A Ghost of Tsushima Franchise Can Prevent God of War’s ‘Kratos Problem’

by

A Ghost of Tsushima Franchise Can Prevent God of War's 'Kratos Problem'

As a seasoned gamer with over 20 years under my belt, I can confidently say that the upcoming title, Ghost of Yotei, looks set to carve its own niche in the gaming world. Having played and thoroughly enjoyed the original Ghost of Tsushima, I am intrigued by the direction Sucker Punch is taking with this new installment.

The newly revealed game titled “Ghost of Yotei” is aiming for the same level of success as its 2020 predecessor, “Ghost of Tsushima“. It appears that this new game is following the path that many have anticipated. Ghost of Yotei is expected to signal a shift in the series towards a more flexible anthology format, featuring a new hero and backdrop. This change to an anthology structure offers Sucker Punch numerous creative possibilities.

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but express my excitement about the new direction the story is taking in the upcoming game, Ghost of Yotei. Unlike the first game where Jin Sakai’s tale was beautifully concluded, this sequel presents an opportunity to continue his journey without any need for justification.

Ghost of Yotei Lets Sucker Punch Dodge God of War’s Current Franchise Debacle

God of War Needs to Move On from Kratos, Ghost of Yotei No Longer Needs to Move On from Jin

Jin Sakai stands out as a compelling video game hero, embodying the essence of Ghost of Tsushima just as Kratos does for God of War. However, every character’s journey eventually ends, and while God of War skillfully keeps Kratos in captivating storylines, it seems his moment in the limelight has run its course naturally.

Switching Atreus as the main character in God of War might be a smart move, but it doesn’t mean the transition will be flawless. After all, God of War has been centered around Kratos for a long time, making him the glue that holds the series together. Pushing Kratos to the side could feel strange after so many years with him shaping the franchise. Essentially, Kratos is the soul of God of War, and replacing a soul isn’t an easy task.

In a different scenario, if Jin Sakai had been the main character in multiple titles, similar to Ghost of Tsushima, his narrative could have become prolonged, potentially trapping Sucker Punch in a storytelling predicament, making it challenging to introduce a new protagonist smoothly, which would be necessary if they aimed to establish Ghost of Tsushima as their own franchise. However, by defining the Ghost of Tsushima series as an anthology with its second installment, players can more effortlessly transition from Jin’s tale, allowing it to conclude with elegance and poise.

Ghost of Yotei Could Find Itself In a Different Sort of Conundrum

While it might seem restrictive for studios to stick with a single lead character across multiple installments, this approach also has its merits. The God of War series serves as a prime example: by consistently featuring Kratos as the protagonist, Santa Monica Studios was able to progressively unfold his storyline over an extended duration. This allowed for the exploration of new internal struggles, relationships, and obstacles, resulting in a captivating narrative that held fans’ interest for many years.

In other words, the Ghost of Yotei can’t reap such advantages because its mythology shares fewer similarities with previous stories. The Ghost of Tsushima series introduces a new protagonist in each game or even every few games, which hinders the creation of a continuous history centered around a single hero. This change could lead to more intriguing and groundbreaking future games like Ghost of Yotei, but it might limit Sucker Punch’s ability to fully realize their narrative ambitions across multiple titles.

Read More

2024-09-27 20:54