Highlights

  • Ghost of Tsushima 2 could improve by offering more meaningful choices throughout the story, leading to different endings with weight.
  • A sequel should require significant choices at transitions between acts, setting the stage for a grand finale with player-determined outcomes.
  • Endings in Ghost of Tsushima 2 should impact the epilogue, creating replay value and a more immersive storytelling experience.

The following contains MAJOR spoilers for Ghost of Tsushima .

After four years of waiting, there is still no official news of a Ghost of Tsushima sequel. Apart from the odd rumor here and there, Ghost of Tsushima's successor still hangs in the balance, as does the continuation of the first game's story. Ghost of Tsushima sees players exploring a breathtaking open-world feudal Japan in the shoes of Jin Sakai, a Samurai who eventually foregoes tradition to do what is necessary to save Tsushima and those he loves from the heartless Mongols. At the end of the game, players are faced with a tough choice — one that ultimately defines Jin's path, although the game's epilogue remains mostly the same.

Ghost of Tsushima doesn't give players any meaningful choices leading up to its conclusion. There are plenty of different dialogue decisions to be made throughout the story, but nothing that impacts the narrative like the choice made at the end. Once players reach the final confrontation with Lord Shimura, they are given two choices: take the honorable path by killing him or the dishonorable path by sparing him. Unfortunately, since there is no buildup to this moment, and it doesn't change anything but a bit of dialogue in the end, making the choice can feel very unfulfilling from a narrative standpoint. This is something Ghost of Tsushima 2 could improve upon to give players an even more dynamic story experience.

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Related
Ghost of Tsushima 2's Enemy Factions Should Extend Beyond the Mongols

A second Ghost of Tsushima game could diversify its enemy factions by looking to the second Mongol invasion for inspiration.

How Ghost of Tsushima 2 Can Improve Upon the First Game's Approach to Multiple Endings

Ghost of Tsushima 2 Should Build Up Its Endings More With Branching Choices During the Story

One reason Ghost of Tsushima's multiple endings ultimately fall flat is that there are no major choices offered prior to that moment. Ghost of Tsushima 2 could improve the first game's approach to multiple endings by giving players branching choices throughout the story that could lead them to one ending or another. This way, each ending would hold much more weight and mean more to players as they navigate the main story.

As Ghost of Tsushima was split into three acts, a sequel could follow the same pattern. However, this time, perhaps transitioning to the next act would require players to make a significant choice that would come into play once the overarching narrative reaches its grand finale. These moments would be great indicators that players should heavily weigh their options before making a decision, as they would understand the story's ending depends on it.

Ghost of Tsushima 2 Can Afford to Make Its Endings Mean More for Its Epilogue

Regardless of the choice players make at the end of Ghost of Tsushima, it's essentially all the same. If Shimura is killed, Jin is on the run; if Shimura survives, he is brushed off with a simple comment that he will not come after Jin, but Jin is still on the run. As such, perhaps Ghost of Tsushima 2 could make its epilogue an endgame of sorts that hinges on the ending players choose.

Dragon's Dogma 2 approached its endings in this way, allowing players to either end the game immediately or head to its Unmoored World endgame area to continue the story. Something like this would make Ghost of Tsushima 2's final choices mean more for the story's conclusion while simultaneously increasing the game's replay value.

There are plenty of other choice-driven games out there that Ghost of Tsushima 2 could draw inspiration from when it comes to developing its multiple endings, but as long as it starts thinking about the end of the story before it actually gets there, and as long as its ending means something for the epilogue, it should be in good shape. Ghost of Tsushima 2 has a chance to do something its predecessor fell short in, so it would do well to examine where things can be improved.