When Sucker Punch appeared before us with Ghost of Tsushima in 2020, it demonstrated how to combine the aesthetics of Japanese cinema, particularly the legacy of Akira Kurosawa, with modern game mechanics. However, instead of continuing with the same protagonist, the team chose to set sail toward an entirely different era and spirit.
Set approximately 300 years after the events of Ghost of Tsushima, in 1603, Ghost of Yōtei takes us to Ezo, the remote northern region of Japan, known today as Hokkaidō, a harsh, snowy land far removed from the strict rules of the shogunate. This time, rather than experiencing Jin Sakai’s struggle for honor, samurai codes, and the freedom of his people, we follow the bloody revenge story of a young woman whose family was murdered: Atsu.
"Onryō" – The Birth of a Spirit of Revenge
The game is not centered on national ideals such as preventing a large-scale invasion. Yōtei is, in every sense, a personal, dark revenge story with a Kill Bill flavor.
Sixteen years ago, Atsu witnessed her family being murdered before her eyes at the foot of Mount Yōtei. Those responsible for the tragedy are a ruthless bandit and samurai group known as the "Yōtei Six." After years of studying martial arts and sharpening her katana with blood, Atsu returns to the Ezo region. Her goal is simple: hunt down the six people on the list one by one.
One of the game’s most interesting aspects is that, in the eyes of the people of Ezo, Atsu is known not as a human being but as "Onryō," a vengeful ghost that died and returned to life. As your reputation grows, the silhouette on wanted posters becoming clearer and more terrifying, along with bounty hunters pursuing you, makes the open world feel remarkably alive.
The Dance of 5 Different Weapons
While Ghost of Tsushima featured only the katana and different combat stances, Ghost of Yōtei enriches the formula by shifting to a weapon-based system. As you pursue each target on your revenge list, you meet new weapons masters and unlock different weapons:
- Katana: Fast, classic, with precise parry mechanics.
- Kusarigama (Chain Sickle): Distance management against large groups of enemies.
- Ōdachi (Giant Samurai Sword): Slow but devastating strikes that break the shields of heavily armored enemies.
- Yari (Spear): Long-range strikes and fast counterattacks.
- Fists and hidden blades: Silent takedowns and tight close-quarters combat. Replacing the katana with a spear or a heavy ōdachi completely changes the rhythm of combat. The weight of the weapons, the impact of each strike, and the movement and resistance feedback provided by the DualSense controller make the action incredibly enjoyable. The limited supply of bullets and arrows inevitably turns you into part of this bloody dance of slaughter.
Open World and Atmosphere: Traces of the Wind and the Wilderness
Sucker Punch has once again done away with minimaps and arrows filling the screen. Your only guide to your destination is the Natural Wind, snowstorms, birds gliding through the sky, and drifting smoke.
- 自由 target selection: The game leaves it entirely up to you which order you pursue the story targets on your list. You can travel to any region you want and unlock the appropriate weapon and ability earlier.
- Wolf companion: The bond you form with the female wolf you encounter while traveling through the world becomes a living mechanic that helps you in combat and changes your strategy when infiltrating enemy camps.
- Life simulation: "Quiet moments" such as setting up camp away from battles, warming yourself by a fire, playing the shamisen (a musical instrument), and painting nature scenes balance the game’s pace.
Technical Performance and Visual Spectacle
The snowy mountains of Ezo, its forests adorned with red leaves, and its mystical atmosphere make full use of the power of PlayStation 5.
- Performance mode: A precise 60 FPS experience. There are no frame drops, even during the most intense action.
- Quality and Ray-Tracing modes: The lighting, shadows, and especially the reflections in interior spaces look like a film frame (30 FPS).
- Music and sound: The soundtrack, created with traditional Japanese instruments, maintains such a powerful atmosphere that activating Kurosawa mode (black-and-white filter) makes you feel like you are in a classic samurai film from the 1960s.
Ghost of Yōtei
Weakness: Repetitive Artificial Intelligence
Some of the criticisms directed at Ghost of Tsushima are also present here. In the open world, enemy AI sometimes behaves as though it is completely blind and deaf. NPCs that fail to notice a nearby guard being hit by an arrow, or that are slow to realize their companion has been silently hunted down during stealth sequences, occasionally reduce the tension.
Final Verdict
Ghost of Yotei manages to build upon the successful foundations laid by Tsushima without dismantling them, adding deeper combat systems, a more personal and impactful story, and breathtaking visuals. Through Atsu’s bloody yet stylish path of revenge, it stands as one of the strongest action-adventure experiences of the PlayStation 5 generation.
Pros:
- An extremely fluid combat system diversified with five different weapon types
- A captivating, minimap-free open-world design set in Ezo (Hokkaidō)
- Atsu’s rise to fame as "Onryō" and the pacing of her revenge story
- Excellent DualSense support and PS5 visual quality
- Wolf companion mechanics and wilderness details
Cons
- Weaknesses in enemy AI during stealth situations
- Some side quests outside the central story repeat one another
7.5
Author’s rating
