Ghost of Yotei Will Be Less Repetitive Than Tsushima

The highly anticipated sequel to the 2020 action-adventure game, Ghost of Tsushima, titled Ghost of Yotei, is set to address one of the main criticisms faced by its predecessor. Developer Sucker Punch Productions has committed to reducing the repetitive nature of the open-world gameplay that was a point of contention among players and critics alike.

Ghost of Yotei Promises Players The “Freedom to Explore”

Ghost of Tsushima Fans Heavily Criticize The Title for Being Repetitive

In a revealing interview with The New York Times, Sony and Sucker Punch Productions unveiled their vision for Ghost of Yotei. This sequel will follow the journey of a new protagonist, Atsu, and aims to offer a less repetitive open-world experience. Creative Director Jason Connell emphasized the challenge of creating an engaging open-world game without falling into the trap of repetitive tasks. "We wanted to balance against that and find unique experiences," Connell stated, highlighting the introduction of firearms alongside traditional melee weapons like the katana.

Despite Ghost of Tsushima earning a solid 83/100 on Metacritic, the game's repetitive gameplay was a common critique. Reviews on the site described the game as "a competent but shallow and overfamiliar attempt to replicate Assassin’s Creed style open world adventure in the world of 13th century samurai," suggesting that a smaller scope or a more linear structure might have enhanced the experience.

Fans echoed these sentiments, with one player noting, "Ghost of Tsushima is beautiful, but insanely repetitive and dull. The problem is that it all gets repetitive very quickly. There are only 5 enemies the entire game. There's sword guy, sword and shield guy, spear guy, big guy, and archer."

Sucker Punch is determined to avoid the pitfalls that marred Ghost of Tsushima by enhancing the cinematic flair and visuals that define the series. Creative Director Nate Fox shared in the interview, "When we started working on a sequel, the first question we asked ourselves is ‘What is the DNA of a Ghost game?’ It is about transporting the player to the romance and beauty of feudal Japan."

Announced at the State of Play in September 2024, Ghost of Yotei is slated for release in 2025 on the PS5. The game promises to give players the "freedom to explore" the stunning landscapes of Mount Yotei at their "own pace," according to Sucker Punch Sr Communications Manager Andrew Goldfarb in a recent PlayStation blog post.