Summary
Sucker Punch’s first game was a one-off on the N64 in 1999 calledRocket: Robot on Wheels. They then transitioned into building franchises likeSly Cooper,inFAMOUS, and now theGhost ofgames.Ghost of Yoteiwill succeedGhost of Tsushima, taking place hundreds of years after the first game’s setting in Japanese history.
The trailers and gameplay demos forGhost of Yoteithat have been shown so far look promising, but can Sucker Punch make two classic open-world games in a row? Also, can they innovate and go above and beyond whereGhost of Tsushimastuttered? Let’s go through allthe trappings that Sucker Punch should attempt to avoid withGhost of Yotei. So far, they have already dodged one bullet: the dreaded $80 price tag.
Leaning Too Hard Into Mysticism
Defeats The Point Of The Original
What fans truly dug about theGhost of Tsushimawas the grounded storytelling. Jin takes on the mantle of the titular Ghost as he avenges his people from the shadows. He didn’t actually have any powers supernatural, and every time there was something mystic in the game, it was because of a drug. So far, it doesn’t look likeGhost of Yoteiis leaning hard into fantasy or sci-fi.
However, games can always have an unexpected twist, like whena character gets replaced mid-game. The best example is Solid Snake being replaced inMetal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Surprises like this can sometimes be cool, but they could also alienate players, especially in a franchise’s first sequel. Hopefully, Sucker Punch didn’t put too muchinFAMOUSDNA intoGhost of Yotei.
Putting Too Much Focus On Young Atsu
This Isn’t A Game For Kids
Sucker Punch has been a bit vague about how the young Atsu mode is going to factor intoGhost of Yotei. In the July showcase, they showed Atsu walking, and then, with the press of a button, she flashed back to her younger self walking the same path. Any game that is able to do this is impressive, which has been highlighted in many PS5 games at this point, withRatchet & Clank: Rift Apartbeing the most prominent example.
There must be a gameplay reason for it, though, because players presumably can’t fight enemies as a child, as if Atsu can literally turn herself into a child but retain her samurai abilities. As such, however this mechanic works, hopefully the game doesn’t slow its pace for child-based puzzles. Someaction fansenjoy puzzles in their games, including fans of theZeldaseries, but it’s not a perfect fit for everyone.
Limiting Players To Horseback Travel
Samurai Games Have Leveled Up
It’s worrying right now that the only traversal options shown in trailer footage has been on foot or horseback. Atsu isn’t climbing huge mountains or, best of all, gliding down them. 2017 was a banner year for the open-world genre thanks toThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildand its Paraglider. Otheropen-world games have smartly copied this gliding idea, including another samurai game,Rise of the Ronin.
Small exclusions like these can add up and force players to compare games likeRise of the RonintoGhost of Yotei. Having no glider is not a deal-breaker, but just imagine how fun it would be to climb up a mountain and then sail down after, or to be able to climb faster. Exploration is just as important in an open-world game as combat is, and traversal variety naturally plays a big part in that.
Lackluster Boss Battles
Taking Down The Yotei Six
A good boss battlecan help cement a game in a player’s memory.Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, for example, learned from its predecessor and included bombastic and engaging boss fights.Ghost of Tsushimahad challenging boss fights, but not creatively elaborate ones.
It looks likeGhost of Yoteiis going to have a lot of boss battles, including all of the bounties players can collect. The main story follows Atsu as she hunts down an organization known as The Yotei Six. If those boss battles are at least creative, then it will be a win. If they all amount to little more than timing dodges and parries, then fans will inevitably feel disappointed.
Level Gating
Let Players Explore At Their Leisure
Assassin’s Creed Shadowsis the game that series fans have been seeking for a while: oneset in Japan. While it had plenty of controversies leading up to its release, including a last-minute delay, fans mostly enjoyed it, albeit for one key factor: level gating. Players were technically free to roam the world however they wanted, but they couldn’t do anything because zones had levels attached. If players were too weak for a particular area, they’d get smoked. Also, enemies leveled up with players simultaneously, so it was hard to ever feel powerful.
Hopefully, Sucker Punch won’t use the concepts of level gating or simultaneous leveling inGhost of Yotei. One of the coolest parts ofGhost of Tsushimawas quickly becoming godlike as Jin to really feel like an unstoppable avenging spirit. The sequel shouldn’t rob players of that feeling likeAssassin’s Creed Shadowsdid.
A Weak Ally System
Customize Your Furry Pals
One of the most striking new features inGhost of Yotei, which was barely elaborated on, is that Atsu can gain furry pals as companions. The one Sucker Punch acknowledged in the July showcase was a wolf, shown fighting alongside Atsu in one battle. When they were demonstrating the Photo Mode, Atsu was next to a bear, so it could be assumed that it was another companion.
It won’t be fun if these animals can just randomly show up in battle. If Sucker Punch wantsan ally system, then they need to commit. Skills, customizable colors, a switchable party system in the menu, and the ability to carry unwanted gear, as is the RPG ally tradition. Without these things, fans may not get as attached to their animal companions as they did the foxes that guided players to shrines inGhost of Tsushima. That’s not the end of the world, but if Sucker Punch is taking the animal companion route, and advertising it heavily, they’re better off pushing the envelope than playing it safe.
