Both Ghost of Tsushima and Ghost of Yotei are excellent open-world action games, representing some of the best the genre has to offer. With spectacular visuals, cinematic storytelling, refined combat, and a smooth flow to exploration, time flies by in these samurai adventures. With Ghost of Yotei, Sucker Punch pushed the already winning formula even further, making the sequel feel improved in nearly every area. However, nothing is perfect, and there’s still room for improvement in a potential third game.
What’s most puzzling is that several previously criticized aspects of Ghost of Tsushima return in Ghost of Yotei with little to no changes. It’s hard to ignore some elements that feel outdated by 2025 standards, and not to imagine how different things could have been. Let’s take a look at a few of Ghost of Yotei’s rare missteps that could have been fixed since the original, but for some reason, were left as they are.
This isn’t meant as harsh criticism of Ghost of Yotei or to diminish its achievements, but rather as personal nitpicks about elements that might have been handled better.
Traversal Enhancements Could Be Better
Running, Horse Riding, and Simplistic Climbing Sections Are All We've Got
Many recent open-world games have made real improvements to traversal, adding gear or abilities that make moving around more enjoyable. While there aren’t endless options in a grounded, semi-historical setting like Ghost of Yotei, even similar titles such as Rise of the Ronin (which includes a glider) find creative ways to make traversal more engaging, instead of limiting players to running on foot or riding a horse.
The biggest issue lies in the overly simplistic traversal sections carried over from Ghost of Tsushima. These usually offer just one narrow path forward and feel far too artificial. After games like Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the restricted use of Atsu’s grappling hook, her inability to climb even small buildings or towers, and the lack of any proper quick-descent options (beyond a fade to black) may leave players wanting more.
Few Distinct Armor Sets With No Transmog Options
Outfits Are Stunning, but There Are Too Few of Them
Just like in Ghost of Tsushima, every new outfit in Ghost of Yotei feels like a reward. Visually striking, rich in detail, and supported by plenty of customization options like unique dyes and distinct combat perks, collecting and testing each new armor set never gets old. The problem is that, unlike the wide variety of headbands, helmets, masks, and hats, there are too few armor sets (only 12 in total) to choose from in Ghost of Yotei.
Armor pieces are so rare that players will likely have just two or three options to choose from during the first 20 hours or so. Even worse, despite the limited selection, Ghost of Yotei still lacks a transmog feature found in many other open-world action games. Players can’t mix their preferred look with their ideal combat bonuses, leaving the only option to constantly switch between loadouts, which isn’t always convenient.
Limited Combat Builds Variety
More Weapons Are Added, but Still Not Enough Diverse Character Builds
Continuing from the previous point, even though Ghost of Yotei greatly expands Atsu’s weapon arsenal, much like the first game, it still doesn’t offer truly distinct combat builds. The updated combat system centers around “weapon alignment,” requiring players to use specific weapons against specific enemy types, while the divide between stealth and open combat remains nearly irreversible once Atsu is spotted.
The abundance of upgradeable charms and armor perks adds a bit of variety, but most of these bonuses are minor — slightly extending Atsu’s health bar, letting her defeat enemies in two strikes instead of three, or providing other unremarkable bonuses. The simple skill trees for each weapon don’t help much either, as they lack enough game-changing perks or attacks to encourage truly original playstyles.
Player Choices That Rarely Matter
Choices in Quests and Dialogues Often Feel Irrelevant
Sucker Punch never intended Ghost of Tsushima or Ghost of Yotei to be full-fledged open-world RPGs, as both Jin and Atsu are pre-defined characters with established personalities. Even so, the game frequently offers dialogue choices that seem to affect certain quest outcomes but ultimately feel insignificant. With how the system is handled in both titles, it’s hard not to wish for more impactful decisions — ones that would let players shape different versions of Atsu by the end and perhaps even unlock alternate endings.
A clear example is how nearly every random encounter with enemies ends the same way: the final opponent surrenders and gives Atsu a hint leading to the next objective. Players can’t decide whether to spare or execute them, and this lack of agency feels like a missed opportunity, making these encounters increasingly predictable as the game progresses.
Poor Enemy Variety and Behavior
You Can Only Do So Much With Human Enemies
One of the biggest criticisms of Ghost of Tsushima was its limited enemy variety, understandable to some extent given the game’s historically grounded setting. Ghost of Yotei makes some improvements, introducing new enemy types with distinct weapons and attack patterns that force players to adapt, yet it’s still hard not to wish for more. Even rare predatory animals like bears are directly reused from Ghost of Tsushima and behave exactly the same.
Beyond the lack of variety, Ghost of Yotei’s enemy AI and behavior could have seen more meaningful upgrades. Enemies still shout before firing arrows, even when no allies are nearby; stealth remains too convenient, with foes often standing with their backs exposed, staring at walls instead of open areas; and the “terrified” mechanic adds little depth. As a result, most combat encounters start to feel repetitive before long — but more on that in a moment.
Forced, Repetitive Combat Encounters
Every Mission or Quest Basically Ends the Same
There’s no denying that both Ghost of Tsushima and Ghost of Yotei feature exceptional combat systems, with some of the best swordplay in the genre, fluid movements, brutal finishers, and a free-form flow that doesn’t rely on target lock-on. However, when it comes to designing quests and encounters around this great system, Ghost of Yotei feels outdated and lacking in creativity.
Almost every side quest or mission ends the same way: a group of enemies, be it bandits, mercenaries, or ronin, suddenly appears from thin air and attacks Atsu or whoever she’s helping. The worst part is the overused “enemy waves” structure, which by 2025 standards feels unnatural and predictable after only a few hours of play. As a result, the few encounters that happen organically, like bounty hunters ambushing Atsu in the wild, or the rare missions that avoid combat altogether, stand out all the more in a sea of repetitive battles. Moreover, even though Atsu acquires a spear (Yari), just like in Ghost of Tsushima, the game still lacks horseback combat entirely, which feels like yet another wasted opportunity.
Overly Curated Cinematic Structure
The Game Takes Away Control Way Too Often
The earlier example of fleeing enemies with no player choice perfectly illustrates Ghost of Yotei’s overly curated, cinematic structure carried over from its predecessor and typical of many PlayStation first-party titles. In nearly every mission, the game frequently interrupts gameplay with black screens, unnecessary small cutscenes, sudden character teleportations to new places off-screen, or even instant updates to a location straight after intense battles.
In many such scenarios, players can’t even loot fallen enemies or sheath their sword manually — despite the game including this neat interaction system that allows weapon sheathing or bowing at will. In its pursuit of cinematic storytelling, Ghost of Yotei sometimes becomes frustrating by not allowing players to fully exist in its world or act freely within it.
Tough But Unoriginal Boss Battles
The Duel System Is Great, but What About Surprises?
Alongside its excellent combat, one of the standout features returning from Ghost of Tsushima to Ghost of Yotei is the signature duel system for bosses and elite bounties. These one-on-one encounters, framed with cinematic camera angles, capture the spirit of classic samurai films and still feel stylish and intense. However, while this system remains impressive, by the end of a second game it starts to feel repetitive and in need of fresh ideas.
For comparison, Assassin’s Creed Shadows – Claws of Awaji recently introduced highly original boss sections that were praised by players for their variety and creativity. It would be great if at least some of Ghost of Yotei’s major boss battles offered something different rather than relying solely on the same face-to-face duels with slightly altered boss attack patterns each time.