The closed beta version of Assassin's Creed Jade has officially begun, and already, sneak peeks of the gameplay have surfaced online. Most notably, the footage reveals the return of well-known characters Kassandra, of Assassin's Creed Odyssey fame, and Wei Yu, the historical figure who famously ended the reign of China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang. Players may remember Wei Yu from his statue below the villa in Assassin's Creed 2, and now the opportunity to play as him is a thrilling prospect.
This isn't Kassandra's initial reappearance since her heroic role in Odyssey. In the concluding part of The Fate of Atlantis DLC, Kassandra gains a remarkable precursor staff, granting her immortality. This fascinating plot twist means she could potentially appear in any of the Assassin's Creed games. We've encountered her before in Valhalla through Eivor's perspective, and it seems we're about to meet her again, this time through Wei Yu's eyes.
In the leaked footage, Kassandra is seen teaching Wei Yu the iconic Leap of Faith, engaging in friendly banter as he follows her lead. This exciting scene is part of the quest "A Mediterranean Expedition", where the mission's goal is to cooperate with Kassandra. Together, they tackle guards at a dock, with Wei Yu taking care of the lower level, while Kassandra ascends to handle the upper section. Interestingly, during these scenes, Wei Yu wields a knife, similar to Kassandra's spear, though he lacks the traditional hidden blade.
Additional scenes reveal Wei Yu defending the docks with a spear, providing viewers with a sneak peek at the mobile HUD and combat. The leaked footage suggests that Jade's combat system isn't entirely identical to the RPG Assassin's Creeds, yet it bears striking similarities. The footage source, LolcatP, who found it on the Gaming Leaks and Rumours subreddit, was unsure if sharing such footage was permitted, stating, "Unsure if I'm even allowed to share recordings so I'll consider it a leak for now."
Assassin's Creed Jade is an open-world RPG set in Ancient China, and while much of the story remains unknown, it is plausible that we'll see the end of emperor Qin Shi Huang, given Wei Yu's history. This is not the first time footage has leaked, with previous clips showing a player navigating the Great Wall of China to safeguard Yonging Village. However, with Aya's statue in AC2 revealing she ended Cleopatra's reign, something we did not witness in Origins, there may be more surprises in store for players.