Ghost of Yotei is a long-awaited sequel to Ghost of Tsushima, and players have waited 5 years for Sucker Punch Productions to continue their beautifully told Japanese tales of the samurai. However, Jin Sakai is not the protagonist of Ghost of Yotei, so players who want to check out Ghost of Yotei without having played Ghost of Tsushima might want to know if they even need to play the original to understand the newest release, or find a recap of the events that happened prior. Luckily, we’ve got you covered on all fronts.
Do You Need to Play Ghost of Tsushima Before Yotei?
The short answer is no, you do not need to play Ghost of Tsushima to understand or enjoy Ghost of Yotei. Ghost of Yotei treats the series as an anthology, so there’s no connection between the two titles outside of their names and gameplay, in which players take the role of a wanderer who uses their mastery of the sinobi and samurai way. Ghost of Tsushima is set in 1274 with the Mongol invasion of the Japanese island of Tsushima, whereas Ghost of Yotei is set in 1603 on the island of Ezo. Over 300 years have passed since Ghost of Tsushima, and the characters featured and the stories told are left as legend and rumors by the time of Ghost of Yotei, thus making it an accessible game for anyone who wants to check it out. However, we definitely recommend Ghost of Tsushima for its incredible story, open-world, and combat, which will all make Ghost of Yotei feel like a second nature.
Spoilers ahead for Ghost of Tsushima!
Ghost of Tsushima Recap for Ghost of Yotei
Ghost of Tsushima takes place on the Japanese island of Tsushima in 1274, when Mongol forces have begun to invade the island. The story follows Jin Sakai, a young samurai on a quest to protect Tsushima against invaders who have no honor. In order to survive and beat these cunning invaders, Jin must forsake the way of the samurai to become the first shinobi, fighting in shadow and stabbing his enemies in the back, much to the disapproval and dishonor of his uncle, Lord Shimura. Jin Sakai defeats the Khan and the Mongol invaders, but the shogun of Japan demands Jin’s death for his dishonor. Jin abandons the samurai way and becomes the Ghost, disappearing in the night to become Tsushima’s spirit of vengeance, and that’s the last that’s seen of Jin.
In 1603, Atsu returns to her home of Ezo after 16 years of training to be a warrior with one goal in mind: vengeance. Ghost of Yotei follows Atsu, a wandering warrior who has taken it upon herself to kill the Yotei Six, the men responsible for murdering her family when she was just a child, and that’s where the story begins.