Who Cares If Yotei’s Map Is Similar to Tsushima’s? It’s What’s Inside That Counts

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In our recent exploration of the gameplay for the upcoming title, Ghost of Yotei (scheduled for release soon), it sparked some thoughts about how Sucker Punch has intelligently broadened the scope, rather than the scale, for the sequel to Ghost of Tsushima.

Discussions about the upcoming game’s map being approximately equivalent in size to the original one suggest a strategy that numerous PlayStation exclusives might have adopted for their follow-ups, improving them rather than simply expanding their dimensions. Sucker Punch’s choice to pack Ezu with more activities within a compact area could make Ghost of Yotei a unique sequel compared to others.

The reasoning behind this choice is that the studio treats the world as a co-star in the upcoming game, almost equivalent to the new protagonist. Sucker Punch’s detailed gameplay analysis revealed numerous aspects of world-building from their critically acclaimed 2020 release, which makes it intriguing to explore why they decided to maintain the size of the new world, given its potential for growth based on its previous success.

The World Tells A Story

In “Ghost of Tsushima,” the main narrative beautifully highlights Tsushima Island, making Jin Sakai’s battle against the Mongols not just a struggle for survival, but an expression of his deep affection for his homeland. This strategic choice effectively personalized his story, mirroring the internal struggle he experienced as he transitioned from his upbringing to his transformation into the Ghost.

In Sucker Punch, lush landscapes, meadows, fields, and peaceful villages were juxtaposed with battle-scarred areas, consistently portraying the Mongols as a relentless adversary, symbolizing the challenging circumstances Jin would encounter and his need to transcend being merely a samurai. The world it constructed served its storyline effectively in numerous ways. By maintaining a comparable scale for Ghost of Yotei, the studio can reproduce the seamless integration they accomplished previously.

In other words, by enabling players to manually trigger Atsu’s past flashbacks instead of them occurring spontaneously during crucial moments as seen with Jin, Sucker Punch has empowered players to decide when they want to explore memories, making the gameplay experience more seamless and less disruptive.

In the development of the new game, it’s logical for the map to be approximately the same size since Atsu doesn’t encounter an invading army in her story of vengeance. Instead, she must navigate through various enemies en route to the Yotei Six. For this sequel, a larger map wouldn’t have added much to the narrative, and Sucker Punch has shown good judgment by not increasing its size.

In the movie Sucker Punch, Atsu remains grounded despite becoming an even formidable fighter compared to Jin. For the narrative’s sake, this balance works well.

So Much to Do, So Much to See

For optimal gameplay in Ghost of Yotei, it would be fitting to have a map comparable to Tsushima, as this approach aligns with Sucker Punch’s focus on organic exploration and discovery of content. While Ghost of Tsushima excelled in many areas, its side content was somewhat lackluster, featuring repetitive activities that didn’t always contribute positively to the gameplay mechanics due to limited or non-beneficial rewards.

As a devoted fan, I’ve found myself grappling with a common complaint – the side missions often felt like repetitive fetch quests in which Jin traversed from one location to another, taking down Mongol platoons along the way. Don’t get me wrong; there were exceptional moments like the Mythic Tales that truly shone. Yet, it seemed many open-world games of the time succumbed to this design flaw. However, with current-generation systems demanding and delivering superior gaming experiences, it’s long overdue for this trend to be revisited and improved upon.

Atsu’s journey is less likely to become unnecessarily overloaded. The gameplay in Ghost of Yotei encourages the idea of expanding its world more extensively, and having a map filled with meaningful actions is preferable to a larger one where the content is spread out to extend an already lengthy playtime.

Maintaining the same map scale could enable Sucker Punch to create a world that appears larger than it truly is, given that Atsu must meticulously gather clues about the individuals she pursues by interacting closely with her surroundings. This method can make Atsu an unparalleled predator in a realm where her quarry excels at staying hidden.

In simpler terms, expanding the map might interfere with Sucker Punch’s intention to create an engaging world. It wouldn’t be fitting for Atsu, being the main character of a story centered around a solitary hunter, to spend more time on her horse than pursuing her targets, which seems like she’s chasing through an entire jungle.

Revising this sentence for a more natural and easier-to-understand style: The third act of Ghost of Tsushima had an obvious problem – the northern region of Tsushima felt empty and lacking in activities, making it feel less engaging before facing Khotun Khan and his remaining forces.

As a fan, I can’t help but feel that while Tsushima was undeniably vast, it could have benefited from an even richer tapestry of side activities. In my opinion, Sucker Punch Productions should aim for a sequel map with a balance between size and scope, rather than favoring one over the other almost entirely. This would enable a more refined gameplay experience that still maintains the open-world freedom we’ve come to love from their games.

The Quality of a Life

One argument supporting Sucker Punch’s choice not to expand the map in “Ghost of Yotei” is their focus on enhancing player experience through sensible quality-of-life improvements. For instance, players can now set up camp anywhere in the world, which eliminates the need to search for essential NPCs as they come to you instead.

In the revised version of Ghost of Yotei, this significant alteration proves wise for not incorporating a larger map. This update eliminates the requirement for the extensive map, making it more manageable. Additionally, the streamlined process for NPC-related quests, as presented by Sucker Punch, simplifies managing their diverse objectives. This new interface is anticipated to harmonize seamlessly with the expected return of the swift travel system from Ghost of Tsushima, which we believe will further enhance gameplay in the upcoming release.

Furthermore, incorporating flower-filled streams that provide a speed bonus as you navigate through them is another smart adjustment that could potentially benefit Sucker Punch. The extra speed wouldn’t have mattered much if Atsu had a significant distance to travel. Yet, by avoiding an increase in overall size, this new feature remains sensible from the perspective of movement within the game, highlighting Sucker Punch’s focus on delivering quality over quantity with their latest title.

Keeping the map size consistent opens up a chance for the studio to enhance the verticality within their game world, possibly refining the climbing mechanics introduced in the initial game. Players might appreciate more opportunities to climb, especially while they seek new abilities or elusive targets who mistakenly believe that high ground offers safety from Atsu’s steel.

Bigger Does Not Translate to Better

Considering all factors, we’re confident that Sucker Punch has strategically positioned itself for achievement by choosing a map as expansive as the one introduced in their highly successful franchise. This decision guarantees that the open world offered to players doesn’t overstay its welcome, thus enabling the studio to create an experience tailored to the needs of its players.

Reducing the scale of the map in “Ghost of Yotei” wouldn’t enhance the significant alterations the studio is implementing on its story, gameplay, and exploration elements. Instead, it would restrict engaging activities during exploration, requiring players to cover more ground for the same rewards, thereby detracting from the overall experience.

To put it simply, having a map comparable in size to Tsushima isn’t a drawback for Ghost of Yotei. Instead, it offers an opportunity for this game to surpass its predecessor on numerous aspects. We firmly believe that Sucker Punch recognized this potential when they began planning their upcoming project.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

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2025-07-29 16:12