The latest PlayStation title to be developed by Sucker Punch Productions, the game shattering sales records and Sucker Punch effectively book-ending the PS4's lifespan, as their previous title, Infamous: Second Son, originally helped to bring players into the PlayStation 4 generation.
Ghost of Tsushima's beautiful scenes are set on the real-life island of Tsushima and put players in the shoes of Jin Sakai, a samurai who is forced to defend his home from an invading force of Mongols. With fluid action, a gorgeous landscape, and a gripping story, Ghost of Tsushima lived up to the expectations, taking players on a journey through an oft-unexplored portion of Feudal Japan.
Ghost of Tsushima's success follows the success of another game set in Feudal Japan, add content such as a Boss Rush, players may find themselves thinking back to a game that placed them in the shoes of their own samurai wandering the historic lands.
How Ghost of Tsushima Can Lead To Way of the Samurai
In an interview with 4Gamer (Translated by Siliconera), Acquire Corp., the developers behind the cult-classic Way of the Samurai, spoke about their series as they promoted the spin-off game, Katana Kami: A Way of the Samurai Story, for its release. When asked about a fifth title in the Way of the Samurai series, studio president Takuma Endo responded positively, stating that he would like to make a fifth game while also fearing the series had been forgotten due to the length of time between installments.
As the interview follows up in regards to the success and hype behind Sekiro and Ghost of Tsushima, indicating that players seem to be interested in that style of game again, game director Tetsuji Saito remarked, "It was completely by coincidence that development overlapped like this, and I hope we can ride the wave as well". With that inspiration backing them, perhaps a more modern Japan-based title could serve as a key blueprint.
How Way of the Samurai Can Improve
As time has progressed, there have been advancements made to the manner in which a Way of the Samurai title could be presented. Ghost of Tsushima's flowing, cinematic combat has left players dazzled by what's possible, and a Way of the Samurai title with a similar combat system would go a long way into improving the overall flow of combat, bringing it forward to a new generation while maintaining a sense of the series's own identity by fusing the combat flow with Way of the Samurai's weaponry and skill system.
One aspect of Way of the Samurai that helps to define the series is the freedom to wander the town that the player is placed in, being given almost complete freedom in regards to the player's actions, and with that freedom, the player can create multiple divergent paths, resulting in numerous changes to the narrative as well as changes to the flow of the story, with numerous endings to be discovered based upon what the player does. Advancements in gaming technology, along with the ability to crafter and deliver deeper, more complex plots and story threads, means a new Way of the Samurai could have a larger, more immersive, and more interactive world than ever before.
Why Way of the Samurai Is So Special
Despite the sometimes serious story of Way of the Samurai, the game has also lent itself to outlandish moments through the game's fictional locales. While off-putting in some titles, players have found that the Yakuza series strikes a good balance between the humor found in Kiryu's exploits in Kamurocho and the often-dangerous and engaging storytelling surrounding the main narrative. The developers strike a nice balance as one doesn't override the other nor feel out of place, and in the same game Kiryu can go from saving Haruka from a threat to her well-being and future to dealing with a gang led by Kazuchika Okada, one of New Japan Pro-Wrestling's greatest talents, in a side-quest played for laughs with cameos by other NJPW greats.
While Way of the Samurai titles tend to be shorter than Yakuza games in an effort to encourage multiple playthroughs, the side-quests, exploring, and mini-games within Kamurocho help make the world and its cast feel alive, and with Way of the Samurai allowing the player to create their own character, it's important for the player to be able to feel their creation come to life as they envision it. With Yakuza serving as an inspiration to the way the player navigates the world, drawing further inspiration from Ghost of Tsushima for its combat would provide a match made in Heaven, and could serve to resurrect the samurai classic for a modern audience, showing the series had been gone, but not forgotten.
Source: 4Gamer (via Siliconera)
