed discover the existence of the Templar Order, but neither becomes a part of the Assassin Brotherhood. Claws of Awaji introduces us to Japan’s only Assassin of the Brotherhood; Naoe’s mother, Tsuyu.

She was the first Japanese Assassin but failed a mission and became trapped on Awaji. Once she joins with Yasuke and Naoe, they too become part of the larger picture. Perhaps in the next DLC, we will see them meet more members of the Brotherhood and aid in a plot involving the Templars and Isu tech. They never mentioned Isu artifacts in the main campaign, so the door is wide open.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Claws of Awaji expands the base game in meaningful ways. Between its tense ambush encounters, unforgettable boss battles, and long-awaited return to the true Assassin–Templar conflict, this DLC feels like the bridge fans have been waiting for. If this is where Shadows begins to connect its world to the wider saga, the next chapter could be something truly special.