The following contains spoilers forAssassin’s Creed Shadows.
Given the number of games set in feudal Japan that keep coming out, comparisons are expected and sometimes even warranted.Assassin’s Creed Shadowsis one of the latest feudal Japan games to be critically compared to a title released previously,Ghost of Tsushima, butAC Shadows' successhas arguably proven that those comparisons might have been a bit preemptive and more a result ofGhost of Tsushima’s popularity thanAC Shadows' intentional similarities to it. This trend is far from over, however, as Sucker Punch’sGhost of Yoteiis next in line, and it may not be able to avoid being compared to its predecessor or evenAssassin’s Creed Shadowsfor that matter.
Based on what has been revealed aboutGhost of Yoteiso far, its story will be very similar toAssassin’s Creed Shadows' narrative in that they are both largely revenge stories. It hasn’t yet been disclosed just how far Atsu’s revenge arc will go inGhost of Yotei, only that she “will hunt down those responsible for the death of her family and exact her revenge.” In order to prevent Atsu’s story from being a one-way ticket to vengeance, however,Ghost of Yoteimight benefit from exploring one of the most prominent themes inAssassin’s Creed Shadows' revenge narrative.
Ghost of Yotei Should Be Open to Assassin’s Creed Shadows' Theme of Forgiveness
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Is a Revenge Story Saturated in Forgiveness
While there are a number of side stories going on throughoutAssassin’s Creed Shadows' overaching narrative, the primary source of fuel behind its main story is revenge. Naoe, a skilled shinobi from Iga Province, seeks vengeance after her father, Nagato, is mortally wounded during an assault on her village byOda Nobunagaand his forces. On the other hand, Yasuke, an African warrior who becomes a samurai under Nobunaga, confronts his own past involving the Templar Order. His own journey leads him to track down those responsible for wronging him and his family.
Assassin’s Creed Shadowsisn’t solely about revenge, though, as both Naoe and Yasuke’s arcs are saturated in forgiveness, to the point that it’s the very thing that unitesNaoe and Yasukeas dual protagonists. Naoe, upon meeting Yasuke, wants to kill him for serving Nobunaga in the raid on her village. Fortunately, Junjiro steps in, suggesting that Naoe is just as guilty as Yasuke, as she was responsible for killing Junjiro’s father, Ido Yoshihiro. This forces Naoe to examine the weight of her own actions and make the choice to forgive Yasuke.
Assassin’s Creed Shadowsalso allows players to choose whether they should kill or spare certain targets, further emphasizing the game’s themes of compassion, understanding, and forgiveness.
Ghost of Yotei’s Revenge Arc Would Be More Nuanced Focusing on Forgiveness
When a story is laser-focused on a protagonist getting payback, there’s a risk that their motivations become one-dimensional and all of their character development funnels into that single emotional conclusion. When revenge becomes the only thing that matters, characters don’t question themselves or aspire to change, and moral complexity is all but stripped away in favor of said character achieving their goal. This is whereAssassin’s Creed Shadows' theme of forgiveness could benefitGhost of Yotei’s revenge story, as it would potentially add more nuance to Atsu’s character.
In order to prevent Atsu’s story from being a one-way ticket to vengeance,Ghost of Yoteimight benefit from exploring one of the most prominent themes inAssassin’s Creed Shadows' revenge narrative.
If players were given a chance to forgive Atsu’s enemies inGhost of Yotei, it could pay off for her character arc in the long run. Ultimately, it would makeAtsu a far more complex character inGhost of Yotei, avoiding the one-dimensional tendencies of many revenge stories and allowing players to see her journey from diverse perspectives. Given what Sucker Punch accomplished with Jin Sakai’s story inGhost of Tsushima, things already look good for Atsu’s own character arc, but time will tell.
