STACK #252 October 2025

GAMING FEATURE

visit jbhifi.com.au/stack

LIKE A GHOST FORMAT: GENRE: Action adventure MULTIPLAYER: No

The follow-up to the action-drenched Ghost ofTsushima , Ghost ofY ō tei , is out this month. We caught up with the game’s creative director at Sucker Punch, Nate Fox, to learn more about the much-anticipated new Japanese historical adventure. Words Amy Flower A fter the massive success of Ghost of Tsushima , a sequel was inevitable. “It’s difficult to make video games no matter what,” says Nate with a grin. “With a new

But what was learned from the experience, and what did the Sucker Punch team want to dive deeper into this time? “For Ghost of Y ō tei we wanted to double-down

IP, the team must find the bright centre of a playable

fantasy, then bring it to life on every level. With a follow-up game you can lean in, working hard to craft fresh experiences on top of that playable fantasy.” We have a female protagonist in Ghost of Y ō tei , Atsu, and a classic revenge story as she sets out to avenge the death

on player exploration,” Nate reveals. “Provide tools to discover secrets and stories, while at the same time not overwhelming people with too much information about where to go or what to do.” We wondered which was more of a challenge, launching a wholly new IP, or following it up after it proved such a huge success.

of her parents at the hands of The Y ō tei Six. Nate tells us that some classic Japanese – and other – pop culture milestones helped provide inspiration. “The Ghost franchise is based off classic samurai movies, the relatable

humanity in Seven Samurai and the wandering ronin fantasy of Yojimbo are pillars of the franchise. However, for Ghost of Y ō tei revenge films like Lady Snowblood and Kill Bill also got us thinking about the emotional power and narrative momentum of a

10 OCTOBER 2025

jbhifi.com.au