As the name suggests, the sequel takes place in the area around Mount Yotei, which is located on Ezo Island or present-day Hokkaido. The first words spoken in the trailer are “We’ve surpassed the edge of Japan,” which is true, as this northern island didn’t become part of Japan until the 1800s, when it was colonized and renamed. So not only does this game take place centuries after the original game, but it’s also geographically far removed from it. (tsushima island Takes place in a fictional version of Tsushima Island at the southern tip of Japan. It would be no surprise if King’s journey became a legend to people 300 years later.
Sucker Punch creative directors Nate Fox and Jason Cornell tell us this new york times Seeing Mount Yotei during a research trip solidified the setting and title, and Cornell recalled one time staring at the mountain for “two hours.” Fox also cited a trip to Shiretoko National Park in Hokkaido as inspiration because of its combination of beautiful scenery and danger.
“In the park, you have to watch a video that tells you about the dangers of bears,” Fox told this new york times. “It’s exciting to be in this incredibly beautiful park with jagged cliffs and water, but always aware that there are dangerous bears. We worked hard to bring that sense of danger into the video game.
