'Ghost of Yotei' Not Set in 'Japan' Opens Cultural Floodgates

With the recent announcement Ghost of YoteiThe sequel to Sucker Punch's 2020 hit Ghost of TsushimaPlayers can once again immerse themselves in a beautiful open world set in Japan's past. but, Ghost of Yotei Features several major changes compared to its predecessor, including a time jump from 1274 to 1603, new protagonists, and new locations. This game will definitely please fans of Japanese historical settings, but Ghost of Yotei It's in the odd position of not technically taking place in Japan, but still containing a distinctly Japanese aesthetic.

Many fans expected 'Ghost of Tsushima 2' to continue Jin Sakai's story, but Ghost of Yotei It shows a lot of potential for the series going forward. Leaning into the game's new protagonist, Atsu, will help establish a new era and location around Mount Yotei in Hokkaido. Ghost of Yotei Separately from the previous work. Moreover, the fact is Ghost of Yotei Since it's not technically set in Japan, it would help inject a different cultural perspective into the game than what some players might expect.

Arthur from Red Dead Redemption 2 and Atsu from Ghost of Yotei

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The Hokkaido setting of Yotei Ghosts was culturally and politically distinct from Japan in 1603.

Hokkaido was not annexed by Japan until 1869.

Today, Hokkaido represents the northernmost prefecture of modern Japan, but it was not always part of the larger country of Japan. Before 1869, Hokkaido was ruled by the Ainu, an indigenous people who inhabited the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin Island. During this period, the region was known as Ezo by the indigenous Ainu people, and did not adopt its modern name Hokkaido until 1869 when it was annexed by the Imperial Japanese government as part of the Meiji Restoration. In several recent games held in Japan.

Despite not being officially annexed by Japan until 1869, Hokkaido was influenced by several external factors, including the Chinese Qing Dynasty and the Japanese daimyo Kinhiro Matsumae from 1635 to 1799. Eventually, the Tokugawa shogunate took direct control of southern Hokkaido. Many of the indigenous Ainu people were subject to the shogun's laws. Although this period extends beyond the Ghost of YoteiConsidering Sucker Punch's 1603 setting, it's possible that Sucker Punch will apply the region's real-world timeline a bit loosely and include some of the cultural elements that will come up in later encounters.

How Hokkaido's unique culture influences Yotei's ghost

As Hokkaido was removed from the rest of Japan during this period, Ghost of Yotei It's going to look a lot different than what some players are expecting. Unlike Japan's strict samurai clans, Hokkaido's samurai structure was much looser. Because the samurai code of Bushido was formalized during the Edo period. Ghost of Yotei Once the setup is complete, it'll be interesting to see how Sucker Punch compares Japan's proper samurai lifestyle to the more loosely structured locales. Ghost of Yotei It happens.

One of the key aspects of Ainu culture is the prominence of face and mouth tattoos on women. Ghost of YoteiThese are NPCs. It is also evident that elements of other cultures are flowing into the area. Ghost of YoteiIncluding the introduction of matchlocks brought by the Portuguese in 1549. The unique combination of this era and Hokkaido's environment is Ghost of Yotei It has all the trappings necessary to have the feel of a game set in feudal Japan, while also respecting the fact that it's likely to be more removed from Japanese culture than fans might expect.