Open-world games, by their very nature, promise players a vast sandbox to explore where their creativity can flourish without much limitation. Yet, the journey to deliver on this promise isn’t without its challenges, and even the most esteemed developers find it difficult to fully meet expectations. Sucker Punch Productions, the visionary team behind the celebrated Ghost of Tsushima, knows this firsthand. Despite the acclaim earned by its depiction of Japan in the feudal era, some reviews flagged the game’s repetitive aspects as a drawback. Now, as the anticipated sequel, Ghost of Yotei, gears up for its release later this year, Sucker Punch aims to address these concerns. However, they must approach this undertaking with care.
The saying, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” might feel particularly relevant as Sucker Punch looks to inject new life into Ghost of Yotei. While it’s easy in hindsight to critique Ghost of Tsushima’s rare shortcomings, preserving the elements that fans loved is key to the sequel’s success. However, areas such as the sparse depth of the side quests, the sometimes repetitive combat, and the lack of diverse exploration all need a thoughtful refresh to avoid falling short again in Ghost of Yotei.
Combat in Ghost of Tsushima was often lauded for its grace and the impactful sequences that stuck with players. However, the repetitiveness of enemy types risked diminishing the experience. To elevate the combat in Ghost of Yotei, Sucker Punch should enrich the roster of adversaries beyond the typical spearmen, shield bearers, and archers, and perhaps dial down the frequency of unintended encounters during map navigation. While these encounters served as a gauge of combat skills, they could quickly become tiresome when players were just trying to reach a destination.
When it comes to side quests, Sucker Punch faces perhaps its greatest opportunity for innovation in Ghost of Yotei. In Tsushima, these quests sparked mixed reactions. Though essential for map discovery, they often recycled the formula of saving villagers from threats, wrapped in cutscenes and dialogue that couldn’t be skipped. Players craving side stories that diverge from the central narrative felt these quests fed into the game’s repetitiveness.
Many games combat repetition through varied settings during side activities—take Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, for instance, where adventures whisk players from peaks to military camps and even across open waters, offering a refreshing change of pace. Tsushima, however, struggled with a lack of such environmental diversity, which is crucial in an open-world RPG for maintaining player interest.
Some might argue that a certain level of repetition is inherent to RPGs, part of the process of character progression and mastery. It’s the satisfying ritual of slowly empowering a character through predictable tasks, accumulating skill and gear to eventually face tougher challenges. Thus, while a touch of change wouldn’t hurt, Sucker Punch should avoid making drastic changes to its content variety just for the sake of change. By shaking up elements in Ghost of Yotei, they can enhance the experience, but it’s also important to preserve some familiar aspects for the sake of world immersion and character development in a 17th-century Japanese setting. While introducing more varied quests and environments would certainly improve the adventure, a certain amount of repetition can effectively serve as a powerful yardstick for measuring player growth and progress.
