After a bit of time invested, some thoughts.
Narratively, I think this is quite a step down from Tsushima. Granted, I've not yet completed the main story, so this is to be taken with a huge grain of salt, but one of the aspects I loved about the first game was the pacing and development of Jin's journey from idealism to practicality at the expense of it. The game did a wonderful job of slowly progressing Jin into the Ghost in his gradual departure from the Samurai ethos, both in cutscenes (such as after opening the forge, which kicked off his mythos of the Ghost with Yuna's help), and in the general manner of the casual NPC chatter you'd hear while exploring as you progressed. By the denouement, all this had culminated to a head to give a finale that was, IMO, quite impactful to Jin's journey and all the conflict it entailed, both in him, and those who he'd grown to know. Here, I'm just not seeing such a narrative underpinning. That's understandable, given Jin was an adopted son of Clan Shimura and hence held notable and noble station over the populace to propagate his transformation in the eyes of the people he was protecting, but I'm beginning to hear "Ghost" in this game in reference to Atsu and I'm kind of like....."....huh? Why?". What manifests and enforces the legend of the Onryo? There's really no narrative catalyst to enforce her reputation to analogous moniker as there was with Jin, and it doesn't feel like a revenge story, which is far more personal and intimate than a war that's affecting everyone, grants enough here. I also have some issues with the performances that made me want to smack the shit outta this petulant bratty girl, but that's another story....
Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying the game immensely, but in terms of narrative, it simply is not as strong as its predecessor.....so far. Yet fortunately, I feel the gameplay here has been strengthened enough to buoy its narrative deficits, at least so far as I've seen for the story. I have to admit, in every other respect, the game is easily surmounting Tsushima. It is a better game in every aspect I've seen other than the story. I adore the world design; I find it far more organic and grounded in its geographical layout......it just feels real. I'm a bit amazed how the simple layout of geography can convey such a feeling of authenticity in lending the world credibility and gravitas to so many elements of it, but they nailed it here. Give that designer a raise SP, ffs. I love indulging in this world they've crafted, it just works for me. This is helped by quite a bit by the spontaneity and originality in the dynamic nature of the encounter design, which keeps things feeling unpredictable, hostile, yet fresh, and helps to reinforce the sense of living as a mercenary who is out on a quest of vengeance, and who has people after her head.
I really have not much to complain about aside the weakness of the narrative, which again, I've not completed so I very well may be eating a ton of crow upon completion. So far, even with my feeling for the story (which I don't think is bad, just weaker), I am liking this far more than the first game......I think frankly it IS a better game......just not quite such a compelling narrative.
Back to it....
