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Before the Fall is a quest inAssassin’s CreedShadows that unfolds through four flashback chapters, showing scenes of Naoe’s life that take place before the events of the game’s prologue.
Each chapter begins automatically following a meditative mini-game scattered across the map.
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These chapters are fairly linear, and are more of an exercise in familiarizing yourself withthe game’s mechanicsthan they are a challenge, depending on your difficulty level.
Read on to learn how to start the quest, where to find the required Kuji-Kiri locations, and how to complete each memory.
How To Start Before The Fall
This quest becomes accessible immediately after completing the main introduction once Naoe has fully recovered from her wounds duringAn Unpayable Debt.
The quest itself won’t officially appear in your journal until after you visit The Hideout, but you can still progress through it beforehand through Kuji-Kiri locations.
In real life, Kuji-Kiri is a meditative and spiritual ritual. In-game, Kuji-Kiri is represented by quick-time-event (QTE) mini-games that are scattered throughout the map.
Press each button as they are highlighted, while taking care to memorize the pattern, as you need to keep it up after the prompts disappear.
If you’re having trouble with Kuji-Kiri, go into the game’s settings and switch the “Quick Time Events” feature to “automatic.” This allows the ritual to be completed on its own, making it even easier to access Naoe’s memories.
It doesn’t matter which site you meditate at, or in what order, the first four Kuji-Kiri games you complete will each begin a chapter of Before the Fall, played out as a memory-sequence taking place while Naoe meditates.
Memory One: Shinobi Warefare
Set in the year 1579, two years prior to the main storyline, Shinobi Warfarefollows Naoeas she journeys with her aunt Matsu. Matsu talks about Oda Nobunaga’s rise and influence.
After a conversation with Momochi (which doesn’t impact the story regardless of your dialogue choices), your next goal is to navigate through the Nagano Pass without being detected.
Creep past a pair of soldiers using foliage to hide your passage, and you’ll see a cutscene playing out Naoe’s first kill.
The next area has far more enemies, who can quickly overwhelm if they catch sight of you. They patrol predictable routes, and you’ll need to carefully move between hiding spots like tall grass and bushes.
It’s important to understand the difference between cover types: Naoe can crouch in bushes but must go prone in tall grass to stay hidden effectively. If you’re spotted, sprinting far enough away and hiding again can reset enemy alertness.
Naoe can crouch in bushes to hide, but will need to drop prone in tall grass to avoid being seen.
As you progress, other Iga shinobi will begin ambushing enemy soldiers, culminating in a cutscene followed by a boss encounter with an Oda Brute.
This fight introduces you to multi-hit attack chains, which can be parried while the Brute’s weapon flashes blue.
Focus on parrying and dodging - especially avoiding the Brute’s unblockable kick - then strike during safe windows to defeat him and complete this first chapter.
Chapter 2: After the First Invasion; Mind and Body
Taking place five months after the ambush, this chapter opens with a conversation with Naoe’s father. Dialogue choices here are cosmetic and purely for immersion.
After completing another Kuji-Kiri ritual, Naoe is tasked by Matsu with recovering a hidden scroll to advance her shinobi training.
The shrine that holds the scroll is lightly guarded. While it’s possible to confront the enemies head-on, this is a good opportunity tosharpen your stealth skills.
Once the bad-guys are down you can find the scroll hidden inside the pagoda on the far right side of the shrine. Once retrieved, return the heirloom to Nagato to conclude the memory.
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Chapter 3: A True Igan
The third chapter in Before the Fall is a dedicated stealth sequence, though players who prefer direct methods won’t be penalized for breaking cover.
Begin by descending the mountainside and following the main road until the distant castle towers come into view. Your entry point is along the left side, where you can climb fallen trees anduse Naoe’s new grappling hookto scale the tower.
Drop off the tower and use bushes for concealment to sneak past the guard on the bridge. Once inside, you’ll have the opportunity to eavesdrop on a conversation that reveals how long Oda’s soldiers have been camping in the fort.
Stick to the rooftops to reach the next listening point. Here, you’ll overhear a conversation about a fallen Iga shinobi. Climb to the top of the tower, interact with the body, and return to Sandayu to complete the chapter.
Stealthy eavesdropping is technically optional during this memory, and locating the Iga leader’s body is enough to trigger the end of this chapter.
Chapter 4: Traditions
This final memory chapter occurs two years after the previous sequence. Your dialogue choices during this chapter won’t affect the outcome, so feel free to choose as you will.
Begin by following Nagato to a rendezvous point, where you’ll face Fujita Juro in a one-on-one duel to earn your place among the ikki.
During the duel, Naoe is equipped only with a wooden training sword. Because of this, parrying is less effective than usual. Focus on dodging attacks and striking when Fujita is open to secure victory.
Once victorious, proceed toward the fortress, sneaking past or eliminating the guards on the outside at your discretion.
Scale the outer wall using your grappling hook and listen in on the enemy troops to gather intel about Oda’s incoming forces.
Then, move along the wall on your right and climb up onto rooftops to avoid other patrolling soldiers.
The final objective, Oda’s plans, is located in the southeastern building. After retrieving the plans and watching the concluding cutscene, the memory—and the Before the Fall questline—comes to an end.
Completing additional Kuji-Kiri rituals after finishing Before the Fall will not trigger new memories, but each completed ritual will provide a Knowledge Point which can be used toexpand your mastery paths.
Complete all twenty-two Kuji-Kiri locations to unlock the Zen Master achievement.
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