When you begin Ghost of Yotei, your main objective is to hunt down the Yotei Six, but the game doesn’t provide any direction beyond that. The idea is for the player to find their own way forward by simply setting out into Ezo and seeing where things lead. It is, however, very easy to become inundated with quests, and Ghost of Yotei’s directionless tact can be overwhelming.
[Warning: Story & progression spoilers for Ghost of Yotei.]
In Ghost of Yotei’s introductory sequence, Atsu crosses the first name off her list, killing the Snake and beginning the myth of the onryō. You will likely gather three major leads fairly quickly upon beginning the primary adventure in Ezo: information on the Kitsune, the Oni, and the Saito brothers (the Dragon and the Spider). The game is designed to have no wrong choices, but one makes the most sense to pursue first.
Consider Finding The Kitsune First
North, To Teshio Ridge
I recommend starting the rest of Atsu’s hunt with the Kitsune as your first target. The location of Lord Saito’s spymaster can quickly be narrowed to Teshio Ridge, the northernmost region of Ghost of Yotei’s map. From the starting area in the Yotei Grasslands, you’ll head northeast into Tokachi Range (which is contiguous with the grasslands), then take a ferry across the Great Lake into Nayoro Wilds (a separate zone). Simply keep going north until you reach Teshio Ridge, but read on if you don’t mind some very minor spoilers about why the Kitsune is the best first target.
Targeting the Kitsune first lets you explore the Yotei Grasslands and Tokachi Range, which combine into a massive hub area all the other regions connect to. Similarly, you’ll also have to travel through Nayoro Wilds to reach Teshio Range. Nayoro Wilds is a smaller, more peaceful region of Ezo, and is home to an Ainu community. There are some great side quests here that inform Atsu’s character, but you’ll also get context for the Ainu items you find throughout the game.
Make sure you get the Dual Katanas from Hanbei in the Yotei Grasslands, and the Odachi from Master Yoshida in Tokachi Range before taking the ferry.
Most importantly, though, going after the Kitsune will bring you into contact with Oyuki, one of Ghost of Yotei’s most important characters. For story reasons I won’t get into, Oyuki has a lot to teach Atsu, and meeting her will unlock the listen ability that Ghost of Tsushima players will be familiar with. This will help tremendously with stealth sections, as you can hold R3 to reveal nearby enemies and animals.
Ghost Of Yotei Is A Wandering Samurai Tale, So It Ultimately Doesn’t Matter
Follow The Wind
Despite the hunting the Kitsune first leading to important gameplay mechanics, and arguably making the most sense in Ghost of Yotei’s story, the search for the Yotei Six is left open-ended on purpose – it doesn’t really matter which leads you follow first. Yotei is designed to be a wandering samurai tale, so if you’re unsure of where to go, I recommend simply doing the quests you find most interesting.