Summary
There are a vast number of noteworthy things aboutGhost of Tsushima, but its open world is arguably one of its best and most memorable elements. As players explore the beautiful landscapes of Tsushima Island, they aren’t led by traditional quest markers or a compass at the top of the screen. Rather, they are gently nudged along byGhost of Tsushima’s innovative Guiding Wind system, which sees the wind blowing in the direction players are meant to go. Now, its successor,Ghost of Yotei, could either revive that system or replace it with something else entirely — but the latter might be the best option.
Ghost of Yoteiisn’t continuing the story of Jin Sakai and is instead introducing a brand-new protagonist by the name of Atsu, who sets off on a journey in pursuit of revenge for the death of her family and razing of her homestead. Therein actually lies the reason whyGhost of Yoteishould leave Guiding Wind in the past, as the system had a special place inGhost of Tsushima’s narrative and therefore wouldn’t really fit within the context of the next entry and its original story. As it turns out,Ghost of Yoteialready has the perfect replacement for Guiding Wind in the palm of its hand.
Ghost of Yotei’s Potential Wolf Companion Is the Perfect Guiding Wind Replacement
Guiding Wind Was Tied to the Legacy of Jin’s Father in Ghost of Tsushima
While Guiding Wind, even detached fromGhost of Tsushima’s story, makes for an immersive way to explore Tsushima Island, it nonetheless resembles a crucial part of the game’s narrative. Specifically, Guiding Wind is intimately connected to Jin’s father, who was killed when Jin was a child. In a dialogue exchange between Jin and his caretaker, Yuriko, inGhost of Tsushima, she tells him, “Your father is the wind at your back. He is always with you.” In other words, the Guiding Wind isn’t just a neat mechanic and is instead integrated intoGhost of Tsushima’s narrative, showing that Jin’s father remains with him posthumously.
InGhost of Tsushima, players can swipe up on the PlayStation 5 DualSense controller’s touchpad to trigger Guiding Wind.
Ghost of Yotei’s Potential Wolf Companion Could Be Tied to Atsu’s Family
Given Guiding Wind’s connection toGhost of Tsushima’s narrative,Ghost of Yoteimight prefer to reinvent the system to be something that is more personal to Atsu and her own story. Fortunately, based on what has been revealed so far, the perfect replacement quite literally stares her right in the eyes inGhost of Yotei’s announcement trailer— the wolf.
Since the trailer’s debut, speculation has arisen about the wolf’s purpose and whether it could be an animal companion who will accompanyAtsu on her journey inGhost of Yotei. In the trailer, the wolf actually appears before Atsu after the wind blows through the trees, suggesting a parallel betweenGhost of Tsushima’s Guiding Wind andGhost of Yotei’s wolf. At first, Atsu raises her swords against the wolf, preparing to defend herself in the event that it strikes. However, the wolf neglects to attack, after which Atsu nods at it, and it’s implied that it guides her from there.
Given Guiding Wind’s connection toGhost of Tsushima’s narrative,Ghost of Yoteimight prefer to reinvent the system to be something that is more personal to Atsu and her own story.
In the same way thatGhost of Tsushima’s Guiding Wind played a symbolic role in the game’s narrative,Ghost of Yotei’s potential wolf companioncould be tied to Atsu’s family. After all, she is pursuing vengeance for the death of her family, and considering the spiritual implications ofGhost of Tsushima’s Guiding Wind, the wolf could be the spirit of one of Atsu’s relatives who leads her to the one responsible for the tragedy. Perhaps players will be able to call the wolf at any time inGhost of Yotei, just as they could call the Guiding Wind to lead them inGhost of Tsushima. Time will tell whether Sucker Punch has chosen to go this direction, but the dots seem too closely connected for that not to be the case.
