Initial release date: October 2, 2025
Developer: Sucker Punch Productions
Platform: PlayStation 5
Composer: Wataru Hokoyama
Nominations: The Game Award for Most Anticipated Game
License: proprietary license
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Enjoyed Yotei more overall than Tsushima
- Weapon dance combat mechanics
- Living, breathing beautiful open world
- Atsu was a good protagonist
- Twenty plus hour campaign with no bloat
- Great sound design and music
- Open world has great level design
- The Yotei Six was fun to hunt down
- Lord Nariaki Saito is a compelling antagonist
Introduction
My introduction with Sucker Punch’s “Ghost” series was Ghost of Tsushima which I made over 800 gameplay VODs for. Jin’s story was good however I didn’t gel with it’s samurai gameplay mechanics.
In Ghost of Yotei which takes place in the future from Tsushima features Atsu, an Onryo, a ghost of sorts who’s 16 year goal is to get revenge for the murder of her family to a group of Outlaws known as the Yotei Six.
Presentation
Ghost of Yotei is a beautiful open world video game that takes place in surrounding Mount Yōtei in Ezo (modern-day Hokkaido). Sucker Punch made a almost flawless video game here. There weren’t any standout bugs or glitches to report due to the polish Ghost of Yotei exudes.
I hate fluff and bloat in open-world video games. I want things to be meaningful like upgrades as I play Ghosts of Yotei which did that with it’s open world. Almost everything you see or come into contact with benefits Atsu in her journey of revenge. So yeah, presentation was stellar here.
Story
Atsu’s journey for the revenge of her parents is one note and predictable early on. I did see the change in her near the last quarter of the campaign. When Atsu reunites with her brother Jubei and meets her niece Kiku i pretty much knew Atsu was going to change her Onryo ways by the end of the Yotei Six hunt.
The writing in specific sequences most notably interactions between Atsu and Lord Saito had some of the best writing in Ghost of Yotei. I also enjoyed the reunification of Atsu and her long lost thought dead brother Jubei writing.
Gameplay
Atsu’s main gameplay mechanic features various weapons ie. Katana, Yari (spear), dual Katana’s and Kusarigama, Tanegashima rifle and a bow. In melee you should match weapons that work against the enemies weapons. Say The outlaw uses a spear. You should equip the dual katanas to fight.
Unlocking the various weapons comes in side quests that takes place throughout all over Ezo. I personally enjoyed the weapon dance gameplay mechanics more than the samurai tank gameplay in Tsuhima personally.
Atsu also has gadgets such as smoke bombs, different types of arrows etc. The world is busy with important points of interests like relic hunts, bamboo strikes, gambling in towns, wolf dens and many random sequences that offer Atsu intel.
The Yotei Six featured some entertaining boss fights yet I wanted more from them if that makes sense. I loved the Ronin standoffs, sword clashes and gameplay just as a whole in Yotei. You can “feel” it as you play.
Visuals
Ghost of Yotei is a beautiful game on the base Playstation 5. I played Yotei in ray tracing mode and performance mode mostly. Quality mode did look better but performance is the way to go in my opinion. I loved the birds flying as I rode Kimaki across Ezo. This game looks organic and stunning at times.
Sound
The voice acting was solid throughout. I didn’t use any of the specialty modes just English (I know shut up). The music was good as it brought me back to the time period in Ghost of Yotei.
Ghost of Yotei: It's overall better than Ghosts of Tsushima but not by much. It says a lot about Sucker Punch Productions and how they are still on top of their "game". – Jason
