Does Ghost of Yōtei Already Belong In Game of the Year Discussions?

Today, I want to have an open conversation about Ghost of Yōtei, Sucker Punch Productions’ upcoming standalone sequel to Ghost of Tsushima.

We all watched Sony’s State of Play Presentation last week and witnessed various reactions online afterwards. Many have described Ghost of Yōtei as visually impressive, while others have stated that it looks like more of the same game we got back in 2020.

With so many opinions floating around, I wanted to ask one key question: Does Ghost of Yōtei already belong in the game of the year discussion? Before I share my thoughts, let’s dive into a few other details that are worth mentioning.

Ghost of Tsushima was my game of the year in 2020. It was living proof that Sucker Punch Productions could step out of their comfort zone and create a new IP with no ties to Infamous or Sly Cooper. Given how successful the game sold, it makes sense why both Sony and Sucker Punch would want to make a sequel.

In many ways, Ghost of Yōtei looks like a refined version of the original game with a new protagonist and some noticeable improvements to enhance the overall experience. Has enough changed for this to feel like something completely new? That’s hard to tell based on what little we have seen so far, but we can confidently say that the gameplay looks familiar, which is something that diehard fans of the first game probably won’t have an issue with.

When starting to think about game of the year discussions, it’s important to know the difference between hype and reality. Given Sucker Punch’s track record with Ghost of Tsushima, I fully understand why the hype behind this sequel is already automatically elevating it within these conversations. The reality, however, is that we haven’t played the game yet, so while I do expect it to receive industry nominations in this category, there are no guarantees it will or should win that award.

There are already quite a few heavy-hitters that are firmly at the top of this list that deserve an equal amount of praise right now. Clair Obscur’s Expedition 33, Split Fiction, and Blue Prince are phenomenal games that were praised for offering players something new. While innovating on a concept can be challenging, it’s important to acknowledge these studios when they’re able to do this. With the year halfway over, it will be interesting to see what other titles will be added to this list, and cause even more fun debates at the end of the year.

With all that said, should Ghost of Yōtei already be a part of these discussions? I don’t think so. While the sequel could push the series forward, we haven’t played or seen enough yet to confirm this as fact or fiction. As a fan, I’m interested in the game and looking forward to seeing more. My opinion could change in October, but for now, I’m confident saying I need to see more.

What are your thoughts on Ghost of Yōtei? Do you already think it’s a game of the year contender? Let us know your answers to these questions and more.