Ghost of Yotei will be haunted by a ghost of yore

It will not come as a surprise to anyone that Ghost of Yotei will be haunted by a ghost of yore, Ghost of Tsushima to be precise. Specters like these can be hard to shake off, even if the title isn't directly continuing the story with the same protagonist, like Death Stranding 2.

But this feeling got further exacerbated once I went through the recent Ghost of Yotei State of Play gameplay deep dive.

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Ghost of Yotei will find it difficult to shake off Ghost of Tsushima's spectre

Even though Ghost of Yotei is a standalone sequel, discussions around the title will include comparisons with Ghost of Tsushima. The State of Play gameplay deep dive was followed by discussions around changes in combat, exploration, graphics, and more. My gripe and concern are with something other than these. It's the story.

Explore the vibrant world as Atsu (Image via Sucker Punch)

Ghost of Yotei is being positioned as an underdog revenge tale. Atsu's family was killed by the Yotei Six. Atsu was the only one who managed to survive. She has been honing her skills and nursing her vengeance for 16 years, and is likened to the Japanese folklore's spirit of vengeance onryō.

The State of Play gameplay deep dive focused on this narrative, showcasing her thirst for revenge, her excellence in combat, and her desire to kill the Yotei Six. We also get glimpses of Atsu's past with her family, helping players to connect with who she was to better understand the tragedy that befell her and finally turned her into what she became.

There's no doubt that this is a solid premise and one that hopefully the Ghost of Yotei developers will do justice to. But, it pales in comparison, for now, when compared to that of Ghost of Tsushima.

Ghost of Tsushima's macro conflict (Image via Sucker Punch)

In Ghost of Tsushima, Jin Sakai, the player character, is a samurai who is tackling the first Mongol invasion of Japan. After suffering a heavy loss at the beginning of the game, Jin spends a large part of Ghost of Tsushima recruiting allies (characters and side missions that were beautifully written) and dealing with his own moral dilemma - whether to stick to the samurai code of honor or to exploit stealthy methods that may be practical but will be considered dishonorable.

The macro aspect of the narrative is about contending with the Mongol invasion of Japan, while the micro aspect focuses on Jin's personal struggle with how he would fight his enemies. And the organic and intricate intertwining of these two is what makes Ghost of Tsushima stand out for me, among other things.

Jin Sakai (Image via Sucker Punch)

In comparison, Ghost of Yotei lacks that macro element. Its story premise is a lot more generic, for lack of a better term, and one that feels could be set anywhere else, too. While Ghost of Tsushima in its entirety felt rooted in Japan, Ghost of Yotei doesn't seem so when it comes to the gist of its story, for now.