Summary
- Ghost of Yotei is poised to transform the IP with new protagonist Atsu and fresh gameplay mechanics.
- The game will emphasize player choice more than Ghost of Tsushima, empowering players to shape the narrative.
- The emphasis on player agency could carry over to the game’s progression system, potentially mirroring KOTOR’s unique abilities based on moral choices.
Ghost of Yotei may not be the Jin Sakai sequel many fans were expecting, but it is nonetheless primed to transform the IP and set it on a course toward a big future. With the introduction of a new protagonist in Atsu, fresh gameplay mechanics, and a brand-new world to discover, Ghost of Yotei shows the same potential for success that Ghost of Tsushima was able to achieve in its heyday. In fact, Ghost of Yotei could go leaps and bounds beyond its predecessor if it strives to improve certain aspects of Ghost of Tsushima for the better.
In its quest to make improvements to the groundbreaking formula of Ghost of Tsushima, Ghost of Yotei might benefit from looking to Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic for inspiration. This is specifically regarding its progression system, which is a perfect fit for Ghost of Yotei‘s renewed emphasis on player choice.
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Ghost of Yotei Could Benefit From KOTOR’s Progression System
Ghost of Yotei Will Emphasize Player Choice More Than Tsushima Did
While its strong narrative and character development proved that it arguably didn’t really need to strongly emphasize player agency, Ghost of Tsushima nonetheless didn’t let players choose much regarding their path moving forward. What is most interesting about this design choice is that the whole narrative revolves around Jin making the choice of whether to remain an honorable samurai or fully commit to becoming the dishonorable Ghost. Rather than letting players choose which path Jin would take, the narrative largely decided for them.
Of course, this was apart from Ghost of Tsushima‘s conclusion, which presents players with a major choice of acting honorably or dishonorably. However, the choice has no effect on the game’s epilogue, and with Ghost of Yotei introducing a brand-new protagonist 300 years in the future, the choice that players made at the end of Ghost of Tsushima won’t matter there either.
Ghost of Yotei, on the other hand, will be empowering players in a way that Ghost of Tsushima never did. In an interview with New York Times, Sucker Punch confirmed that Ghost of Yotei will give players “greater control” over Atsu’s story than they had over Jin’s in Ghost of Tsushima. Unfortunately, that is as detailed as the developer has been about that part of the game, so it’s impossible to know just how far-reaching that emphasis on player agency will be in Ghost of Yotei. Nevertheless, given Atsu’s rogue nature in the game, there already seems to be plenty of room for flexibility when it comes to player choice.
Ghost of Yotei’s Emphasis on Player Agency Could Carry Over to Its Progression System
With Ghost of Yotei‘s renewed emphasis on player agency also comes the question of whether it will not just affect the game’s narrative but also its gameplay as well. If it does turn out that Ghost of Yotei features the morality system that its predecessor lacked, it could benefit from following in the footsteps of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic with a similar progression system. In KOTOR, players were granted access to unique skills depending on which path they chose — light or dark — which was based on the choices they made throughout the story.
Ghost of Yotei could feature a similar progression system by granting players access to specific abilities in light of their moral preference. If players choose a more vengeful path, for instance, perhaps they could give Ghost of Yotei‘s Atsu combat skills that are brutal in nature, whereas the less vengeful path could offer abilities that allow Atsu to subdue her foes without killing them. It could also give her unique speech skills that might allow her to persuade her way out of a fight, while the more destructive path could increase her chances of frightening enemies through intimidation and inflicting debuffs in the process.
Given Atsu’s rogue nature in the game, there already seems to be plenty of room for flexibility when it comes to player choice.
By embracing player agency more fully than Ghost of Tsushima did, Ghost of Yotei has the potential to be more immersive and redefine what it means to walk the path of the Ghost. If Sucker Punch follows through with a progression system that reflects these choices in meaningful ways, perhaps drawing inspiration from Knights of the Old Republic is the right way to go, as that could create an experience where combat, dialogue, and morality are all connected.
Action
Adventure
Open-World
- Released
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2025
- Publisher(s)
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Sony Interactive Entertainment