Ghost of Yotei makes a lot of bold changes from its predecessor. Not only does the sequel jump 300 years ahead of Ghost of Tsuhsima, but it introduces a brand-new protagonist: Atsu. As the main character of Ghost of Yotei, Atsu had the difficult task of following Ghost of Tsushima‘s Jin Sakai. The two are different in a lot of ways, and thankfully, her differences are a strength.
Atsu’s different motivation and traits could have made Ghost of Yotei not feel like a Ghost of Tsushima sequel at all, but this definitely isn’t the case. Ghost of Yotei and Ghost of Tsushima share one spirit, but Atsu’s narrative allows the former to stand on its own. Even more exciting, Atsu is officially the newest addition to PlayStation’s long list of compelling main characters, but she also continues an important trend for the console: she adds to the growing roster of complex female leads.
Ghost of Yotei’s Atsu Adds Another Great Female Protagonist to PlayStation’s Ranks
PlayStation’s Past Decade Has Put Compelling Women in the Spotlight
Of course, male leads like God of War‘s Kratos, Nathan Drake in Uncharted 4, Peter Parker and Miles Morales in Marvel’s Spider-Man, and Days Gone‘s Deacon St. John have helped build the past decade of PlayStation, too. However, these past 10 years have also been defined by wonderfully written stories led by women.
Female characters are nothing new in gaming. Lara Croft, Samus Aran, Jill Valentine, and Cortana are just the tip of the iceberg. The big difference with this past decade, though, is that the writing for these characters has gotten much stronger, and it seems to be a prevalent trend in PlayStation exclusives.
PlayStation’s Most Notable Female Leads of the Past Decade
- Aloy (Horizon franchise)
- Chloe Frazer (Uncharted: The Lost Legacy)
- Ellie (The Last of Us Part 2)
- Abby (The Last of Us Part 2)
- Selene Vassos (Returnal)
- Atsu (Ghost of Yotei)
This is a solid list that Atsu is now part of, and it’s also an exciting glimpse of how complex women leads have become in gaming. What’s so great about these characters is that they are far from perfect. Chloe Frazer is witty and lovable, but she’s also reckless and selfish. Aloy is a strong and resourceful character, but she’s arrogant. Ellie and Abby’s stories in The Last of Us Part 2 continue to spark debate among fans, because they are probably some of the most morally complicated dual protagonists to grace the industry. When it comes to Selene, her intelligence and drive are a key part of her, but her detachment from her son is also a defining characteristic.
At the beginning of Ghost of Yotei, Atsu starts off as bitter, overcome by anger due to the murder of her family. However, as her journey for revenge draws closer to an end, she grows softer, allowing herself to open up to others. One of Ghost of Yotei‘s biggest differences from its predecessor is that it replaces Jin’s struggle between honor and survival and opts for a story about not just revenge, but healing as well.
Female characters are nothing new in gaming. Lara Croft, Samus Aran, Jill Valentine, and Cortana are just the tip of the iceberg.
PlayStation Has Another Intriguing Woman-Led Story in the Pipeline
- Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet (TBD)
Right now, the main PS5 exclusives on the way are Saros, Marvel’s Wolverine, and Intergalactic. As Naughty Dog’s first new IP in years, the story is led by bounty hunter Jordan A. Mun. The game is still shrouded in mystery, but the reveal at last year’s Game Awards was a thrilling announcement. Only time will tell when Intergalactic is ready for launch, but once it is, Jordan can join Atsu as the new female protagonist on the block.
- Released
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October 2, 2025
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Language, Partial Nudity, Use of Alcohol
- Publisher(s)
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Sony Interactive Entertainment
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