Ghost of Yotei’s Atsu Joins the Ranks of an Important PlayStation Exclusive Club

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Ghost of Yotei significantly evolves the formula established in the first game. The story jumps forward 300 years from Ghost of Tsushima and features a new lead character, Atsu. As the protagonist of Ghost of Yotei, Atsu faced the challenge of succeeding Ghost of Tsushima‘s Jin Sakai. While they are quite different, these distinctions actually enhance the game.

While Atsu’s unique personality and qualities could have steered Ghost of Yotei away from feeling like a continuation of Ghost of Tsushima, that isn’t what happened. Both Ghost of Yotei and Ghost of Tsushima feel connected, yet Atsu’s story lets Ghost of Yotei be its own distinct experience. What’s even better is that Atsu is now officially one of PlayStation’s most memorable main characters, and she’s part of an important movement for the console: she joins the increasing number of well-developed female protagonists.

Ghost of Yotei’s Atsu Adds Another Great Female Protagonist to PlayStation’s Ranks

PlayStation’s Past Decade Has Put Compelling Women in the Spotlight

Certainly, prominent male characters like Kratos from God of War, Nathan Drake in Uncharted 4, Peter Parker and Miles Morales from Marvel’s Spider-Man, and Deacon St. John in Days Gone have all been important to PlayStation’s success over the last decade. But the past 10 years have also been marked by compelling narratives with strong female leads.

Strong female characters have long been a part of gaming – think of iconic figures like Lara Croft, Samus Aran, Jill Valentine, and Cortana. However, over the past ten years, the quality of writing for these characters has noticeably improved. This seems to be especially true for PlayStation exclusive titles, where well-developed female leads are becoming increasingly common.

PlayStation’s Most Notable Female Leads of the Past Decade

  • Aloy (Horizon franchise)
  • Chloe Frazer (Uncharted: The Lost Legacy)
  • Ellie (The Last of Us Part 2)
  • Abby (The Last of Us Part 2)
  • Selene Vassos (Returnal)
  • Atsu (Ghost of Yotei)

Atsu has joined a fantastic group of characters, and it’s a great sign of how nuanced female leads have become in video games. What makes these characters stand out is that they aren’t flawless. Chloe Frazer is charming and funny, but also tends to be impulsive and self-centered. Aloy is powerful and capable, yet she can be quite proud. The stories of Ellie and Abby in The Last of Us Part 2 still cause a lot of discussion among players, because they are likely some of the most morally gray main characters ever seen in gaming. And when it comes to Selene, while her intelligence and determination are central to who she is, her distance from her son is also a key aspect of her personality.

In the beginning of Ghost of Yotei, Atsu is filled with resentment and rage after her family is killed. But as she gets closer to completing her quest for revenge, she becomes more compassionate and starts to connect with those around her. A key change in Ghost of Yotei compared to the previous game is that it moves away from Jin’s internal conflict between honor and staying alive, and instead focuses on a story about both getting revenge and finding peace.

It’s not unusual to see female characters in video games. Lara Croft, Samus Aran, Jill Valentine, and Cortana are just a few examples of many.

PlayStation Has Another Intriguing Woman-Led Story in the Pipeline

  • Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet (TBD)

Currently, the biggest PS5 exclusive games coming soon are Saros, Marvel’s Wolverine, and Intergalactic. Intergalactic marks Naughty Dog’s first brand new game idea in a long time, and its story centers around a bounty hunter named Jordan A. Mun. While many details are still secret, the game’s announcement at last year’s Game Awards was very exciting. It’s unclear when Intergalactic will be released, but when it is, Jordan will become a new leading female character alongside Atsu.

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2025-10-05 04:34