As Ghost of Yotei faces scrutiny over its new direction, fans hope Sucker Punch will address some of Ghost of Tsushima’s core gameplay issues.

As the internet continues its meltdown over Atsu taking up Jin Sakai’s mantle in Ghost of Yotei, there’s a more pressing concern that Sucker Punch needs to address in their upcoming sequel. Ghost of Tsushima, for all its stunning visuals and innovative features, had one particularly annoying thorn in its side that many players would rather forget.

Atsu’s got bigger demons to fight than internet trolls. | Image Credit: PlayStation/YouTube

And no, we’re not talking about the endless debates around honor versus necessity, or even the controversial casting choices. We’re talking about something far more fundamental to the gameplay experience itself—something that’s been haunting open-world games since the dawn of time, refusing to die like a particularly stubborn oni.

The ghosts that haunt Tsushima‘s legacy

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While Ghost of Tsushima earned well-deserved praise for its combat system and gorgeous world, not everything in the game was worthy of a samurai’s honor. One Reddit user’s detailed critique recently resurfaced, highlighting some persistent issues that plagued the original game:

The tailing missions, in particular, stood out as a relic of gaming’s past that somehow survived into the modern era. While not quite as restrictive as Assassin’s Creed‘s infamous “stay in the circle” mechanics, they still felt like unnecessary padding in an otherwise stellar experience.

But the problems didn’t stop there. The game’s side content often fell into predictable patterns, with the same handful of enemy types and mission structures repeating throughout the journey. Even the much-praised companion quests, while narratively engaging, could have used some trimming.

Every liberated camp played out the same cutscene, every fox den led to another charm, and every Mongol patrol offered the same encounter. For a world so meticulously designed, the actual content within it sometimes felt like it came from a much less inspired template.

Ghost of Yotei: A new era brings new challenges

New face, same problems? That’s up to Sucker Punch. | Image Credit: PlayStation/YouTube

As Ghost of Yotei prepares to take us 300 years into the future, the online discourse has fixated on everything except what really matters. Yes, Erika Ishii is voicing Atsu. Yes, there are valid concerns about the involvement of writers John Dumbrow and Courtney Woods, especially given their work on Dragon Age: Veilguard. And yes, Jin Sakai isn’t the protagonist anymore.

But focusing on these surface-level controversies misses the real opportunity at hand. Jin’s story reached its natural conclusion—trying to stretch it further would only diminish what made it special in the first place. Besides, remember the skepticism when Rockstar announced Arthur Morgan would replace John Marston as the protagonist in Red Dead Redemption 2? That worked out pretty well, didn’t it?

The real question isn’t whether Atsu can carry the torch—it’s whether Ghost of Yotei can not only live up to but evolve beyond its predecessor’s mechanical limitations. Can it deliver side quests that feel unique and purposeful? Will it find more engaging ways to tell its story than following NPCs at a snail’s pace?

Sucker Punch has proven they can create breathtaking worlds and compelling characters. Now they just need to fill that world with content worthy of their artistic vision. And that’s a challenge worthy of any warrior, regardless of gender or voice actor.

What do you think Sucker Punch needs to improve most in Ghost of Yotei? Share your thoughts in the comments below!