Assassin’s Creed Shadows: A Critical Encounter Quest Guide

Here is everything you need to know about the new A Critical Encounter quest for Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

A Critical Encounter quest in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. (Image via Ubisoft)

Assassin’s Creed Shadows has added a new questline in a crossover with Critical Role. You can even gain a brand-new ally by completing this new quest.

A Critical Encounter is a short quest that is quite simple and straightforward to complete. Moreover, you also get a nice bonus for finishing it. Here is how to start and complete this quest.

How To Start a Critical Encounter Quest in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

A new title update of #AssassinsCreedShadows is now available. Check out the new ally Rufino with a new quest to recruit him, a new difficulty mode, headgear options in cutscenes, and more! pic.twitter.com/vuLbunXKaG
— Assassin's Creed (@assassinscreed) June 25, 2025

This quest can be unlocked quite early in the main story. However, there are certain requirements you must meet for it to become available:

You must have unlocked Yasuke as a playable character.
Moreover, the ‘Way of the Blacksmith’ quest must also be completed.

If you meet both conditions, head to your hideout to start this collaboration questline. Here, you can talk to Rufino, who is lurking near the area, to begin the quest. Tomiko introduces Rufino as an old associate, and after a short cutscene, you gain your first objective within this quest: destroy the research.

How To Complete a Critical Encounter in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Destroy the research (Image via Ubisoft | @LordFentonGaming/YouTube)

You must head to the western area of Izumi Settsu, in the Sakai region. The quest marker will point to a boat floating some distance away from the coast. The quest itself is simple enough.

You must board the ship and destroy three boxes of research. There are quite a few enemies onboard, so be prepared accordingly. You can play as either Yasuke or Naoe. Choose according to your preference, whether you want to go in loud or silently.

(Note: You should defeat all the enemies first before attempting to destroy the research.)

The best way to approach this mission is from the back end of the ship. You will find the first crate just lying outside the door leading inside. Break the research using an attack from your weapon and head inside.

The second crate will be right next to the ladder leading to the upper floor. After destroying it, head to the upper floor to find the last piece of the puzzle. Break this, and your objective will update to ‘Help Rufino.’

You simply need to proceed to the other end of the ship and kill a single enemy. A short cutscene will play out, and this will start the next quest, Hunting the Hunters.

That was everything to know about the A Critical Encounter quest in Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

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