Highlights
- In the final boss fight of Ghost of Tsushima, Jin and Shimura duel to the death and sparing Shimura is considered the canon “good” ending.
- The game does not punish the player for Jin’s dishonorable actions, creating a disconnect between gameplay and narrative.
- Jin’s morally just and successful actions may affect his perception in the sequel, allowing him to fully prioritize saving lives over honor now that he and Shimura are at odds.
Ghost of Tsushima brought a Mongol invasion to Jin Sakai’s home and in order to combat it he chose to betray the honorable traditions of a samurai. Knowing that those traditions alone wouldn’t be enough to purge Tsushima of her invaders, Jin needed to blatantly move against the desires of his uncle, Lord Shimura. This made Shimura a sort of unwilling antagonist in the narrative who is torn between his love for Jin and his honor, while Jin is torn between his love for his uncle and doing what must be done to ensure that Tsushima is saved.
The final boss fight in Ghost of Tsushima is then proportionately disheartening and epic as Jin and Shimura duel to the death. It’s been declared since that dishonorably sparing Shimura is Ghost of Tsushima’s canon “good” ending, which is logical since Jin has behaved dishonorably almost the entire game as Shimura perceives it, and killing him now when Jin wouldn’t wish to would ironically be an honorable act. This doesn’t mean that Jin’s actions in a Ghost of Tsushima 2 will be wholly dishonorable, but it would be great to see the player punished for those actions as much as Jin is in the story.
Ghost of Tsushima 2 Has a Nearly Impossible Balance to Strike to Catch Lightning in a Bottle Twice
Ghost of Tsushima was able to strike a necessary balance that its sequel will need to somehow achieve if it wants the same open-world authenticity.
Ghost of Tsushima 2 Can’t Shy Away from the Morality of Jin Sakai’s Dishonorable Actions
Ghost of Tsushima Punished Jin for His Actions, But Never the Player
Every instance of dishonorable action in Ghost of Tsushima’s scripted events results in a wider tear between Jin and Shimura, but the player never really gets to feel the effect of that in gameplay. This was likely decided on so that players wouldn’t have to choose between an honorable or dishonorable playstyle, but because that is the crux of the whole narrative it is unfortunate that such elements of that didn’t bleed into gameplay more.
Perhaps with how Ghost of Tsushima ended, leaving Jin to be hunted as the Ghost by the shogun and Shimura, there can be a reputation system in the sequel that allows for Tsushima to turn on Jin as long as he is carrying out vengeance as a vigilante in the shadows. It seems unlikely now that Jin would forsake his new tools and habits if they were successful in warding away the Mongols, and clashing swords with his uncle couldn’t have been for nothing.
Likewise, Shimura warming up to Jin in a sequel and suddenly becoming accepting of his nephew’s dishonorable tactics would be a retcon that discards all the tension and disruption between the two from the original game. The player needs to experience the separation that is wedged between Jin and Shimura in a Ghost of Tsushima sequel because that is what is best for Tsushima.
Jin May Have Nothing Left to Lose in Ghost of Tsushima 2
Unfortunately, because Sucker Punch has depicted Jin’s dishonorable actions as ones that have been successful in defending Tsushima and saving countless lives, it’s written Jin as a character who is morally just or agreeable, and that will inevitably color how he is meant to be perceived in a sequel.
If Shimura is an antagonist out of necessity with no more grace or compassion toward Jin, then Jin no longer needs to concern himself with the morality of his actions. Ghost of Tsushima 2’s Jin can assassinate endless Mongols and know that he’ll be doing so in an effort to save lives, regardless of how that may paint him in his uncle’s eyes, and as long as he does so with conviction Jin can be whatever the island needs him to be.
There’s no telling whether a dedicated morality system will be in Ghost of Tsushima 2 or not, but at this point it would be a redundant feature since Jin has already chosen to be Tsushima’s Ghost. Sparing his uncle would appear to be the wholesome, empathetic choice, but doing so further demonstrates how Jin refuses to let honor dictate his actions. That should always be a point of contention that Jin continues to grapple with in the franchise, especially when noble samurai might simply obey the demands and standards of their shogun without introspective contemplation.
Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut
In Ghost of Tsushima, players will roam the vast countryside and expansive terrain to encounter rich characters, discover ancient landmarks, and uncover the hidden beauty of Tsushima. The director’s cut includes the full game and the Iki Island expansion, which has new story missions, enemies, and mini-games.
- Released
- August 20, 2021
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, Partial Nudity
- How Long To Beat
- 30 Hours
- Metascore
- 87
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
