Summary
- AAA video games like Ghost of Tsushima and Hogwarts Legacy are expected to meet high-quality standards and offer unique gameplay mechanics.
- Both games are likely to receive sequels in the future due to their success and popularity.
- The challenge for the sequels will be delivering new and different abilities or spells that feel fresh and distinct from the first games.
The last few years have truly been some of the best when it comes to excellent AAA video game releases, and with each new release, fan expectations only grow higher. It's expected now that a AAA game will be visually stunning, content-rich, and will offer a bevy of satisfying, unique gameplay mechanics, and that's the bare minimum. Whether it's a survival horror, shooter, or racing game, the same level of quality is expected across all genres in the AAA video game market, but that's especially true for the action/adventure genre, where games like Ghost of Tsushima and Hogwarts Legacy refuse to let the side down.
Though Ghost of Tsushima and Hogwarts Legacy offer two very different video game experiences, they do both belong to the action/adventure genre, and both being AAA, high-budget games, they're held to the same quality standards and expectations. Those expectations are only going to get grander when it comes to the inevitable sequels, and both Ghost of Tsushima and Hogwarts Legacy might be in the same boat when it comes to that, in two big ways.
Ghost of Tsushima 2 Has a Clear Path Ahead After the First Game's Ending
Ghost of Tsushima 2 is still awaiting its reveal, but the events and themes the game will likely touch on are already rather obvious.
Ghost of Tsushima and Hogwarts Legacy Are in the Same Boat
Ghost of Tsushima and Hogwarts Legacy Are Bound to Get Sequels
The biggest factor tying Ghost of Tsushima and Hogwarts Legacy together right now is that both games are practically guaranteed to receive sequels in the near future. While neither Ghost of Tsushima nor Hogwarts Legacy have received any form of official confirmation that a sequel is in the works currently, they've simply been too successful for that to not happen.
Even despite releasing just a month after The Last of Us Part 2 - one of the most anticipated and talked-about games of all time - 2020's Ghost of Tsushima managed to stand out from the crowd, and sold 2.4 million units within just its first three days of release. Over the last few years, word of Ghost of Tsushima's brilliance has spread like wildfire, and its sales have reflected that, with the game selling almost 10 million units by July 2022.
But while Ghost of Tsushima started off strong, it did rely heavily on positive word of mouth to get it to where it is today, something that Hogwarts Legacy hasn't had to do at all. Released back in February of this year, Hogwarts Legacy was an immediate record-breaking smash hit. Despite the franchise creator's ideology, Hogwarts Legacy has managed to remain the best-selling game of 2023, a year that's seen some huge Star Wars, Zelda, and Mario games release. As of May 2023, Hogwarts Legacy had sold over 15 million copies, and with its latest Nintendo Switch release, that number has probably increased quite dramatically. Simply put, Ghost of Tsushima and Hogwarts Legacy are simply too successful to just be one-offs, and a sequel for each is practically guaranteed.
Ghost of Tsushima 2 and Hogwarts Legacy Might Run Into the Same Challenge
But the concept of a sequel brings about another element that could tie Ghost of Tsushima and Hogwarts Legacy together, and that's an issue concerning in-game abilities. The first Ghost of Tsushima was packed full of content, and that includes a handful of pretty expansive Technique skill trees. While there's room for more Techniques in Ghost of Tsushima 2, the sequel might have a tough time delivering new skills and mechanics that feel substantially new and different from those in the first game.
The same thing might be true for Hogwarts Legacy and its bevy of spells. The first Hogwarts Legacy gives players a pretty vast range of spells, including a slew of fan-favorites like the Unforgivable Curses, Expelliarmus, and Alohomora. Though there are still a few iconic spells that weren't available in Hogwarts Legacy, a sequel might find it difficult to bring anything properly new to the table, with many spell types already being covered in the original, such as a water one, a fire one, an explosive one, etc. Both Ghost of Tsushima and Hogwarts Legacy are going to need to think a little outside the box to make their respective sequels stand out.
Ghost of Tsushima
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 84 /100 Critics Rec: 88%
- Released
- July 17, 2020
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, Partial Nudity
- Developer(s)
- Sucker Punch
- Publisher(s)
- Sony
- Engine
- Proprietary
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- PC, PS4 & PS5
WHERE TO PLAY
A storm is coming. Discover the expanded Ghost of Tsushima experience in this Director’s Cut. Uncover the hidden wonders of Tsushima in this open-world action adventure from Sucker Punch Productions and PlayStation Studios, available for PS5 and PS4. Forge a new path and wage an unconventional war for the freedom of Tsushima. Challenge opponents with your katana, master the bow to eliminate distant threats, develop stealth tactics to ambush enemies and explore a new story on Iki Island.
- Number of Players
- 2-4
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
- How Long To Beat
- 25 Hours
- Metascore
- 83
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
