Ghost of Yotei’s Secret Ingredient Could Be its Verticality

While Sucker Punch’s surprise 2020 hit Ghost of Tsushima certainly had a lot going for it in terms of gameplay and story, its prized possession is without a doubt its breathtaking open world, designed to capture the peace, magic, and wonder of feudal Japan’s countryside. To this day, it is one of the most immersive open worlds ever crafted, which leaves its successor, Ghost of Yotei, with a lot to live up to. Fortunately, Ghost of Yotei already looks to capitalize on something that its predecessor largely forewent, despite having a gorgeous world nonetheless.

While only a small amount of information about Ghost of Yotei has been revealed thus far, what has been shown and told makes it seem as though its world will place a significant emphasis on verticality — something Ghost of Tsushima shied away from. Its setting in Ezo (modern-day Hokkaido), for one thing, indicates that players will have more opportunities to witness its world from a vertical standpoint than they could Ghost of Tsushima‘s. If that wasn’t enough, descriptions on Ghost of Yotei‘s website make it clear that its world won’t be as flat as its predecessor’s, which could be the secret ingredient that sets it apart in the end.

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Ghost of Yotei Seems More Vertical Than Its Predecessor

Ghost of Tsushima Lacked Verticality By and Large

Unlike what fans have seen of Ghost of Yotei so far, Ghost of Tsushima didn’t place a heavy emphasis on verticality, at least not in the way that some open-world games like Assassin’s Creed Shadows or The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild do. Jin could scale certain marked cliffs in Ghost of Tsushima using a basic climbing mechanic, but it was dependent upon context and rarely took players to extreme heights. Most of these areas were in the game simply to make Tsushima Island a little less flat and give it more character.

That being said, verticality wasn’t entirely absent in Ghost of Tsushima, especially when it came to Shinto shrines. Upon completing a Shinto shrine in Ghost of Tsushima, and even on the path to completion, players could get an awe-inspiring view of Tsushima Island that would send chills down anyone’s spine. Additionally, players could occasionally climb lookout towers or attack from rooftops during missions, but even then the level design didn’t revolve around height.

Ghost of Yotei Will Feature ‘Massive Sightlines’

Fortunately, it appears that will likely change in Ghost of Yotei, according to the game’s setting and some text on its official website. Firstly, Ghost of Yotei‘s setting has it taking place around Mount Yotei, which already implies an increase in verticality. The second indicator that Ghost of Yotei‘s world will be more vertical is more reliable evidence, however, and it involves a description of the game’s world on its website. Specifically, according to an official description on its website, Ghost of Yotei will feature “massive sightlines that let you look far across the environment.”

Whether these “massive sightlines” are significantly different from what Ghost of Tsushima offered remains to be seen, but it doesn’t seem like they will disappoint. As such, Ghost of Yotei fans should expect to venture into a world with unprecedented verticality for the Ghost franchise and once again bear witness to some breathtaking landscapes in what will likely be one of the most immersive and beautiful open worlds in recent memory.

Action

Adventure

Open-World

Systems

Released

2025

Publisher(s)

Sony Interactive Entertainment