For fans and players who have been following the marketing and conversations around Assassin’s Creed Shadows over the past year, you’re likely familiar with the fervent discussions about historical accuracies and creative license taken by Ubisoft to create what is hopefully an enjoyable adventure. Never an industry to leave things as they are, a parody title Yasuke Simulator has appeared to stoke even more fires in the discussion.
As the name already suggests, this is a less-than-accurate look at what could have been this character’s life in ancient Japan, even if the description says the opposite:
“In a land where samurai roam and power is defined by the sword, Yasuke—the only African warrior to rise to the ranks of the samurai—steps into the pages of history like a walking plot twist. It’s 1579, and Yasuke’s arrival in Japan alongside Jesuit missionary. Join Oda Nobunaga and help him unite all of Japan.”
At first glance, you might think this is a legit experience, where samurai combat, exploration, loot, and historical accuracy combine for a good time. Take a closer look, however, and the joke becomes clear.
The sarcasm-laden experience will see the armoured samurai take to combat with machine guns and motor vehicles, with plenty of Daruma dolls to boot. Even improperly scaled objects, which are a cause of concern for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, have become a core element of Yasuke Simulator. Not too shabby coming from the appropriately named studio behind it, HistoryAccurateDevelopers.
It remains to be seen just how the “epic samurai combat” will play out, or what kind of “secret gear” has been hidden across the map, but it will undoubtedly be more creative than accurate. The joke isn’t even over yet, as Yasuke Simulator is scheduled for release on PC this coming March 20, the same day as Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Perfect timing does exist, apparently.
