Why has Sucker Punch been so reluctant to describe Ghost of Tsushima as a ninja/stealth game?

[waugh]

Maaaaaaan. I guess.

I just love ninjas so much. And know this...

While playing Ghost of Tsushima, I will be referring to myself as a ninja throughout the entire game.

I'm always begging the world to bestow upon me a grounded ninja-stealth game set in a realistic feudal Japan, so I guess I'm just desperate to get that kind of direct validation from Sucker Punch themselves even if that's not the main goal of the game's design.

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For someone who claims to love ninjas you don't seem to know what they were :p

Main character of GoT is a samurai who uses stealth tactics.

Ninjas were real but pop culture was heavily influenced by Japanese plays that romanticised them. Similarly to how real life cowboys were nothing like westerns make them seem like.

 

[Dr Pears]

I remember reading that real ninjas in history would be spies dressed up as regular farmers or something? Therefore theyre going for historical accuracy and think that ninja is not the correct term for the character?

 

[dom]

Sure, but whenever someone asked them about the game's stealth/ninja elements they're like, "I mean, this is a samurai fantasy. You can play how you want. You can be, um... a 'ghost." But we're all about giving the player that samurai fantasy."

I want them to say, "FAWK yeah you can sneak around like a ninja and stealth kill the shit out of people with dozens of unique, contextual kill animations, cool ninja gear, running along walls and rooftops, grappling hooks, etc. Ninjas are so cool!"

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Real Ninjas aren't anime.

 

[Hailinel]

"Why won't they call it a ninja stealth game?"

Because it's not about ninjas and, as far as we know, it's not a pure stealth game.

 

[TheZynster]

because its probably a play it your own way game..................

 

[TsuWave]

They don't want you thinking Tenchu

 

[Opus Angelorum]

I think this game is going to be more action oriented than some think.

 

[ScOULaris]

For someone who claims to love ninjas you don't seem to know what they were :p

Main character of GoT is a samurai who uses stealth tactics.

Ninjas were real but pop culture was heavily influenced by Japanese plays that romanticised them. Similarly to how real life cowboys were nothing like westerns make them seem like.

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Real Ninjas aren't anime.

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Listen, everyone. I'm well aware of the disparity between the pop culture depiction of ninjas and the reality of what they were based on what little information has been gathered.

But I fucking LOVE the romanticized, agile stealth assassin interpretation of the archetype. It's just inherently cool and makes for some awesome stealth-action gameplay.

I mean, come on. It's totally understandable to love ninjas as they've come to be known in modern pop culture.

 

[SavoyPrime]

An article from GamingBolt back in 2018 said it would allow players to choose between stealth and combat. So that could be your answer. I'm certainly more open to being able to play how I want to.

 

[Mechaplum]

Listen, everyone. I'm well aware of the disparity between the pop culture depiction of ninjas and the reality of what they were based on what little information has been gathered.

But I fucking LOVE the romanticized, agile stealth assassin interpretation of the archetype. It's just inherently cool and makes for some awesome stealth-action gameplay.

I mean, come on. It's totally understandable to love ninjas as they've come to be known in modern pop culture.

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There is...actually a lot of information out there, but yeah sure if you love pop ninjas all the power to you.

 

[Messofanego]

? He's doing some good ninja shit though ! :D



I mean, you're fighting demons and even some zombie-like enemies in the games...

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As bosses but most of Tenchu is being in big environments picking on regular humans.

 

[SpaceCrystal]

Tenchu has very little supernatural/mythological stuff, it's a feudal Japan set ninja stealth game series. Full of different contextual stealth kill animations. Grappling hooks, ninja stars, poison rice cakes. Shinobido was a spiritual successor to it and Sekiro was influenced by it.

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They don't want you thinking Tenchu

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Speaking of Tenchu, I'd love to see the first two games from the PS1 remade, though it'll never happen.

 

[Akauser]

Bevause Open World Adventure is more marketable then Stealth Ninja Adventure.

Don't pigeon hole your game before its even out.

 

[Prototype Viktor]

Man, that is a fear of mine. I hope that the stealth mechanics, ninja gear/attire, etc. are at least somewhat fleshed out. More than the simple stealth in something like Sekiro, at least.

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what you actually do in the game is control a flower and guide it through levels away from pollution

 

[RestEerie]

Did OP confused himself about the difference between Samurai/Ronin & Ninja?

The way the main character is dressed and described by the mongolian soldiers in the first gameplay trailer, he seems to be a Samurai/ronin.

 

[TheGhost]

Because if I heard this was a stealth game I would no longer purchase it.

 

[Iztok]

I guess they don't want to pigeon hole their game in the eyes of the public, especially if it transcends genres.

It helps build the mystery surrounding the game, which makes it more exciting, doesn't it? It does for me.

 

[EvilBoris]

you dont really think most people played it as a stealth game do you?

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How else were you meant to play all of those sneaking through garden sections?
Jump in your you Pick up and drive through the crowd shooting your guns into the air, whilst swigging from a can of MONSTER?

 

[Dr.Phibes]

I think they just have wanted to avoid overly defining the nature of the game at this stage and create fixed expectations. If they say, "ninja stealth game" that will immediately lead gamers to view it a certain way.

Another big factor might be one of historical accuracy, which is seemingly quite important to them for this game (and Sony Japan). Namely, in 13th century Japan, the term "ninja" was not used as it is now. Historically this time period was the initial formation period of what/whom we would consider "ninja" and "ninjutsu" later in the feudal period and in more recent times. So, in effect, we are seeing in GoT the forerunner of ninja/ninjutsu....and quite an accurate portrayal of how "ninjutsu" techniques/methods of guerrilla warfare would start to evolve and form in early Japan. Saying it is a "ninja" game just is too limiting and not entirely accurate in my view. There are A LOT of misunderstandings out there about what "ninja" were vs. "samurai"---historically there was not always such a strict separation between the two. You basically had different kinds of "Bushi"/warrior clans and families in early Japan, some of whom would start to specialize in certain unorthodox methods of combat/warfare.... The protagonist Sakai Jin is a perfect example!

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Looking at a few screenshots, I kinda doubt historical accuracy is the reason. As you've said, the game seems to take place in the 13th century, yet the samurai all look sengoku as fuck.

 

[Deleted member 30077]

How else were you meant to play all of those sneaking through garden sections?
Jump in your you Pick up and drive through the crowd shooting your guns into the air, whilst swigging from a can of MONSTER?

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Which sections do you mean? It's been a while but I'm pretty sure I did a playthrough guns blazing where I never resorted to stealth except during that "boss" fight.

 

[Jraphics Horse]

I... don't know? It seems like the game really pushes you in that direction and a lot of the encounters are hard if you don't use at least partial stealth.

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I tried stealthing through the final clicker area of the game, and you get to the end place to climb and it just doesn't let you progress, Ellie just complains there's too many clickers, even though I'd lured them away from that area.

As bosses but most of Tenchu is being in big environments picking on regular humans.

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eh, I'd say it's about 50/50 regular humans, but it depends on the game

 

[Jraphics Horse]

dp.

 

[Sanka]

There are quite the misconceptions about ninjas. Ninjas were in fact oftentimes Samurai themself.

 

[Ravage]

I've been very disappointed with the reveal strategy by SP so far. Especially the so-called "deep dive" in E3 18 which did a horrible job showcasing its gameplay (and how it plays differently).

Crossing my fingers for the final product to turn out solid cos I like the premise.

 

[JoJoBae]

They want people to call it what they want us to call it. He's a Ghost, so they call him that, and thus want us to. Calling him a Ninja is derivative. Calling him a Ghost is marginally unique/marketable. Look at the thread and you see it working lol. But really, it's because this is pre historical ninja times so why use that term when you have to keep tempering it with "He's a Ninja but Ninja didn't exist yet." or "He's a proto-Ninja"?

 

[Haze]

Because I doubt it is. It looks like it's shaping up to be one of those games that tries to do everything.

 

[Deleted member 46948]

Maybe you have a gun.

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And night vision. And it's secretly the next Splinter Cell game we've been waiting for.

 

[ScOULaris]

Because I doubt it is. It looks like it's shaping up to be one of those games that tries to do everything.

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I really hope that the game design doesn't end up feeling diluted like some Ubisoft open-world shit-fest. I think I'll literally cry if that happens.

It will have been the biggest missed opportunity ever.

 

[super moustique]

As bosses but most of Tenchu is being in big environments picking on regular humans.

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There's a level in Tenchu 3 where you need to get a special katana so that you could kill those zombies ! :P

And that's just one example.

At the end of the day, I wouldn't say it has very little in terms of supernatural stuff. It's a mix.

eh, I'd say it's about 50/50 regular humans, but it depends on the game

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Yup.

The way the main character is dressed and described by the mongolian soldiers in the first gameplay trailer, he seems to be a Samurai/ronin.

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At first, yeah. Then he's forced to change his ways.

 

[Edgar]

I really hope that the game design doesn't end up feeling diluted like some Ubisoft open-world shit-fest. I think I'll literally cry if that happens.

It will have been the biggest missed opportunity ever.

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i mean you can look at their infamous games and sorta guess its gonna be refiment of that kind of open world? Or maybe its completely different

 

[Dinjooh]

So I was listening to this long panel with Sucker Punch while writing the OP and just came across this bit about the nature of stealth in the game.




Again, they just say "going full 'Ghost'" when referring to someone playing stealthily. Maybe there is something to the fact that this game takes place in a time period prior to the existence of ninjas as they actually were in history. That's a valid theory for why they consistently avoid using the word.

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This comes across as the marketing term for them. Quite common for a product or game to focus on a feature that might have a commonly used word for it, but then instead use something that only you can market instead. Also ties nicely into the name of the game etc.

 

[dunkzilla]

I really hope that the game design doesn't end up feeling diluted like some Ubisoft open-world shit-fest. I think I'll literally cry if that happens.

It will have been the biggest missed opportunity ever.

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It reminds me of Horizon as I've said before. If you think Horizon is a "Ubisoft open-world shit fest" then you may think this will be too.

 

[Deleted member 17207]

Fuck every time I see this game I'm astounded at how amazing it looks.

 

[Haze]

I really hope that the game design doesn't end up feeling diluted like some Ubisoft open-world shit-fest. I think I'll literally cry if that happens.

It will have been the biggest missed opportunity ever.

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That seems to be the route a lot of these games are taking. Horizon, Days Gone, and now Ghost of Tsushima. From the little we've been shown, it doesn't look all that dissimilar.

 

[Unaha-Closp]

Yojimbo is my very top favourite film of all time - I am not letting any hopes or dreams of what this game actually is affect me. I want to see more and I would like a good game. No expectations as who wants disappointment? Not me.

 

[Falchion]

We know so little about this game they could have surprise, mech combat gameplay in there for all we know.

 

[nikos]

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It's kind of explained right there. Jin is a Samurai, which is not the same as a Ninja. It sounds like you'll have to make the decision of honoring your Samurai ways or perhaps taking the path of a Ninja to defeat your enemies. Stealth is also mentioned, though I think it will be optional.

I think there will be a Samurai/Ninja skill tree system and we'll have the option of playing stealthily or going for action.