Although Ghost of Yotei, much like Sucker Punch's predecessor Ghost of Tsushima, features the freedom of an open-world setting, it still follows a more linear story structure.
Creative director Jason Connell reveals as much in a recent interview with Game Informer, explaining that Ghost of Yotei doesn't allow players to choose in which order they slay the Yotei Six – the murderous thugs responsible for the deaths of protagonist Atsu's family – and instead leads them down a more linear path while taking vengeance on the killers as Sucker Punch developers "really believe in the structure of the story."
As Connell says, "It's really important to us that we develop great characters with good arcs with beginnings, middles, and ends." Ghost of Yotei is no exception. "There is an arc with a structure in place. But at the same time, one of the aspects from Ghost of Tsushima that we wanted to not only carry forward but just do an even better job of was that sense of curiosity and freedom of exploration that the game delivers upon."
That's why striking a balance between a solid linear story and the freedom for fans to explore the world is vital to Sucker Punch. Connell describes it as a "delicate impasse" in which devs want players to follow the story without feeling as though they're being "forced on the gold path all the time." It sounds as though the team has managed to make it work in Ghost of Yotei, though – but yes, "there is a structure there."
According to Connell, this is also "a very important structure." There's some room at the start of the game to choose which route to take with the Yotei Six, however, with "some options that might lead you to some interesting areas." For example, if you're into ninjas or snowy landscapes, "this story over here might be more interesting for you." On the other hand, you may opt to try another area as a fan of castles and fire weapons.
What stands out is that "you can bob back and forth between the two of those major areas." You can accomplish this without Sucker Punch having to compromise its overall layout for the story. As Connell concludes, "There's a bit more choice in there, but there's still a linear story structure that we really believe in to make sure that Atsu's vengeance quest tears at the heartstrings. That's the ultimate goal."
