Summary
Ghost of Tsushimais one of the most memorable new franchises of recent years. Its first entry tells the story of Jin Sakai, a samurai who must craft his own code of honor in order to protect his homeland from a Mongol invasion. Combining intense personal drama with historical fiction,Ghost of Tsushimacaptured the hearts of many, and is now being adapted into a film. The movie announcement pleased many, but a lot of fans are still waiting for news of a sequel. The first game leaves room to continue Jin’s story after its conclusion, butGhost of Tsushima 2might actually benefit from going back further into the past.
Carefully blending myth with history,Ghost of Tsushimais inspired by samurai cinemaand even features a mode to make it look like a Kurosawa film. As such, the title’s representation of samurai is a somewhat romantic one and isn’t fully grounded in historical fact. In spite of this, the political landscape depicted is a believable one, and the Mongol invasion of Tsushima was an actual historical event in 1274. More fantastical elements are withheld for the game’s Legends mode, lettingGhost of Tsushima’s narrative retell historical events in a way that is believable but exciting. There are plenty of other stories in Japan’s history and in the game’s canon that could be told in the same way.
The Yarikawa Rebellion Could Be a Great Setting for Ghost of Tsushima 2
Approximately 20 years before Jin’s story begins, his father and Lord Shimura fought to put down a peasant uprising known as the Yarikawa Rebellion. Jin must return to the region in the quest “The Walls of Yarikawa” and can take on a woman known as The Spirit of Yarikawa in one of the Mythic Tales. The Yarikawa Rebellion is frequently cited as a divisive conflict in the world of the game and one that shaped the relationships of different factions on the island. Jin is even forced to resolve some of the ill-will held by the residents of Yarikawa during the game’s story. Given the significance and lasting impact of the rebellion, it could be a great setting for another game.
A Prequel Could Build on the Iki Island DLC
A game set during the Yarikawa Rebellion could follow Jin’s uncle and father as they fight to put down the uprising.Ghost of Tsushima’s Iki Island DLCsaw Jin help liberate the island while reliving childhood memories from the battles his father fought there. These flashbacks investigate the complexity of a samurai’s honor. Jin’s father and troops do terrible things to civilians in the name of carrying out their orders and use their honor as an excuse to do so.
Where the base game investigates the morality behind Jin developing his own code of honor, Iki Island interrogates whether the Samurai code was honorable to begin with. A game centered around the Yarikawa Rebellion could investigate these themes with greater depth and would be an interesting companion to the original game’s own themes.
Ghost of Tsushima 2 Could Go To a New Time Period
Ghost of Tsushimais built around Japanese history, but it covers only a small chunk of it. A sequel to the game could jump into a different time frame altogether and follow a new set of characters. In 1180, the Taira and Minamoto clans fought the Genpei War, which gave rise to the Kamakura Shogunate.
This war is of massive historical importance and is retold in The Tale of the Heike, one of Japan’s most important epics. AGhost of Tsushimasequel could adapt this story or deliver a new take on the Genpei War. The Kamakura Shogunate installed at the end of this war is the same one that exiles Jin duringGhost of Tsushima, so the developers could potentially find ways to connect the events of each game.
Whether Sucker Punch wants to dive into different periods of Japanese history or keep the franchise revolving aroundthe story of Jin Sakai and his family, there is just as much potential in a prequel as there is in a traditional sequel. Japanese history has plenty of interesting wars and events that could be adapted into a compelling game, and the broad Samurai themes and aesthetic ofGhost of Tsushimacould be transplanted across many different periods.
