Now that Ghost of Tsushima has finally been released, samurai fans all over the world are getting their fill, but many can't help but notice the similarities between this and last year's samurai hit, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Both feature samurai protagonists fighting an uphill battle against all odds, and both were extremely well received.
It should be said that the two's similarities only go about that deep. While it's true that they have somewhat interchangeable beginnings, the mechanics of each game could not be more different. Nevertheless, it is interesting to see some of the common story beats which tie Ghost of Tsushima and Sekiro together, especially at the beginning.
A new video put together by none other than GetRektNoob showcases these similarities by placing both games' introductions side by side. Those that have played both of these great samurai games already probably know where this is going, but those unfamiliar with one or both games may get a kick out of it.
At the start of each game, fans aren't entirely sure who Sekiro or Jin are, but it is clear that they've both picked a fight with someone out of their league. Both games start off with what is essentially an unwinnable fight; Sekiro battles Genichiro and Jin tries to defeat Khotun Khan, both of which are prominent antagonists throughout the rest of the game. Needless to say, the encounter doesn't go well for either samurai, and Sekiro ends up an arm short while Jin is left broken and defeated.
As mentioned before, the paths of these two games do diverge here significantly, with Sekiro focusing on more supernatural elements while Ghost of Tsushima avoided the supernatural, but the similarities at the beginning cannot be denied. One interesting difference though is that it is technically possible to beat Genichiro at the very beginning of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, whereas even the most skilled of players can't take down Khotun Khan before a cutscene forces them out of the fight. That said, the difference is minute, as although Sekiro gets a moment to be proud of himself, he still loses his arm due to Genichiro's trickery.
Both of these games are amazing love letters to the samurai genre, and though they take different approaches, it is to be expected that they will have similarities as a result. Fans of the samurai genre have been spoiled of late, as it has been some time since two great samurai titles like this have come out back to back.
Ghost of Tsushima is available now exclusively for PS4.