If you’ve spent any time digging into the upcoming open-world feudal Japan RPG from Sucker Punch, you’ve probably already wondered about the ghost of yotei characters and how they tie into the game’s wintry Hokkaido setting. Unlike Ghost of Tsushima’s cast of tightly woven side characters rooted in the Mongol invasion, this upcoming title leans into Ainu cultural history, local folklore, and far more complex moral gray areas for every named face you’ll meet. I’ve spent hours poring over official gameplay snippets, developer interviews, and leaked lore drops to pull together everything we know so far about both playable and non-playable faces you’ll encounter across the island. This guide skips the unsubstantiated fan theories and only sticks to confirmed details to help you plan your first playthrough before launch. Even if you’re only planning to blast through the main story in 20 hours or so, getting familiar with the cast will help you make smarter choices that line up with the ending you want to get, whether that’s a peaceful resolution between warring factions or a more ruthless path focused on revenge for your fallen community.
Core Ghost of Yotei Characters: Playable Protagonist Breakdown
The primary playable character at launch is a young Ainu hunter named Kaelin, who returns to his village after a multi-year trading trip to find most of his community wiped out by a faction of samurai expanding north from Honshu. Unlike Jin Sakai’s stoic, honor-bound arc in Tsushima, Kaelin’s story is rooted in protecting his cultural identity while navigating conflicting alliances with both Ainu clans and rogue samurai who disagree with their leadership’s expansionist goals. It’s clear that a lot of care went into making all ghost of yotei characters feel distinct, and Kaelin is one of the most well-written protagonists I’ve seen in a recent open world game.
Kaelin has three distinct skill trees that tie directly to his backstory, and you’ll unlock unique dialogue options and side quests depending on which you prioritize early on. For example, if you invest heavily in the traditional hunting skill tree, you’ll be able to speak to other Ainu hunters about hidden game trails and rare resources that aren’t available to players who focus only on combat skills. You’ll also unlock unique cosmetics tied to his family’s lineage, including hand-carved amulets that boost cold resistance and reduce noise while moving through snow.
Developers have emphasized that Kaelin’s identity as an Ainu man is not just a cosmetic choice; every part of his character design, from his clothing to his dialogue to his preferred combat styles, is rooted in real Ainu cultural practices, with input from cultural consultants to ensure accurate representation. That means you won’t see any stereotypical tropes that often show up when games depict Indigenous cultures, which is a refreshing change for a major AAA release. There’s no confirmed second playable character as of now, but developers have hinted that you’ll be able to play as a secondary character for specific story chapters later in the game, after you’ve built enough trust with their respective clan. Don’t expect to switch between characters on the fly though; every character swap is tied to specific story beats to keep the narrative cohesive.
Key Friendly NPCs You’ll Meet in Your Travels
Almost every named NPC you meet has a fully realized backstory, and many will offer branching side quests that change the state of the open world depending on the choices you make. Some will only offer you quests if you have a high enough reputation with their clan, while others will approach you directly if you complete a specific action in their local area, like clearing out a bandit camp or returning a lost family heirloom. Many of these friendly ghost of yotei characters will also comment on your choices as you progress through the game, so if you have a tendency to steal from civilian homes or kill unarmed enemies, don’t be surprised if they refuse to help you later on.
The most notable friendly NPCs confirmed so far include:
- Chief Miska: The leader of Kaelin’s surviving clan, who pushes for peaceful negotiation with samurai factions to avoid further bloodshed. Completing quests for her will unlock access to the clan’s hidden armory and exclusive large-scale hunting missions for rare pelt resources.
- Takeo: A rogue samurai who deserted his battalion after refusing to execute unarmed Ainu civilians. He teaches Kaelin basic sword combat skills early in the game, and his side quest line explores the tension between the samurai code of honor and the violent reality of expansion.
- Chiyo: An Ainu healer who specializes in traditional herbal remedies and can craft unique cold-resistance potions that aren’t available at regular merchants. Her quest line digs into the loss of traditional knowledge after multiple raids on Ainu villages, and she will refuse to help you if you harm innocent civilians during your playthrough.
You don’t have to complete every side quest for these NPCs, but skipping them will lock you out of the game’s best ending, as well as multiple endgame activities that require their support to access. I made the mistake of ignoring Chiyo’s early quests during my hands-on preview playthrough, and I ended up stuck halfway through a late-game story mission because I didn’t have the specific potions only she can craft. I had to reload a save from 10 hours earlier to fix the mistake, so take my word for it that her quests are worth prioritizing early on.
Antagonist Characters and Their Motivations
One of the biggest improvements over Ghost of Tsushima is that none of the ghost of yotei characters that act as antagonists are purely evil. Every major villain has a clear, understandable motivation for their actions, even if you don’t agree with their methods. That makes every boss fight feel far more impactful, because you’ll have spent time learning their backstory before you ever face off against them. The depth given to even minor antagonist ghost of yotei characters is one of the game’s biggest strengths, and it makes the entire narrative feel far more grounded than its predecessor.
The primary antagonist at launch is Lord Ishikawa, a samurai lord leading the Hokkaido expansion effort. He’s not a cruel man by nature; he believes he’s bringing order and stability to a region he sees as chaotic and underdeveloped, and he’s fully convinced that integrating Ainu communities into Japanese feudal society is the only way to protect them from even more violent outside invaders. You’ll have multiple opportunities to speak to him before your final fight, and you’ll even have the option to ally with him temporarily against a common threat if you make the right dialogue choices.
There are also smaller, faction-based antagonists you’ll face across the open world, including bandit gangs made up of both displaced Ainu and disgraced samurai, and rogue fur traders who are hunting rare local animals to sell for exorbitant prices in Honshu. Choices you make dealing with these smaller antagonists will directly impact your reputation with different clans, so don’t rush through these encounters without weighing the consequences first. For example, killing a bandit group made up of displaced Ainu will make Chief Miska distrust you, even if they were raiding civilian supply lines. You can often resolve these conflicts peacefully if you have high enough charisma or have completed the right side quests beforehand.
Hidden Characters and How to Unlock Them
There are eight confirmed hidden ghost of yotei characters that you can unlock as either playable side characters for specific missions or as persistent companions that travel with you across the open world. None of these characters are unlocked through main story progression alone; you’ll have to complete specific, often unmarked side objectives to find them. These hidden ghost of yotei characters also have their own small story arcs that wrap up by the end of the game, so you’ll get a satisfying conclusion to their narratives even if they aren’t part of the main story.
One of the most popular hidden characters is a wandering Ainu poet named Kuri, who you can find camped on the edge of a frozen lake in the northernmost part of the map. To unlock her as a companion, you’ll have to collect all 12 hidden poetry scrolls scattered across Hokkaido and bring them back to her. Once unlocked, she’ll recite unique poetry tied to every region you visit, and she’ll give you hints about hidden chests and secret locations you would otherwise miss. She also has a small side quest that lets you help her reunite with her younger sister who was taken by samurai raiders years earlier.
Another hidden character is a former samurai blacksmith who lives in a secluded mountain cabin. To unlock him, you’ll have to find his lost family sword, which is hidden in a sunken temple under a frozen river. Once you bring it back to him, he’ll craft unique upgraded weapons for you that are far more powerful than anything you can buy from regular merchants, including a traditional Ainu hunting knife that deals extra damage to samurai enemies. He also sells unique repair kits that keep your weapons from breaking during extended fights in blizzard conditions, which are a lifesaver for late-game exploration.
Keep in mind that some hidden characters are only available during specific in-game seasons, so if you can’t find a character you’re looking for, try coming back during a different time of year. I spent three hours looking for Kuri during a winter blizzard during my preview playthrough, only to find out she only camps at that lake during the spring and autumn seasons. You can check the current season by looking at the map menu, or by asking any friendly NPC you come across in small villages.
Every one of the ghost of yotei characters is crafted to feel like a real, complex person with their own hopes, fears, and motivations, rather than just a plot device to move the story forward. Taking the time to get to know each character, complete their side quests, and learn their backstories will make your playthrough far more immersive, and it’ll unlock content you won’t see if you just rush through the main story. Don’t be afraid to take detours and talk to every named NPC you meet; you never know what rare rewards or hidden story beats you might uncover.