For several years now, theAssassin’s Creedfranchise has beenone of the most popular video game seriesthat explores the realm of historical fiction, and ever since the series began back in 2007, fans have been asking Ubisoft for anAssassin’s Creedgame that would explore the events of ancient Japan. However, no suchAssassin’s Creedgame has ever existed, and it appears that Sucker Punch’sGhost of Tsushimawill be the game that would fill in that gap.
After months of teasers, trailers, and gameplay previews, many players observed somesimilarities betweenGhost of TsushimaandAssassin’s Creedgames. This led to many callingGhost of TsushimaasAssassin’sCreed:Japan, with others saying thatGhost of Tsushimamay even be moreAssassin’s Creedthan some of the most recent entries in theAssassin’s Creedfranchise. Of course, it is too early to judge whetherGhost of Tsushimawill be a historical fiction better game thanAssassin’s Creed,but from what has been shown so far, it appears to be a strong contender.
Although both franchises have their own strengths and weaknesses, the comparisons that are being made betweenGhost of TsushimaandAssassin’s Creedappears to be making one huge implication, which is competition is good for historical fiction games.
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Competition is Good for Historical Fiction Games
Although theAssassin’s Creedfranchise is not the only series of video games that delve into historical fiction, there aren’t many games within the same genre that are as popular asAssassin’s Creed.Sure, there isSekiro Shadows: Die Twice,which takes place in 16th century Japan, but that game heavily blends fantasy elements in a historical setting. There is alsoRed Dead Redemption, but that franchise is different in its own right and ismostly focused on life in the American Wild West.
Of course, ifGhost of Tsushimais able to live up to all the hype surrounding it with its exciting features, immersive gameplay, and stunning visuals, then the game will surely become a commercial success. This is in part of the massive amount of attention that it is currently getting prior to its release, and some of those are fromAssassin’s Creedfans who have since becomeunhappy with the direction of recent games in the series. So what doesGhost of Tsushima’spotential success mean for Ubisoft, its flagship series, and the historical fiction genre in general?
Well, one thing that could happen shouldGhost of Tsushimaprove to be a critical and commercial success is to drive up the competition with games within the similar genre. Of course, at the moment, it is too early to tell whetherGhost of Tsushimawill have sequels that will establish a new franchise, or whetherSucker Punch Games will develop similar titlesthat would cover a different period in history. However, similar to other genres of video games, having multiple developers creating similar titles is usually a good thing for players, given that it will serve as an incentive for studios to ramp up the quality of its games via a good story and solid gameplay.
Ghost of Tsushima’s Biggest Draw
Apart from its Japanese setting that a lot ofAssassin’s Creedfans have been asking Ubisoft to cover, one of the most exciting features that fans can’t wait to try out inGhost of Tsushimais its combat mechanics. In previous trailers and gameplay footage, Sucker Punch revealed thatGhost of Tsushima’scombat will be brutaland is inspired by classic samurai movies. The game’s developers also talked about how every encounter with enemies will be grounded and realistic, that players can be defeated with only one or two blows from enemies.
Essentially, this means that players can’t simply run towards an enemy’s camp and take down five or so Mongols at the same time. Instead, the game favors a slow and methodical approach to defeating enemies, which issomething that some fans ofAssassin’s Creedwere not able to find inAssassin’s Creed Odyssey. Of course, this isn’t to say thatAssassin’s Creedgames are bad because while there are those who may have fallen out of love with the franchise; it still has a good and solid fanbase, which is evident in the growing hype of its upcoming game,Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.
However, one good thing thatGhost of Tsushima’ssuccess could bring to the table is to offer a different way for players to experience a historical fiction game. It could also be a wake-up call for Ubisoft to reflect on the direction of theAssassin’s Creedfranchise, and re-evaluate its direction and focus on the features that made players fall in love with series in the first place. Lastly,Ghost of Tsushima’ssuccess could also open the door for other developers to create new titles for the genre, which could mean a more diverse selection of historical fiction games in the future that would go beyond whatAssassin’s Creed,Red Dead Redemption,and evenGhost of Tsushimahas to offer.
Ghost of Tsushimais set to release on July 25, 2025, for the PlayStation 4.
