Sucker Punch's Ghost of Tsushima was not only one of the best open-world games of the last console generation but also a fitting swansong to the PS4 and one of the greatest console exclusives featured on the system. In the wake of the successful live-action adaptation of another Sony franchise (HBO's The Last of Us), fans are eager to get the first glimpse at the announced film adaptation of Ghost of Tsushima as well as news about a potential sequel to the game. Despite not having been officially announced or confirmed by Sucker Punch, a sequel to Ghost of Tsushima is seemingly inevitable, and it should follow The Last of Us in ways other than just being the next PlayStation exclusive to appear in movies or TV.
One of the main themes of both games in The Last of Us series is that of the lengths that people will go to for love, including the ability for love to give people the desire to push forward in the face of insurmountable odds. One of the ways this theme was developed was through Joel's growing bond with Ellie. Similar to the relationship between Joel and Ellie in The Last of Us, the sequel to Ghost of Tsushima should feature both an older and wiser Jin returning to mentor a new upstart samurai, guiding them and seeing hope for the future of Japan flourish through their travels together.
Giving Jin Sakai Reason to Continue His Crusade
The true canonical ending to Ghost of Tsushima sees Jin faced with an almost impossible choice. After working towards ridding Japan of the Mongols as well as restoring the rule of his uncle, the Honorable ending sees the player tasked with killing Lord Shimura as a result of how his crusade to help him brought disgrace to his family name. This difficult decision will likely make Jin an outlaw in the sequel, creating tension with regard to how he views authority and his ability to maintain his honor in the face of being labeled a criminal.
In response to becoming an enemy of the state, Jin may have spent the intervening years between Ghost of Tsushima's ending and the eventual sequel living as an outcast, likely making him bitter and disillusioned in the process. The introduction of a new young samurai, perhaps even one tasked with bringing Jin in to authorities, could serve as the catalyst to restore Jin's belief in the samurai code and provide hope for him to restore his honor. In the process, what might start as an unlikely "odd couple buddy-cop" samurai tale could transform into a father/son relationship similar to Joel and Ellie's bond in The Last of Us.
How Ghost of Tsushima 2 Could Pave the Way for A Final Game in a Trilogy
In addition to further developing Jin as a character and establishing how he deals with the shocking turn of events at the end of Ghost of Tsushima, the introduction of a new protagonist in the potential sequel opens the door for this same new character to take center stage in an eventual third game in the series. This also mirrors the changing guard between Joel and Ellie between The Last of Us and TLoU2, as well as a possible conclusion to Ellie's story in the final part of a trilogy. As far as what this could mean for the fate of Jin Sakai following the events of the sequel, there are a variety of different directions that Sucker Punch could take the narrative for him to pass the torch to a new hero.
Ghost of Tsushima established Jin Saki as a layered character with sometimes conflicting motivations, similar to other well-developed protagonists from Sony first-party exclusives. In a potential sequel, developers could further strengthen this comparison by borrowing story elements from these games. The Last of Us is a great example for how the introduction of a secondary protagonist could take the eventual sequel of Ghost of Tsushima in exciting directions.
Ghost of Tsushima is available for PS4 and PS5.
