Summary
- Ghost of Yotei's potential time jump could deepen the player's connection to Atsu through playable flashback sequences.
- Assassin's Creed Shadows sets a precedent for triggering playable flashbacks with its Kuji-Kiri meditation zones.
- To enhance emotional weight, Ghost of Yotei should consider incorporating a gameplay mechanic similar to Assassin's Creed Shadows.
Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Shadows has been relentlessly compared to Sucker Punch's Ghost of Tsushima, although those comparisons are largely based on the time period that the two share. Now, with Ghost of Yotei on the way, there's a chance those comparisons could continue, though they might be flipped now that Assassin's Creed Shadows has set a precedent that Ghost of Yotei could very much follow. It wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing for Ghost of Yotei to take a few notes from Assassin's Creed Shadows either, especially when it comes to the former's apparent time jump and one of the latter's early narrative devices.
Based on what has been revealed so far, it appears that Ghost of Yotei could feature a considerable time jump in its story. At its heart, Ghost of Yotei's narrative is about its protagonist, Atsu, seeking revenge for the murder of her family and the razing of her homestead. A scene from Ghost of Yotei's release date announcement trailer shows a young Atsu during the raid on her home and then a vengeance-fueled adult Atsu shortly after. While it might be that Ghost of Yotei simply chooses to tell Atsu's origin story in a cinematic sequence, however, Assassin's Creed Shadows might have an even better way.
Ghost of Yotei Continues a Trend The Series Should Eventually Break
Ghost of Yotei's narrative continues a trend that was ignited by its predecessor, and it's one that the next game in the series should steer clear of.
Ghost of Yotei's Time Jump Could Make Use of AC Shadows' Kuji-Kiri
Assassin's Creed Shadows' Kuji-Kiri Trigger Playable Flashbacks
There are countless side activities for players to complete in Assassin's Creed Shadows, but the game's Kuji-Kiri are undoubtedly a major highlight. These meditation zones not only offer players a chance to slow down and quiet themselves, but they also trigger playable flashbacks. The prologue of Assassin's Creed Shadows does a great job of going over the main events of Naoe's backstory, but it isn't until players complete a few of the game's Kuji-Kiri that they get an even more detailed look at her origins.
While it might be that Ghost of Yotei simply chooses to tell Atsu's origin story in a cinematic sequence, Assassin's Creed Shadows might have an even better way.
When completing the first several Kuji-Kiri in Assassin's Creed Shadows, players are treated to a series of flashback sequences that are playable rather than merely watchable. During these sequences, players get to experience Naoe at her own homestead firsthand, and her relationship with her father is further fleshed out to emphasize just how hard his death at the hands of Oda Nobunaga hit Naoe. It therefore serves as a way for players to connect with Naoe's character on a deeper level and heightens the emotional payoff of its narrative.
Atsu's Backstory in Ghost of Yotei Could Be Told Through Meditation-Based Flashbacks
Ghost of Yotei could do with something similar, as opposed to simply showing what happened to Atsu when she was younger and then flashing forward ten years to show where she is now. The time jump could certainly still take place, but incorporating an activity like Assassin's Creed Shadows' Kuji-Kiri that would trigger playable flashback sequences would be a great way to deepen the player's connection to Atsu, what she lost, and her pursuit of revenge. Since revenge stories are often rooted in grief, allowing players to feel that grief firsthand by letting them play as a young Atsu would bring greater understanding to her journey.
Assassin's Creed Shadows and Ghost of Yotei are both revenge stories, making an even stronger case for the latter to maintain similarities with the former.
If Ghost of Yotei wants its time jump to carry real emotional weight, it should invite players to experience Atsu's past through a gameplay mechanic similar to Assassin's Creed Shadows' Kuji-Kiri. Doing so could turn Atsu's memories into interactive moments that gradually unfold across Ghost of Yotei's story. Letting players step into the shoes of a younger Atsu and witness the events that shaped her would make her pursuit of revenge feel more personal, giving her grief room to breathe and allowing her transformation to land with far greater impact.
Ghost of Yotei
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 87 /100 Critics Rec: 94%
- Released
- October 2, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Language, Partial Nudity, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Sucker Punch
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Action, Adventure, Open-World
