Image: Push Square
Sequels are be better than their predecessors. Or at least, they should be.
This is expected in video games — especially modern video games. Big budget sequels in particular are usually iterative; they build on what the last game got right, and on paper, that leads to a better overall experience.
Sony has done a lot of sequel-ing this generation. God of War Ragnarok and Horizon Forbidden West are both incredibly well-liked PlayStation Studios releases, but they don’t reinvent their respective properties.
Many would say they’re just bigger and better follow-ups — but then isn’t that what fans want them to be? We don’t want to get dragged down into this topic of conversation too much because it can get rather muddy — but this kind of mindset may play into the point of our poll.
So, which one do you like more? Ghost of Yotei? Or Ghost of Tsushima?
We think it’s an interesting question, because before Yotei released, detractors would argue that it “looks like DLC”, or that it’s simply “the same game”.
And such critiques did — and still do — hold some weight. Again, Yotei is a very iterative sequel. Both aesthetically and mechanically, it’s an extension of what Sucker Punch had already crafted with Tsushima.
But it also makes sure to branch out into its own take on the Ghost formula. Most reviews praised the game’s ability to make exploration and discovery feel so organic, which was viewed as an improvement over Tsushima’s greater reliance on map markers.
The combat system was given more depth as well, thanks to a range of swappable weapons, and a tighter balance around enemy behaviour.
In general, we’d say that Yotei does a better job of making itself feel fresh across its whole campaign — repetition being something that Tsushima is often criticised for.
But at the same time, because the sequel is iterative — evolution instead of revolution and all that — you may well feel as though Yotei doesn’t quite have the same impact that Tsushima did.
When Jin’s journey dropped in 2020 for PS4, it was something completely new for Sucker Punch — and probably the vast majority of its players. Yes, it was another open world game with enemy camps to conquer and side activities in abundance, but the samurai cinema angle had never really been explored by AAA developers on that scale.
Yotei couldn’t have that same kind of effect. Not just because the gaming landscape’s changed, but because it was only ever going to pull at the same threads of its predecessor. And so, you might lean towards still liking Tsushima more.
And now that the dust has settled, we ask again: which Ghost game do you like best? Vote in our polls, and then at least try to explain yourself in the comments section below.
Which Ghost game do you like best? (2,950 votes)
- I like Yotei a lot more than Tsushima15%
- I like Yotei more than Tsushima22%
- Honestly, I can’t choose one over the other22%
- I like Tsushima more than Yotei23%
- I like Tsushima a lot more than Yotei18%
Do you think Yotei has better gameplay than Tsushima? (2,337 votes)
- Yes, it’s an improvement in every way26%
- Yeah, it’s definitely better overall32%
- Kind of, it’s not a huge improvement25%
- Nah, I personally prefer Tsushima’s gameplay11%
- No, Yotei is a step backwards from Tsushima6%
Do you think Yotei has a better story than Tsushima? (2,263 votes)
- Yes, it’s a much better story12%
- Yeah, I like it more15%
- Eh, they’re about the same20%
- Nah, I liked Tsushima’s story better27%
- No, Tsushima’s story is far superior26%
Which main character do you like more? (2,265 votes)
- Atsu34%
- Jin66%
Robert (or Rob if you’re lazy) is an assistant editor of Push Square, and has been a fan of PlayStation since the 90s, when Tekken 2 introduced him to the incredible world of video games. He still takes his fighting games seriously, but RPGs are his true passion. The Witcher, Persona, Dragon Quest, Mass Effect, Final Fantasy, Trails, Tales — he’s played ’em all. A little too much, some might say.