Ghost of Yoteiis one of PlayStation’s two big games in 2025, the other beingDeath Stranding 2, and, as a result, it needs to perform very well. Of course, forGhost of Tsushimafans, that may not seem like a big problem. After all, for the most part,Ghost of Tsushimawas a genuine triumph both commercially and critically. However, as great as its predecessor was, it had a handful of faults that held it back from being truly excellent.
Of course, it is these issues thatGhost of Yoteineeds to overcome. Ironically, the inspiration it needs to look towards to be the very best game it can be is its direct competitor,Assassin’s Creed Shadows. While not perfect by any stretch,Shadowsis better thanTsushimain a lot of ways, especially where it counts. Crucially,there is one way in whichShadowsexcels thatGhost of Yoteidesperately needs to copy to avoid suffering from the same issues asTsushima.
Ghost Of Yotei Needs To Copy Assassin’s Creed Shadows' Stealth
It Is The Weakest Part Of Tsushima
It is pretty clear that Sucker Punch Productions, the developer ofGhost of Tsushimaand its follow-up,Ghost of Yotei, has perfected the art of third-person melee combat.Tsushima’saction-packed encounters felt flashy, fresh, and fluid, never growing stale even across its relatively lengthy runtime. As a result, it is safe to assume thatGhost of Yoteiwill, at the very least,copyTsushima’sbest mechanicand be just as fun. However,whatTsushimalacks is a strong stealth sandbox, and that’s whereAssassin’s Creed Shadowscomes in.
Shadows’stealth is superiortoGhost of Tsushima’sin so many ways. Not only is the parkour better, with Naoe especially having far more options when it comes to clambering up the side of buildings, but she also has more tools and skills to use than Jin does. The enemy AI is better, at least onShadows’best difficulty setting, as it actively searches for the player and doesn’t stop after a few seconds. Tall grass isn’t enough to hide you, neither is going prone on rooftops, something thatShadowsadds thatTsushimaalso lacks.
All of these features makeAssassin’s Creed Shadowsa great stealth game, and, as a result, should serve as the blueprint forGhost of Yotei’sstealth. Atsu,Yotei’sprotagonist, needs to be more nimble than Jin, have more options when it comes to stealth takedowns, and need to genuinely feel weak when coming up against large hordes of enemies. Crouching shouldn’t be enough to evade detection. Like inShadows,players should need to strategize how best to approach a situation stealthily inGhost of Yotei.
Ghost Of Yotei Needs Great Stealth From The Start
We Can’t Have A Repeat Of Tsushima
Ghost of Yoteialso needs to have great stealth from the outset. That doesn’t mean that players shouldn’t unlock better stealth-based skills as they go along, as it is central to the game’s progression. Rather,Atsu should avoid simply repeating Jin’s quest to become the Ghost and should either be the Ghost already or well on her way to getting there. This way,Ghost of Yotei’sstorydoesn’t just feel like a rehash ofTsushima’sand offers players a fresh new perspective.
Tsushima’sbiggest flaw was that its melee combat was fun from the start, but it took getting to the end of the game to make stealth feel even remotely rewarding.Ghost of Yoteimust avoid that.
Atsu could, therefore, start with several stealth abilities already unlocked, perhaps just those already present inGhost of Tsushima. She could also have access to a number of tools beyond just the ability to throw rocks to distract guards. This way,players can engross themselves immediately in the game’s stealth, as it will be on par with the combat.Tsushima’sbiggest flaw was that its melee combat was fun from the start, but it took getting to the end of the game to make stealth feel even remotely rewarding.Ghost of Yoteimust avoid that.
Ghost Of Yotei Should Be More Like Shadows Than Tsushima
Shadows' Is A Better Foundation
WhileTsushimadoes beatShadowsin a lot of respects, especially in regard to combat, it should definitely not serve as the inspiration forYotei’sstealth mechanics. Instead,Ghost of Yoteishould really be a lot more likeShadowsthanTsushima, including in other areas of gameplay. For example,Shadows’world is far more dynamic thanGhost of Tsushima’s, owing largely to its changing seasons and greater density of NPCs. WhileTsushimacan’t have changing seasons, it is something thatYoteicould look to implement to make exploration more immersive.
Story Details For Ghost Of Yōtei Quietly Revealed, Describing More Of Protagonist’s Revenge Mission
In a quiet update to the game’s website, new story details for Ghost of Yōtei have been quietly revealed, describing the game’s revenge plot.
Ghost of Yoteicould also benefit from a more focused narrative, something that Shadows has in spades.Ghost of Tsushima’sstory often conflicted with its gameplay, creating a sense of dissonance that made it feel unsure of itself.Ghost of Yoteishould commit to having the player follow a stealthy route or a more aggressive one from the start rather than pretend to give the player the option. Ultimately, ifGhost of Yoteiis even half as good asTsushimaorAssassin’s Creed Shadows, it’ll still be a great time.
