Review — Ghost of Yōtei. Embark on a bloody quest for revenge as…

Embark on a bloody quest for revenge as you hunt the killers of your family in Ghost of Yōtei.

Back in 2020, developer Sucker Punch launched Ghost of Tsushima, an epic open world adventure game about a man trapped between upholding the warrior’s code and opting for a more pragmatic and morally ambiguous way to end the Mongol invasion of Japan in the 13th century. For someone like me wo’s always been interested in Japan, the game offered an unforgettable experience, long before Ubisoft finally decided to visit the country with Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Overall, it was one of the best games the PlayStation 4 generation had to offer. So naturally, when it’s sequel Ghost of Yōtei, was announced, I couldn’t be more happy.

A Bloody Tale of Revenge

While a new time period and completely new protagonist might not have been something most people expected, it does allow the developers to tell a new story set against the backdrop of the tumultuous history of Japan. Taking place 300 years after Ghost of Tsushima, Ghost of Yōtei takes place at the end of the Sengoku era, which heralded the unification of the country. During this period, the island of Ezo (now Hokkaido) became a refuge for those who wanted to escape the claws of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Among these outlaws, we find Lord Saito, who wants to claim Ezo for himself as the self-appointed Shogun of the North. Saito is also the leader of the Yōtei Six, renegade samurai who are being hunted by our main character Atsu. Her family was murdered by the Yōtei Six sixteen years prior to the events of the game. After fighting in the battle of Sekigahara, Atsu returns to Ezo to kill the Yōtei Six.

Unlike Jin, Atsu is fury incarnate, driven by the single purpose of exacting revenge against the six men who killed her family and left her for dead sixteen years ago. Her quest will also confront her with the muddy history between her family and Lord Saito, but she’ll also meet allies who will help her as she embarks on this bloody path. While the story isn’t particularly deep or original, it threads along nicely and provides for some epic moments. Especially the confrontations with the Yōtei Six are memorable and make Atsu’s quest worth playing. But as with the previous game, it’s of course the gorgeous world in which this story takes place that is the real star of the game.

A World Begging to be Explored

Just like its predecessor, Ghost of Yōtei offers a a deeply engaging open world experience driven by the sense of exploration and the sheer beauty of the environments. The HUD is once again minimal, allowing you to naturally focus on points of interest – occasionally with the help of your binoculars – and the guidance of the wind to bring you to your next objective. Aside from the main missions, you’ll find lots of things to discover in this world, including returning activities like the hot springs, bamboo cutting and following foxes for charms. New activities include painting, a gambling mini game called Zeni hajiki, puzzle boxes and Mountain Reliquaries, which also feature a small puzzle to solve. The game also makes many of its gameplay features a very tactile experience, as you’ll be swinging your controller to forge a katana or manipulate the touchpad to play the shamisen for example.

While you could easily classify these activities as a typical checklist to complete, but the game makes it feels like this isn’t the case due to the way they’re naturally integrated into the world. Because each of these activities also offer many important rewards, such as skill points you can invest in the different skill trees, a life bar extension, new charms or things like new sword kits, headbands or other cosmetic items. And of course you shouldn’t forget about all the different side tales you can experience, bounties you can hunt, camps you can clear… It should be clear that Ghost of Yōtei has a lot to offer for those who want to explore its world.

The world itself is of course drop dead gorgeous, with sweeping vistas, picturesque lakes, lush forests and of course Mount Yōtei as its center piece. As you’re riding through flower fields alongside a herd of wild horses, you’re bound to have a feeling of wonderment – although I wasn’t a fan of the black borders on the screen during these moments. And you can’t deny the visual impact of those leaves falling with the wind as you’re about to duel a mighty ronin. Ghost of Yōtei proves once again that Sucker Punch are masters of their craft. Even on the base PlayStation 5, the game looks like an absolute stunner, whether you play in Quality, Performance or Ray tracing mode. And this time, we get lip sync for the Japanese voices right out of the box. The black and white Kurosawa mode also makes its return and is complimented this time with a Shinichirō Watanabe mode, that adds lo-fi tunes to the game and a Takashi Miike that ups the bloodshed to gruesome levels, ideal for the fans of this iconic Japanese enfant terrible.

Live and Die by the Blade

The latter mode also perfectly compliments the visceral combat that’s on display in the game. Atsu’s ruthless nature means she has a more raw style of fighting, but the core of the combat hasn’t changed much from the previous game. There’s still a big emphasis on parrying and dodging, unleashing your counter moves at the right time. But this time around, you’ll also be able to pick up dropped weapons and throw them at your enemies or blow dust in their faces for example. Standoff also makes its return of course, and it’s still one of the coolest mechanics in the game.

What has disappeared however, are the stances during combat. These have been replaced by different weapons you’ll unlock as you play. You basic weapon is your katana, but each of the weapons you’ll obtain has its own specialties. Dual katanas are ideal against spears, whereas the powerful ōdachi is best suited against large enemies. The kusarigama can be used to easily break shields and the yari takes care of sickle-type wielding enemies. Your arsenal is further supplemented by bows, kunai, smoke bombs and even firearms, giving you a lot of versatility in combat. And you’ll need all the tools at your disposal, because the game can be quite challenging at times., but this makes the experience all the more worthwhile. Whether you’re a fan of Ghost of Tsushima or not, Ghost of Yōtei isn’t an experience you don’t want to miss.

4,5/5

Reviewed on PlayStation 5.
Download code provided by the publisher and PR agency.