Summary
Meditation is a core practice within several Japanese traditions, so it makes sense why games likeGhost of TsushimaandAssassin’s Creed Shadows(both of which are set in feudal Japan) feature opportunities for players to meditate. Given its value toJapanese tradition, it would make sense, then, for some form of meditation to once again be implemented in the next entry in Sucker Punch’sGhostfranchise,Ghost of Yotei. However, it might benefit from looking to one ofAssassin’s Creed Shadows' best meditative mini-games for inspiration when designing its own.
One of the first mini-games introduced inAssassin’s Creed Shadowsis Kuji-Kiri, a ritual rooted in Buddhist traditions, involving sequences of hand gestures aimed at focusing the mind and spirit. It’s arguably one of the best mini-games inAssassin’s Creed Shadows, on account of how it blends gameplay with narrative depth and effectively immerses players in the core principle behind the meditative practice. In light of that,Ghost of Yoteicould potentially add more depth to its meditation by adaptingAssassin’s Creed Shadows' Kuji-Kiri to suit its own world and gameplay.
Ghost of Yotei Should Adapt Assassin’s Creed Shadows' Kuji-Kiri
AC Shadows' Kuji-Kiri Mini-Game Blends Gameplay With Narrative Depth
Assassin’s Creed Shadows' Kuji-Kiri mini-game is incredibly unique, not just as a mini-game, but as a meditative one. This is largely because it begins rather simply, giving players a sequence of controls or keys to enter in time with the ambient music playing in the background, but then slowly transitions to something that mimics the meditative practice as it is in real life. Kuji-Kiri in the real world is all about performing symbolic hand gestures to focus the mind. InAssassin’s Creed Shadows' iterationof the practice, the controls and keys players are required to place eventually disappear, forcing them to perform each action by memory.
In this way,Assassin’s Creed Shadows' Kuji-Kiri mini-gameactually becomes somewhat of a meditative practice, as it requires players to focus their minds, just as the practice’s real-world counterpart is meant to encourage. However,Assassin’s Creed Shadows' Kuji-Kiri also initially serve as a way for players to experience Naoe’s backstory through flashbacks, thereby tying the fun and calming mini-game in with the narrative itself. These flashbacks are simple cutscenes either, as they require players to complete them as quests.
Once Naoe’s backstory has been told inAssassin’s Creed Shadows, each subsequent Kuji-Kiri simply grants players a Knowledge Point.
Ghost of Yotei Could Use Kuji-Kiri as an Immersive Storytelling Method
Given how immersive and engagingAssassin’s Creed Shadows' Kuji-Kiri mini-game is,Ghost of Yoteicould benefit from adapting it. According to what is currently known aboutAtsu’s backstory inGhost of Yotei, perhaps players could perform Kuji-Kiri to experience her story firsthand. Since Atsu’s journey is fueled by a desire for vengeance after her homestead and family were wiped out, this would allow players to establish an emotional connection to Atsu’s character arc, thereby adding value to the eventual outcome of the overarching narrative.
Even if a potential adaptation ofAssassin’s Creed Shadows' Kuji-Kiri inGhost of Yoteididn’t focus on Atsu’s backstory, it could still be one of the game’s more immersive mini-games. Many ofGhost of Tsushima’s meditative mini-games — like its Haiku mini-game, for example — were passive and didn’t require much active participation from players. IncorporatingAssassin’s Creed Shadows' take on the practice could potentially make finding a Kuji-Kiri area inGhost of Yoteimore worthwhile thanGhost of Tsushima’s Haikusor Hot Springs ever were.
Given how immersive and engagingAssassin’s Creed Shadows' Kuji-Kiri mini-game is,Ghost of Yoteicould benefit from adapting it.
IfGhost of Yoteiwants to build on the meditative elements introduced by its predecessor , drawing inspiration fromAssassin’s Creed Shadows’Kuji-Kiri could be a great step forward. Not only would it enrichGhost of Yotei’s world and exploration, but it could also give players a deeper emotional understanding of Atsu’s character.
