Summary
With the introduction of a new protagonist to Sucker Punch’sGhostfranchise inGhost of Yoteilikely comes a substantial number of other changes as well. Many of those potential changes are still hanging in limbo as fans await another reveal ofGhost of Yotei, but others — like the game’s fresh approach toTsushima’s open-world formula, its renewed emphasis on player agency, and some new weapons — have already been confirmed. Among those new weapons is the matchlock gun, which the new protagonist, Atsu, can be briefly seen using at the end ofGhost of Yotei’s announcement trailer.
Given the fact thatGhost of Yoteitakes place three centuries afterGhost of Tsushima, during Japan’s Edo Period, the revealed matchlock guns (otherwise known as “tanegashima”) are appropriately placed. By 1603, whenGhost of Yoteiis set, matchlock guns would have been in use in Japan for over 50 years, so to see one in the hands of Atsu makes sense. However, as historically accurate as they may be, the presence of matchlock guns in aGhostgame, which is meant to emphasize stealth gameplay, raises some questions about its power. As such,Ghost of Yoteimay benefit from looking toKingdom Come: Deliverance 2for inspiration regarding its firearms.
Ghost of Yotei’s Matchlock Guns Should Look to KCD2’s Guns for Inspiration
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s Guns Are Hard to Master
WhileKingdom Come: Deliverance 2does a vast number of things to simply improve upon the formula of its predecessor, it also introduces plenty of new elements for players to discover as well. One of those new additions is the pistole, a powerful gun that wasn’t present in the first game and can prove to be very effective in subduing enemies. There’s only one very small problem: thegun inKingdom Come: Deliverance 2is incredibly difficult to use. In fact, using a gun inKingdom Come: Deliverance 2is almost never recommended, as it’s almost impossible to hit a target that is more than two feet away.
By 1603, whenGhost of Yoteiis set, matchlock guns would have been in use in Japan for over 50 years, so to see one in the hands of Atsu makes sense.
Of course,Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s guns are actually bad on purpose. This isn’t necessarily to discourage their use so much as it is to provide a more accurate depiction of what it would have been like to use a gun in medieval Bohemia. Firstly, the guns take an awfully long time to load, to the point that it’s best to anticipate fights and load a gun ahead of time, rather than attempting to reload in the middle of a fight. Secondly, they are unbelievably inaccurate, as previously stated, meaning players are usually better off just avoiding their use altogether.
Ghost of Yotei’s Matchlock Guns Could Be Balanced Following KCD2’s Lead
Unlike inGhost of Yotei, realism is a core part ofKingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s DNA, so it doesn’t have to put too much thought into ensuring its guns don’t overpower the rest of its arsenal of weapons. WithGhost of Yotei’s matchlock guns, however, they could render the rest of Atsu’s weapons obsolete if they are too powerful and easy to use. As such, ifGhost of Yoteileaned more into historical accuracy, which would result in its matchlock guns having lengthy reload times and being difficult to use. This would ensure the rest of Atsu’s weapons remain necessary parts of her arsenal and therefore prevent wasted space.
More realistic matchlock guns would also indavertently emphasize stealth gameplay inGhost of Yotei, which theGhostfranchise is currently known for.
IfGhost of Yoteiwants to introduce matchlock guns without undermining its stealth and melee-focused gameplay, it will need to balance power with practicality. Making them too strong risks turning them into an overpowered weapon that overshadows the rest of Atsu’s arsenal, while making them too weak could also make them useless.Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2offers a solid blueprint, showing howhistorical firearmscan be both powerful and limited. IfGhost of Yoteifollows suit, it can ensure its matchlock guns are a valuable option rather than a game-breaking convenience.
