Ghost of Tsushima has amassed quite a dedicated following, which is only expected to grow with the release of the TV adaptation and as the game settles into the PC landscape. As fans eagerly await news about Ghost of Tsushima 2, fellow samurai action game Assassin's Creed Shadows is entering the fray, looking to serve up a similar flavor of Japanese historical fiction.

Comparisons between Ghost of Tsushima and the Assassin's Creed series have run rampant over the past few years, with many arguing that the former beat the latter to the punch with its ancient Japanese setting—something AC fans have been requesting for years. Ghost of Tsushima has quite a bit in common with Ubisoft's action-adventure franchise besides its focus on history, though, as the games share a similar approach to combat, stealth, and open-world composition. There are a number of meaningful differences as well, but it's reasonable to assume that Ghost was inspired, at least in part, by the Assassin's Creed games. If its sequel stays true to this source of inspiration, then Assassin's Creed Shadows' Naoe may present a good learning opportunity.

Although a sequel to Ghost of Tsushima seems likely and may even be revealed soon, Sony has not made any official announcements about it.

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Ghost of Tsushima Jin Sakai facing God of War Kratos orange background composite
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Ghost of Tsushima 2 May Be Able to Learn More From Naoe Than Yasuke

Naoe Will Serve Up Stealth Gameplay In AC Shadows

Assassin's Creed Shadows' Yasuke is getting the most attention right now, but he's only one part of the upcoming game's equation. Yasuke's gameplay will take a more action-oriented approach, allowing players to engage more in straightforward combat than in stealth. When it comes to the stealth mechanics that Assassin's Creed was founded on, Naoe will take center stage.

The stealth gameplay of AC Shadows seems promising, as Ubisoft plans to introduce new features like a global illumination system, and Naoe's shinobi experience and arsenal should translate to some satisfying systems as well. With Ghost of Tsushima drawing parallels to Assassin's Creed, it will be interesting to see if the inverse occurs with Shadows, comparing it to Sucker Punch's 2020 hit. This would be interesting, as Ghost of Tsushima arguably does a lot of things better than certain Assassin's Creed games, but stealth isn't one of them.

Ghost of Tsushima's Combat Is Great, But Its Stealth Could Use a Punch-Up

With AC Shadows having so much latent potential when it comes to stealth gameplay, specifically stealth built around the shinobi archetype, it would make a lot of sense for Sucker Punch to keep an eye on it. Ghost of Tsushima's combat is already great, perfectly nailing the strong yet graceful essence of samurai swordplay, but its stealth is sadly lacking. The game pushes players toward a playstyle built around both stealthy and aggressive tactics, but the former approach is almost never as enjoyable as the latter.

Ghost's combat is weighty and deep and offers a sort of flow-state experience upon mastery. By comparison, stealth is fairly pedestrian and shallow, not fleshed out enough to be consistently interesting and mechanically fresh. Enemy AI is a bit weak as well, with detection being inconsistent. All of this contributes to a perfectly serviceable stealth system, but nothing to write home about.

With Ghost 's combat having less room to improve, AC Shadows ' stealth-oriented protagonist could serve as a more appropriate, useful font of inspiration than its combat-focused one.

Assuming that Naoe has a highly specialized set of abilities, weapons, and items to leverage in stealth scenarios, there could be plenty of great material to draw from. To be frank, Ghost of Tsushima and its probable sequel are easily Assassin's Creed Shadows' biggest competition, so Sucker Punch likely has some interest in tipping the comparison in its favor. Better stealth can do that, and learning from Shadows' successes (and perhaps even failures) could help achieve this end.