From its announcement, developer Sucker Punch has made it clear that Ghost of Tsushima and Yōtei are separated by tons of of years. “This recreation may be very a lot its personal story,” co-director Nate Fox instructed me again in July once I requested him in regards to the connections between Yōtei and Tsushima. “It’s a non secular sequel. You needn’t have performed Ghost of Tsushima to leap proper into Ghost of Yōtei.” Ghost of Tsushima takes place in 1274 and Ghost of Yōtei takes place in 1603, 329 years later. Tsushima protagonist Jin Sakai and everybody he knew have been lifeless for a very long time by the point Yōtei protagonist Atsu begins her story. Tsushima Island can also be positioned southwest off the coast of Japan, whereas Ezo and Mount Yōtei are discovered within the far north of Japan.
Jin and Atsu are separated by centuries and greater than 1,000 miles, however the video games do happen in the identical universe, which suggests, although small, there are some connections between the 2 video games.
I don’t provide any spoilers for the mainline story of Ghost of Yōtei, however I do speak in regards to the ending of Ghost of Tsushima forward. I like to recommend stopping right here in case you don’t need some enjoyable components of both recreation spoiled for you.
The primary look of Tsushima I discovered comes from a doc whereas Atsu is pursuing one of many Yōtei Six, the Kitsune. In a cave belonging to the 9 Tails, the group the Kitsune runs, Atsu finds some paperwork in regards to the group’s intention to create wolfsbane.
Wolfsbane was a poison that Jin Sakai utilized in Tsushima that his uncle frowned upon contemplating it dishonorable. The doc Atsu finds reads, “I promise your endurance can be rewarded. Centuries in the past, a Mongol invasion was stopped on Tsushima Island. The Shogun would have you ever imagine the samurai had been accountable, however we all know how they lie. It was the work of a single man – the primary shinobi-and his use of wolfsbane.”
That first shinobi, the primary samurai who thought up the concept of sneaking up behind somebody and stabbing them within the again, was, in fact, Jin. Atsu feedback on the letter and its reference to wolfsbane, saying, “He claims it stopped a Mongol invasion.” The NPC along with her throughout that part replies, “A legend handed down by shinobi clans that Dojun latched onto. It was centuries in the past.”
The opposite huge reference to Tsushima, nonetheless, is far more overt, and admittedly, far more attention-grabbing. The storyteller seems all through Yōtei, expectedly telling Atsu tales. They result in among the finest aspect quests within the recreation, and his probably closing story (which you’ll be able to deal with out of order) is about Jin.
You received’t be capable of entry the non-obligatory story till late within the recreation, as the situation is within the southernmost part of Ezo, southwest of Matsumae fortress. It’s there that the storyteller will meet Atsu outdoors the Forgotten Shrine and say he’s searching for the Storm Blade. “The sword is claimed to be so highly effective that it accommodates the strengths of an unstoppable storm,” he says, following up that he doesn’t know what story belongs to it, which is atypical of his typical sidequest.
Coming into the situation reveals the two-triangle image used all through Ghost of Tsushima that symbolized Jin’s household. There’s additionally a grey fox there to information you thru the situation, which is odd contemplating each fox within the recreation as much as that time has been pink. Atsu additionally finds and displays on a haiku about being alone and much from house, and finds the Misplaced Shinobi Den, which has a home inside it crammed with previous, decrepit weapons and a Stag Helmet, which appears a complete lot like Jin’s Sakai Clan Helmet from Tsushima. There’s additionally a rusted iron hook for climbing, an previous saddle that “carried its rider by numerous battles.”
Close by, there’s a cave that holds a sword package with Jin’s dual-triangle image on it, and within the subsequent space is the house of the primary shinobi, which Atsu feedback that the proprietor of the storm blade will need to have lived there. In the home are burned adoption papers for clan Shimura, a really previous flute, and an previous dagger with the title Yuna carved into it. Yuna was the title of one among Jin’s companions in Tsushima. She was a talented thief who assisted Jin in combating the Mongols.
After exploring the home and taking part in some motion, the storyteller seems to finish the sidequest and at last share the story. Although he by no means names Jin, he tells the story of a samurai who single-handedly pushed again in opposition to the Mongols with the Storm Blade by changing into the primary shinobi. Having deserted the methods of the samurai, the warrior was an outcast, so he left Tsushima, however nobody knew the place he went. It’s right here that Atsu and the storyteller theorize that the warrior got here to Ezo to reside out the remainder of his life.
It’s a enjoyable callback to the earlier recreation and a enjoyable reward. It isn’t the one reference, nonetheless. I’m sure I didn’t discover each enjoyable callback, however I did discover a number of.
Atsu can discover and put on armor commemorating developer Sucker Punch’s earlier recreation, Sly Cooper. I additionally discovered a mural that I can’t think about is supposed to be something aside from a reference to the raccoon thief.
And talking of the racoon thief, Sir Raleigh, a significant antagonist from the fist Sly Cooper recreation, additionally makes a mural cameo.
This mural, discovered close to the Amber Respite Shrine, showcases Notorious 2, the place Cole McGrath traveled to New Marais to fight The Beast.
I additionally discovered this mural close to the Budding Grace Shrine referencing Fetch Abigail Walker from Notorious Second Son, who later acquired her personal standalone recreation, Notorious First Gentle.
I’m positive there are extra, and I’m excited to see what others discover as soon as gamers get their palms on the sport right now.
To learn Sport Informer’s Ghost of Yōtei assessment by following the hyperlink. It’s also possible to watch our video assessment beneath.
