written by Ade Putra
Sony couldn’t have asked for a better closing act. Ghost of Tsushima swiftly won over hearts and wallets as it took gamers across a beautiful, yet brutal, feudal Japan. It has a stunning 9.3 Metacritic user score. It is the fastest-selling original IP for PS4. And, given its debut, it will most definitely get a sequel.
Before you get all excited: No, Sony hasn’t announced Ghost of Tsushima 2 — it’s only been a month! But we do know that Sucker Punch likes to spin franchises out of their new IPs (as Sly Cooper and InFamous are great example of this) and they typically need two years before pushing out a sequel as well. Since we’re crossing console generations, it’s safe to say that we’ll only get wind of a “Twoshima” in 2022 or so to sustain PS5 momentum.
The question is, will they replace Jin with a female lead?
Intended or not, Ghost of Tsushima comes across as the Assassin’s Creed that fans have always wanted. The difference is that Ghost has plenty of strong female characters, many of whom could form story DLCs. Considering the massive popularity of female leads such as Kassandra, Aloy, and Ellie, the idea of a woman samurai on Ghost 2’s cover doesn’t sound far-fetched at all.
Where do we go from here?
Note: Spoilers and speculation ahead!
While there isn’t a science-fiction meta-narrative to tie the future games together, Sucker Punch does have plenty of historical material. After the Mongolian defeat in 1274, the invaders eventually return with a second, deadlier force in 1281. This time, they even managed to brush up against the Japanese mainland.
There are a few possibilities for the sequel. Our Ghost, Jin Sakai, could stay on Tsushima to defend the island. In reality, this was the bloodier, more devastating invasion of the two, and Jin could live up to his late uncle’s memory of leading the defenders in battle. Alternatively, he could journey to the mainland in search of Tomoe, only to wind up fending off more angry Mongolians.
Or maybe Sucker Punch goes all in with the Kurosawa aesthetic. Jin, the ronin, traveling through the mainland to fight bandits, help people, and restore his clan’s name.
The problem with either of those is that they’re predictable. It feels safe, which is the last thing a next-gen open-world game should aspire to. So, what should Ghost of Tsushima 2 do?
Don’t let us play as Jin.
He’s a great guy and all, but the story is complete. We’ve seen him struggle, grow, and embrace personal sacrifice to defend his homeland. He’s done enough. So much so that he could have inspired someone else. A new Ghost.
It’s easy to imagine a young female survivor — because the Mongols wouldn’t leave boys alive — looking up to Jin and his exploits, eager to find vengeance and purpose. After the decimation in Tsushima, why wouldn’t Jin pass on his skills to someone else? He was pragmatic enough to cast his samurai code aside, so he’d be smart enough to teach anyone willing to fight.
That brings us to Yuna, the thief who rescued Jin on multiple occasions. Her skills are already complementary with the Ghost, so training could offer her a chance to sharpen her abilities. Considering the PS5’s faster load times, the “whoa factor” could be playing them all at the same time. Imagine ambushing a Mongol camp from multiple sides with multiple Ghosts, switching instantaneously between each other.
Unlike a particular sequel, we don’t even have to kill Jin. He’ll be the first to defend Tsushima in a second invasion, but he’s going to need all the help he can get against the larger enemy force. Perhaps you run missions together as a Ghost-in-training, only for you to part ways when the war turns desperate. Suppose Jin’s too weakened to move as he once did, so he hides — offering wisdom, equipment, and a new skill or two. Maybe, now that there’s a qualified Ghost on Tsushima, he’d feel confident enough to go after Tomoe on the mainland.
After all, she’s the one character who clearly has more to tell. What was she doing with the Mongols? Where did she go? Given how abruptly she left, could The Fox masquerade as The Ghost on the mainland, returning to banditry by preying on his reputation?
Because after Tsushima’s events and Clan Sakai’s renouncement, the story of the “Ghost” has surely traveled across the country. What’s more, the shogun wants Jin dead — that makes the Ghost dangerous and worth a lot of money. If Jin goes to the mainland, would the ronin be forced to duel samurai and bandits, too?
Kurosawa frequently explored master-disciple relationships in his films. We had Sanada and Matsunaga in Drunken Angel; Kambei and Katsushiro in Seven Samurai; and the doctors Niide and Yatsumoto in Red Beard. A new, younger Ghost under the tutelage of Jin would not only be on-theme for Ghost of Tsushima 2, but also give Sucker Punch more leeway to explore new stories, new characters, and new gameplay mechanics.
There’s little doubt that swapping Jin with a female lead character would anger some of the fans. Let’s see if the developers are up for the challenge.
For more on Ghost of Tsushima check out our full video review.