Summary
Despite only being the second entry,Ghost of Yoteirepresents a significant shift for Sucker Punch’sGhostfranchise, as it was originally expected to be a direct sequel toGhost of Tsushimaand therefore a continuation of Jin Sakai’s story. Instead,Ghost of Yoteiputs players into the shoes of Atsu, a brand-new protagonist who has made her way to the land of Ezo (modern-day Hokkaido) a whopping three centuries after the events ofGhost of Tsushima. How Atsu becomes a Ghost and how or whether she is connected to Jin Sakai remains to be seen, but it is all nonetheless an intriguing setup for the next game in the series.
Ghost of Tsushimakept players confined to Tsushima Island, apart from what it offered in itsIki Island DLC expansion. In the same way, at least at first glance,Ghost of Yoteiseems to keep players in Ezo for the duration of its story. However, there is reason to believeGhost of Yoteicould still take players to mainland Japan at some point during its narrative, which would be a big payoff for those who expectedGhost of Tsushima’s sequel to do so. Whether it’s the mainland’s proximity to Ezo, how Atsu’s story could lead her to the mainland, or the political upheaval happening duringGhost of Yotei’s time period, mainland Japan may not be too far out of reach for players in the nextGhostentry.
Ghost of Yotei Could Still Take Players to the Mainland
The Mainland Is in Proximity to Ezo and Could Tie in to Atsu’s Story
One of the most prominent pieces of evidence to suggestGhost of Yoteicould still take players to mainland Japan is Ezo’s proximity to the nearest of the mainland’s islands. As opposed toGhost of Tsushima’s Tsushima Island, which was about 31 miles from the southernmost of Japan’s main islands, Ezo was only around 12 miles from mainland Japan. Considering Ezo’s nearness to mainland Japan inGhost of Yotei, it’s reasonable to believe that the game’s story might eventually see Atsu traveling there, even if it’s just in a DLC.
Even though Ezo was geographically closer to mainland Japan, it was still much more separate from the mainland than Tsushima Island was when it came to culture and politics.
It could be thatAtsu’s quest inGhost of Yoteieventually drives her to the mainland, given what has been revealed about it so far. According toGhost of Yotei’s official description on PlayStation’s website, “Atsu will hunt down those responsible for the death of her family and exact her revenge.” Since revenge arcs typically ignite an unquenchable fire in those seeking vengeance, Atsu might be willing to go to the ends of the earth in search of those who wronged her. If she discovers at some point that her perpetrators have fled to the mainland, it’s likely she will follow them.
The Mainland Could Offer Unique Storytelling Opportunities
At the very least, mainland Japan duringGhost of Yotei’s Edo periodoffers some unique storytelling opportunities that it would be remiss to pass up. The early Edo period was a time of significant political shifts, most of which were seen and felt on Japan’s main islands. In 1603, specifically, whenGhost of Yoteitakes place, Tokugawa Ieyasu was appointed Shogun by the Emperor after winning the Battle of Sekigahara. This effectively established the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo (modern-day Tokyo and therefore mainland Japan), and could lead to some interesting narrative arcs if players were to visit mainland Japan inGhost of Yotei.
It could be that Atsu’s quest inGhost of Yoteieventually drives her to the mainland, given what has been revealed about it so far.
If nothing else, sinceGhost of Yotei’s Ezois less than half the distance from mainland Japan asGhost of Tsushima’s Tsushima Island was, it’s possible the next entry could close that distance even further or entirely. In other words, ifGhost of Yoteidoesn’t take players to the mainland, it’s looking more likely that the next entry will.
