Summary
- Feudal Japan games like Assassin's Creed Shadows and Ghost of Yotei offer innovative mechanics.
- Both games share revenge storylines, with new weapons in Ghost of Yotei resembling those in Assassin's Creed Shadows.
- Ghost of Yotei's protagonist Atsu likely combines playstyle elements from Assassin's Creed Shadows' dual protagonists.
There may be an increasing number of games set in feudal Japan, but many of them continue to surprise with innovative mechanics and unique takes on the time period. The latest to make a splash in that space is Assassin's Creed Shadows, the once-controversial but now highly successful next installment in Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed series, and it happens to be the perfect setup for the next entry in Sucker Punch's Ghost franchise, Ghost of Yotei.
While many of the games set in feudal Japan are similar in their setting alone, Assassin's Creed Shadows and Ghost of Yotei share several other distinct similarities that make them more alike than other games set during the time period. Ironically, Assassin's Creed Shadows was once criticized for being too much like Ghost of Tsushima, but given what Assassin's Creed Shadows has already brought to the table, Ghost of Yotei might fall into the same criticism. Ultimately, this makes Assassin's Creed Shadows the perfet appetizer for Ghost of Yotei's main course.
Ghost of Yotei Can Add Depth to Its Meditation By 'Stealing' This AC Shadows Feature
Ghost of Yotei could deepen its meditative focus by adapting AC Shadows' Kuji-Kiri, an immersive ritual that ties reflection to character growth.
Assassin's Creed Shadows Is the Perfect Way to Prepare for Ghost of Yotei
Assassin's Creed Shadows and Ghost of Yotei Are Both Revenge Stories
While Assassin's Creed Shadows and Ghost of Yotei certainly share some similarities in their gameplay, one of their greatest likenesses lies in their stories. Specifically, both Assassin's Creed Shadows and Ghost of Yotei are largely revenge stories — at least, based on the very minuscule amount of information Sucker Punch has divulged so far about Ghost of Yotei's narrative.
In Assassin's Creed Shadows, the stories of both Naoe and Yasuke are fueled by a desire for vengeance. Naoe wants revenge for the death of her father, Nagato, after he is mortally wounded during an attack on her village by Oda Nobunaga's forces. Yasuke, on the other hand, seeks out members of the Templar Order like Duarte de Melo and Nuno Caro, who were responsible for past atrocities against him and his family.
Both Assassin's Creed Shadows and Ghost of Yotei are largely revenge stories.
According to what Sucker Punch has revealed about Ghost of Yotei's story, "Atsu will hunt down those responsible for the death of her family and exact her revenge." This is after her homestead was seemingly burned down by external forces, though it's not clear yet who she will be pursuing. Nevertheless, this makes Ghost of Yotei's narrative very similar to the arcs of Naoe and Yasuke in Assassin's Creed Shadows.
Some of Ghost of Yotei's New Weapons Are Present in Assassin's Creed Shadows
From a gameplay standpoint, Assassin's Creed Shadows players can get a decent taste of what it might be like to use some of Ghost of Yotei's new weapons as well. Based on the description on Ghost of Yotei's official website, the game will be introducing the odachi and kusarigama to Atsu's arsenal, both of which players can use in Assasssin's Creed Shadows.
Yasuke's long katana in Assassin's Creed Shadows isn't explicitly referred to as an odachi, but its characteristics and usage closely resemble those of an odachi, making the two weapons essentially the same.
Assassin's Creed Shadows' Dual Protagonists Are Likely Hybridized in Ghost of Yotei's Atsu
Finally, one of Assassin's Creed Shadows' best features is its dual protagonists, Naoe and Yasuke, who offer players distinct playstyles they can swap between seamlessly. Naoe is the game's stealth specialist, whereas Yasuke prefers direct confrontation with his enemies, in accordance with samurai tradition. While Ghost of Yotei will only feature one protagonist, she is still likely to be a hybridized version of Assassin's Creed Shadows' dual protagonists, just as Jin Sakai was before her in Ghost of Tsushima.
While it may have once seemed like a Ghost of Tsushima clone, Assassin's Creed Shadows proves that there's room for multiple stories set in the same era. In the end, this is great news for Ghost of Yotei, which has yet to launch, but fans can still get a taste of what Sucker Punch's next Ghost entry will be like by playing through Assassin's Creed Shadows.
Assassin's Creed Shadows
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 82%
- Released
- March 20, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Quebec
- Publisher(s)
- Ubisoft
