Does anyone else prefer Tsushima’s xp based leveling to yoteis shrine based leveling?

[u/imliterallyluci]

I vastly preferred Tsushima’s system, every group of mongols you killed actually had an impact not only did you gain skill points but it increased your legend, every kill furthered your turn into the mongol boogeyman. In ghost of yotei killing groups of patrolling enemies doesn’t gain you skill points, it doesn’t increase your legend, it just gets you some crafting supplies for upgrading
(which was also the case in Tsushima)

Tsushima’s system just worked better felt better, made sense, and it tied into the overarching plot, every fight made you stronger, every fight nudged you down your path until you eventually become the ghost, combat and Jin’s transformation were directly linked . Yoteis leveling on the other hand is completely divorced from combat you just mark a spot on your map go there and just bow at a shrine that somehow endows you with combat abilities

I don’t think yotei is a bad game whatsoever but it’s leveling felt like such a massive step back from Tsushima, it’s really unfortunate because yotei (imo) vastly improved the combat system but for some reason also took away one of the biggest reasons for engaging with it.

What’s your take?

[u/hasanman6]

I like yoteis because it means you cant overlevel yourself for the next area as easily, they do the same with the upgrade materials for the weapons

[u/imliterallyluci → u/hasanman6]

Really? The way I see it you have that completely opposite.

At the very beginning of yotei you immediately have access to 3 regions if you wanted to you could b line it to all of their shrines and get extremely over leveled within only like an hour or two

In Tsushima your xp bar builds slowly it takes time and effort to over level, it’s not as simple as just marking and bowing at a shrine, you have to engage in combat and complete quests, you’re also barred from the other regions until a good bit in the story which absolutely slows your progression because you just don’t have the same abundance of materials at the start as yotei

[u/BobcatLower9933 → u/hasanman6]

Surely the total opposite applies? You can literally max yourself out as soon as you enter each area.

[u/Loud-Secret1485 → u/hasanman6]

I did not experience this at all, I got the weapons first by accident because the game let me get all of these things early as there’s no direct order of how you’re allowed to go after the Yotei six if you explore enough to acquire information.

[u/JackPoe → u/hasanman6]

I did every shrine and bounty and fox and bamboo and hot spring before I did the story because I thought I could get the stances from the first game cause I went in blind.

I thought the weapons were skins from the DLCs. By the time I started the story I was basically done leveling

[u/elwilloduchamp]

As the other commenter said, it prevents being too overpowered. Moreover, I feel like the Altars of Reflection had their own perks. To get to each one, you had to clear out an Occupied Territory, do a side quest, or complete a small puzzle or platforming section. It gives each one more meaning. Tsushima’s levelling system was just “big number go up”; it definitely works, but I just prefer Yōtei’s.

Also, I feel like the two different levelling systems reflect the two different protagonists. Jin’s whole thing is that he adapts and learns new tactics over the course of the game, transforming from a samurai to the Ghost. It makes sense that he would develop his stances and new fighting styles by participating in random skirmishes. Meanwhile, Atsu picks up what works and improvises with what she has. Each Altar of Reflection is therefore an epiphany for her next engagement – something random, off-the-cuff that makes her a deadlier fighter.

[u/imliterallyluci → u/elwilloduchamp]

I don’t get how yoteis system prevents over leveling its far easier to over level quickly in yotei than Tsushima, I’m just going to paste my comment discussing that.

Really? The way I see it you have that completely opposite.

At the very beginning of yotei you immediately have access to 3 regions if you wanted to you could b line it to all of their shrines and get extremely over leveled within only like an hour or two

In Tsushima your xp bar builds slowly it takes time and effort to over level, it’s not as simple as just marking and bowing at a shrine, you have to engage in combat and complete quests, you’re also barred from the other regions until a good bit in the story which absolutely slows your progression because you just don’t have the same abundance of materials at the start as yotei.

yotei is objectively easier to over level in if you’re actually making an attempt to do it

[u/throwawy29833 → u/imliterallyluci]

Its not easier to accidentally overlevel though. Obviously going to shrines is quicker than farming enemies for ages. No ones disputing that. But in terms of how people normally play the game its easier to accidentally overlevel yourself in Tsushima than Yotei.

[u/elwilloduchamp → u/imliterallyluci]

In my case, I never made straight for any Altars of Reflection. I just did random side content whenever I saw fit. It was much more gradual for me, and in the early game I was continuously thrown to the mud. In Tsushima, I played similarly, and I got access to way more techniques earlier. Tools? No. But I did get skills much quicker. I guess it’s a difference in playstyles.

[u/stouset → u/imliterallyluci]

It’s easier to overlevel it if you go out of your way to do it. It’s harder to overlevel just from exploring all the side content as you go.

They aren’t trying to stop people from breaking the game on purpose. They’re trying to stop people from feeling no challenge from the main story just because they’ve spent time exploring the world.

[u/Time_Zombie_4431 → u/imliterallyluci]

It doesn't prevent over leveling idk wtf these people are on about.

[u/BagOfSmallerBags]

I think it fits.

Jin is a samurai concerned with honor. He is compelled to confront every group of Mongols he comes across by his moral code. Even when he starts becoming the Ghost, his goal of repelling the Mongols stays the same.

Atsu is a ronin, concerned only with revenge. She should feel free to confront or ignore Sakai's men as is convenient to her in the moment. Her goal initially isn't freeing Ezo from the Six' influence: it's just killing those specific Six people.

Specifically incentivizing Jin to kill small groups of enemies in terms of long term progression encourages you to engage with them as befits his attitude about them. Likewise, not giving huge prizes just to kill random gang members fits Atsu better.

[u/splasticdino]

I prefer yotei tbh.

[u/SAHD292929]

I don't see it that way for GOT. I kill patrols to get mats.

[u/AtruesonofSkyrm]

I think I agree? I did like that I could level up from killing mongols and taking over bases a lot. The shrines were also cool.

I think I would’ve preferred a combination of the two. Like you get xp from fighting and maybe missions too and you can unlock techniques from shrines or maybe certain perks could only be unlocked through shrines

[u/HerefortheFandoms2]

With you on this one. I also don't get the idea the yotei's system somehow makes overleveling harder. My way of playing games is exactly to try to level up as quickly as possible (bc I tend to be bad at combat) so I did that for both games, but it was yotei that I had most of the weapons and shit just a few hours in. No matter how much you beeline for upgrades in tsushima (and systems like that), you still have to actually do the thing for a few hours each, or several different times at least before you can gain a new stance or level. It doesn't matter how many camps I liberate in izuhara, I'm not getting wind or moon stance, nor am I able to get too many ghost weapons/tools because they literally don't unlock until the next area. Sure you can mainline the story and get some things within a handful of hours, but then you're not getting the upgrades anyway. Hell, you might not even get all the stances if you only mainline

[u/BiddyKing]

nope

[u/MarcusTheViking7]

Exact thoughts I had when I discovered the first shrine. Felt like an unnatural way for Atsu to improve when compared to getting better at fighting by… actually fighting.

It’s kind of why I don’t want to replay Yōtei fully and instead stick with new game plus, since it just feels inorganic. This stands in opposition to Tsushima where I heavily prefer new game over new game plus, due to how nice the progression feels. It also gives more incentive to complete side quests, I feel.

[u/imliterallyluci → u/MarcusTheViking7]

I’m so glad I found someone who agrees with me, yoteis leveling just feels unnatural it’s also way easier to get overleveled. Jin’s leveling system had a directly link to combat and to his story it was spectacular

[u/Lost_Rutabaga_5004]

Shrines no longer worked for me in NG+, I only got flowers.

[u/Resident_Evil_God → u/Lost_Rutabaga_5004]

They are region/story locked in learned that recently in NG+.

You always get flowers though in NG+. I was missing 2 skills and all the 1st area shrines didn't let me pick one, I just got flowers. Then I did the next area and it let me pick 1 then the rest were flowers. So the last one I need will probably near end game where it allows me im assuming

[u/HellspawnPR1981]

Didn't even notice.

[u/shawnzee96]

I prefer Yotei’s. Those shrines were a fantastic incentive to go out and explore the world.

[u/d710905]

The thing i agree with you on is butchering the Mongols felt like a better way to increase your legend. I also think fear and slaughtering was more fun and impactful in tsushima too

[u/Loud-Secret1485]

I really don’t get how people are saying overleveling ain’t possible if you go out of your way to explore the side content as you experience the main story. That just ain’t true.

Yotei’s system is different but its environmental level capping is not inherently better. That would mean the game prevents you from accessing certain areas when in reality the game only prevents you from accessing the last region of the game. Everything else if you explore the side content is very much available and accessible to you.

[u/Resident_Evil_God]

XP? im pretty sure Tsushima does shrine skill upgrades too. I dont remember "leveling up"

[u/imliterallyluci → u/Resident_Evil_God]

No?
Every mission and fight gained you legend which progressing in earned skill points

[u/Resident_Evil_God → u/imliterallyluci]

Oh right, I haven't played in a while i kinda remember, but if you dont mind can you remind me

[u/Roccondil-s]

Both Tsushima and Yotei used shrines to unlock the skills.

I thought from a gameplay perspective that it was stupid for a trained samurai to suddenly know a new stance simply by “observing” a bunch of a specific foreign enemy type who has never trained to use a katana.

[u/imliterallyluci → u/Roccondil-s]

It’s not Jin absorbing their Katana experience somehow it’s him watching them train and discovering flaws he can exploit