Ghost of Tsushima 2 Wish List

Summary

Although neither Sony nor Sucker Punch have confirmedGhost of Tsushima 2, it seems likely that a sequel will release at some point, given the critical and commercial success of the first game. Assuming that a follow-up game is, or will be, in development, it will be crucial for Sucker Punch to hone in on not only thebest features ofGhost of Tsushima, but also its weak points, to make the best experience possible.

2020’sGhost of Tsushimawas a pleasant surprise for Sony fans and a swansong for the PS4. The samurai action-adventure game is a smorgasbord of solid design, offering tight combat, a compelling narrative, and stunning visuals. That said, no game is perfect, and there are key areas, such as a derivative open-world structure, shallow stealth mechanics, and a somewhat restrictive progression model, that a sequel should address.

What Ghost of Tsushima 2 Needs

Ghost of Tsushima 2 Should Flesh Out Its Stealth Mechanics

Despite being treated with gravity in the main story,Ghost of Tsushima’s stealth is lacklusterin many respects. Sneaking around can have its appeal at times, especially as players unlock new abilities like poison darts and smoke bombs, but it never feels like a viable alternative to the core swordplay systems of the game. More importantly, it’s not nearly as enjoyable as melee combat, which is one ofGhost of Tsushima’s best features. In the sequel, Sucker Punch should strive to make stealth deeper, more expressive, and more multifaceted; it should be just as fun as its swordplay.

A More Expansive Progression System Could Benefit Ghost of Tsushima 2

Stylish, hard-hittingcombat is whereGhost of Tsushimashines. The sword-fighting framework of the game gradually expands through the four unlockable stances and a traditional upgrade tree, but gameplay progression can feel somewhat held back at times, and it’s easy to effectively max out Jin’s abilities fairly early in the game, leading to an endgame that can feel unfortunately static. A sequel could improve upon this by not only adding more upgrades, abilities, and combos, but by making these upgrades more meaningful, focusing on skill-based gameplay that encourages mastery. Some possible ways that Sucker Punch could achieve this include:

Ghost of Tsushima 2 Needs to Evolve Its Open-World Approach

Ghost of Tsushima’s open-world design, while avoiding many of the most common pitfalls of the genre, arguably doesn’t do enough to set itself apart from other, more inventive games. Collectibles, secrets, and charmingly unique activities like haikus and hot springs are interesting enough, but the sequel needs to push the envelope, giving players intrinsic motivation for exploration. Essentially,Ghost of Tsushima 2should make the actual process of moving through the world and uncovering its mysteries more interesting, rather than just offering ‘pots of gold’ as rewards for exploration. Denser environment design, more surprises, random events, and a fleshed-out movement system could all help achieve this end.

Player Choice Should Matter More in Ghost of Tsushima 2

For a game that is so centered on the theme of honor and responsibility,Ghost of Tsushimais a bit noncommittalwhen it comes to the player’s role in the narrative. For instance, the game’s characters will condemn Jin for using stealth tactics, but this will happen even if the player regularly rejects stealth options. Additionally, the final choice of the story doesn’t have much weight to it, impacting the endgame only superficially. IfGhost of Tsushima 2wants to maintain player freedom while telling a story about personal choice and responsibility, it should make both scripted decisions and gameplay choices matter more.