Summary
Ghost of Tsushima’s successor,Ghost of Yotei, appears to be taking the franchise in a brand-new direction with more than just a new protagonist at the helm. While it will be sad to seeJin Sakai left behind(as far as what is currently known about the game, anyway),Ghost of Yotei’s Atsu offers a unique opportunity for the next entry to challenge what made the first game so successful and take bold risks to reinvent its gameplay and storytelling. WhileGhost of Tsushimahas been massively successful and widely praised for many of its features, however, there is one thing about its gameplay thatGhost of Yoteicould still improve significantly.
One ofGhost of Tsushima’s greatest strengths was its combat, but its boss fights ultimately fell flat for being too predictable and repetitive all the way around. Visually, they were stunning, and thematically, they were memorable, but mechanically, they left a lot to be desired.Ghost of Yoteican improve on this by having boss fights that aren’t just memorable for the way they look and feel but also for their distinct mechanics and resulting challenge. Furthermore,Ghost of Yoteicould feature bosses that are based on distinct personalities, thereby making each fight distinct from the last.
Ghost of Yotei’s Boss Fights Need to Be Better Than Tsushima’s
Ghost of Yotei’s Major Bosses Should Have Multiple Unique Phases
One way thatGhost of Yoteicould considerably shake up its boss fights in comparison to its predecessor is by featuring bosses that have multiple unique phases. SomeGhost of Tsushimaboss fightshave phases, but they are far too subtle and hardly change anything about the fight to be deemed actual boss phases. WhileGhost of Tsushimaisn’t a soulslike, in games likeDark SoulsorSekiro: Shadows Die Twice, bosses generally have phases where more than their health threshold and aggression are affected and entirely new movesets are often introduced instead.
Ghost of Yoteitaking place 300 years afterGhost of Tsushimawould be the perfect setting for boss fights with such distinct phases, as martial arts began and samurai would experiment with unconventional fighting styles during the time period.
This is somethingGhost of Yoteicould afford to do with its own bosses, asGhost of Tsushima’s boss phases are not characterized by notable differences. IfGhost of Yoteitruly wanted to make its boss fights more memorable, these encounters could progress through a series of phases that see the boss changing their stance in each one, for instance. Environmental changes and terrain could also be added to the mix, where each phase of a boss fight takes players to a new area where freshenvironmental hazardsare introduced. This would not only add depth and immersion toGhost of Yotei’s boss fights, but also to the world itself.
Ghost of Yotei’s Bosses Could Be Based on Distinct Personalities
IfGhost of Yoteiwanted to dive even deeper into featuring memorable boss fights, it could consider basing each boss on a distinct personality rather than each one merely being a traditional samurai duel. PerhapsGhost of Yotei’s Atsucould face a dishonorable assassin who specializes in more deceptive practices and tools, like smoke bombs, poison darts, and other tricks. Additionally, a fight with a massive brute inGhost of Yoteimight see Atsu dodging giant hammer strikes in between attacks. Making its boss fights based on personalities rather than being bosses for the sake of being bosses,Ghost of Yoteicould make these encounters more memorable for the individuals themselves rather than just the mechanics and challenge they pose.
One ofGhost of Tsushima’s greatest strengths was its combat, but its boss fights ultimately fell flat for being too predictable and repetitive all the way around.
Ghost of Yoteihas the potential to take its boss fights to a level thatGhost of Tsushimahas only scratched the surface of, not only by expanding their mechanics but also by making them more impactful from a thematic and narrative standpoint. By introducing distinctmulti-phase boss encountersand designing them around unique personalities rather than just strength and health,Ghost of Yoteicould offer a more engaging challenge that keeps players on their toes.
