Sucker Punch recently revealed Ghost of Yotei, which is the studio's follow-up to Ghost of Tsushima. Set during the Mongol invasion of the 13th century, Ghost of Tsushima tracks the story of Jin Sakai who must implement new combat strategies that go against the samurai code of honor if he is to protect his homeland. The sequel will take players to Mount Yotei in 1603 and, with this monumental setting transition, players can expect a fresh cast of characters. That said, gameplay may not be wholly different or alienating, nor should it necessarily be.

There's a lot Sucker Punch can do to ensure Ghost of Yotei is a sound sequel as well as a wonderful standalone tale for a new Ghost persona. The studio should focus on gameplay and the ways that it can be improved, but it should forget about story and exploration, which are important aspects of the gameplay experience.

Improvements Ghost of Yotei Should Bring to the Franchise

Stealth Should Make a Return in Ghost of Yotei

Part of what makes Ghost of Tsushima's combat so engaging is that players can switch between head-on attacks and stealthy approaches. Consequently, no two combat scenarios play out in the same way, and it's up to players to decide what the best course of action is at every turn. Stealth is a crucial aspect of Ghost of Tsushima's combat, and it should make a return in Ghost of Yotei. This means that Ghost weapons should also come back, giving the protagonist the ability to disappear in a cloud of smoke or launch sticky bombs from the shadows.

The Sequel Needs More In-Depth Horse Mechanics

In Ghost of Tsushima, Jin has a horse to help him traverse Tsushima Island. The horse also plays an important role in the story, but some of the moments that should be hard-hitting aren't as emotional as they should be because players don't have much incentive to bond with their mount. Ghost of Yotei could change this by featuring more in-depth horse mechanics to make horses feel more realistic. For inspiration, the upcoming sequel could look to Red Dead Redemption 2, which features horses that can be fed, petted, and slowly trained.

A possible wolf companion would also go a long way in expanding on this bond between humans and animals, but only time will tell what role it plays.

Ghost of Yotei Should Feature New Side Activities

Ghost of Tsushima has a diverse range of side activities that are fun to discover. There are fox dens to find, bamboo to cut, golden birds to follow, haiku to craft, and more to do when Jin isn't out slicing Mongols to bits. To keep things interesting, Ghost of Yotei needs a new assortment of side activities.

It would be a great disservice to the game if fox dens and such activities were simply copied and pasted from Ghost of Tsushima, for instance. These new activities need to tie into the setting satisfyingly while providing some type of progress for the protagonist.

Ghost of Tsushima is a phenomenal title that proves that Sucker Punch has what it takes to compete with the best of Sony's first-party studios when it comes to making open-world games. With Ghost of Yotei, the studio has the chance to impress the gaming world yet again. Fortunately, it may not take too much tweaking of Ghost of Tsushima's formula as the studio has already discovered a winning strategy when it comes to gameplay and Atsu's origin story may allow that formula to play out similarly.