Is the "Onryō" title for Atsu in Ghost of Yotei similar to the original Ghost?

The title "Onryō" reflects a spiritual and legendary status, similar to how Jin Sakai was referred to as the Ghost in Tsushima. However, it is adapted to Atsu’s story and her connection to Mount Yōtei’s mystical forces. It represents fear and respect among enemies but also emphasizes her bond with the spirits.

That's a fantastic question about the thematic heart of the game! The two titles—"The Ghost" for Jin and "The Onryō" for Atsu—are similar in that they both represent a figure of legend and fear, but they have distinctly different origins and meanings. * Jin Sakai ("The Ghost"): His title was born out of necessity and sacrifice. He became "The Ghost" by abandoning the samurai code to adopt dishonorable (but effective) methods like stealth and assassination to save Tsushima from the Mongols. His "Ghost" was a protective legend, a shadow figure who stood for his people, even if his methods were controversial. * Atsu ("The Onryō"): Her title is much darker and more focused on the theme of vengeance. An Onryō in Japanese folklore is literally a vengeful spirit who returns from the dead to enact a blood feud. Atsu's transformation into "The Onryō" is driven by a deeply personal bloodlust to hunt down the Yōtei Six who killed her family. She’s less of a reluctant hero and more of an avenging angel. So, while both characters embrace a path outside the traditional code, Atsu's Onryō persona is a more literal embodiment of a vengeful specter, fitting the grittier, more personal story of Ghost of Yotei.

It's similar in concept but different in execution and meaning. In the first game, "the Ghost" was a title born of fear and a rejection of samurai honor. For Atsu, "Onryō" (which translates to "Vengeful Spirit") is a title that is more directly tied to the game's supernatural themes. He is not just a man using underhanded tactics; he is literally channeling the wrath of the mountain's wronged and corrupted spirits. The title is less about him being stealthy and more about him being an avatar of supernatural vengeance. The enemies don't just fear a man; they fear the literal wrath of nature they have awoken.

The parallel is definitely there—both are monikers that strike fear into the enemy—but the context is what sets it apart. Jin's "Ghost" was a strategic identity. Atsu's "Onryō" is a spiritual one. When the enemies whisper about the Onryō, they're talking about a spectral figure that can appear from the mist and command the elements, which is a step beyond the more grounded fear of the Ghost of Tsushima. It's a really cool evolution of the concept that fits the new game's tone perfectly.

To put it simply, the "Ghost" is a mantle/archetype, and the "Onryō" is a specific type of Ghost. Jin was a "kurodo" or shadow person who adopted the Ghost title as a form of rebellion against his code and a means to protect his people. Atsu is a different kind of warrior who becomes an Onryō, a vengeful phantom. The concept of the "Ghost" as a terrifying figure who works in the shadows endures as a legend over the 300 years between the games, and Atsu becomes the latest person to take up a similar mantle, but her specific nickname, The Onryō, immediately tells the player and the NPCs that her motivation is revenge and her methods are brutal. She is feared for different, more personal reasons than Jin was.