Ghost of Yotei Review

ghost of yotei, Sucker Punch Productions

Intro: Too Much or Too Little?

Let’s take a moment to be honest with each other – open world games are hard to do. From the definition of what an ‘open world’ game is, to the hundreds of details that come attached with the genre, one can almost assume that it’s nearly impossible to create the perfect open world game. This isn’t to say that some haven’t come close – titles like Red Dead Redemption 2 and The Witcher 3 built their legacies on an expansive open world that allows the player to carve out their legend however they wanted. It didn’t matter if you were the greatest hero, or the most sinister villain, in these titles the world responded to your actions. These titans of the gaming world gave us a reason to explore off the beaten path in search of glory or riches. Yet among these giants stands another series intent on creating a world built in the shadow of the greats.

The original Ghost of Tsushima was of the most surprising titles released in the last years of the PS4 era. Not only did it give us one of the most unique open world settings put to gaming in years, but it also gave us a story that put emphasis on building our legend as the titular Ghost. From the flowing winds guiding your way to the Mongol horde pursuing you, Ghost of Tsushima gave us a world that was meant to be loved and feared in the same breath. Fast forward to 2025, and we have the next entry in the series with Ghost of Yotei. The question is does it have the same level of charm as the first game, or does it fizzle out in it’s aspirations to be great like it’s predecessor. Let’s get into it.

The World and Story: Beauty in Revenge

The most obvious difference between Ghost of Tsushima and Ghost of Yotei is the beats that the story bows to. The original GoT’s story was primarily focused on the intricate battle between honor and duty. That fine line between doing what’s needed in the face of insurmountable odds, or doing what is honorable. Jin Sakai’s journey of becoming a twisted version of himself to save him homeland was an experience many of us praised for both its brutality and it scenic moments of peace in between each battle. Ghost of Yotei foregoes the honorable story of a samurai for something we’re all much more familiar with – the hectic life of a mercenary.

Ghost of Yotei’s story is one built on the brutality established in the first cutscene. Set 329 years after the events of Ghost of Tsushima, you play as Atsu, a mercenary vying for revenge against the men who killed her family. Her journey is very much the opposite of Jin Sakai’s as she is hell bent on exacting her revenge no matter who stands in her way. The best way to describe her sheer force of will is the obsessiveness of Arya Stark in Game of Thrones with her list of names, with the brutal drive of The Bride from the Kill Bill movies.

Atsu’s raw rage and hatred that she has towards the Yotei Six, the group of men that slaughtered her family in the games introduction, is the centerpiece of the game and dare I say they did it nearly perfectly. Long gone is the dutiful story of honor and pride that we saw in Ghost of Tsushima. Atsu isn’t here to pander to others thoughts on her journey, and she is rarely driven off her path of vengeance. The story frequently presents you with situations where mercy is all but an afterthought, and it shows in the brutality of the world around you. Vengeance is a path that no one wins and the story relies on this trope very much from the first couple hours to the ending credits.

If I could make a comparison from a story perspective, the first thought that comes to mind is the lawlessness of the American Wild West. From those first few hours when we are introduced to the Yotei Six to the subsequent hunt that follows, the story very much follows the tropes of a Western film. Those you meet along the way are just trying to survive in the world as much as you are, and you’ll almost always be the witness of some deplorable acts of violence throughout your dozens of hours in Ezo. Long gone are the honorable actions of the samurai we witnessed in the first entry in the series. This tale is one of revenge and the inhuman urge to cull all of those that stand between you and your obsessions. The story feels like the other side of the coin when compared to Ghost of Tsushima, and I would almost go out on a limb here and say that I enjoyed Ghost of Yotei’s story more than the original. There’s something about a revenge story that feels raw and emotional, and Sucker Punch has once again proved they are experts at telling their tales.

There are some weird pacing issues throughout the middle of the story, but I don’t think they are by any means game breaking. The world and the story encourage you to explore the world around you and take part in what’s going on, so I rarely found myself twiddling my fingers in boredom. Sure, the side quests are mostly generic by modern standards, but I don’t think it’s detrimental to the experience. They are there for you to indulge them as much or as little as you want.

From a world perspective, Sucker Punch has created a playground that is worthy to stand amongst the greats as far as it’s beauty and overall feel. Let’s get something out of the way first in saying that this world was clearly meant to feel natural in how it’s landmarks are placed. You won’t find the usual overcrowded maps with too much to do and copy and pasted towns and fortresses we’ve seen in games like the Assassins Creed series. Ghost of Yotei’s map feels natural in how everything is laid out and I almost always found myself getting distracted by not only towns and camps, but the natural landscape as well.

Roaming from point A to point B feels like less of a chore than I expected and there is just enough to do to make it feel like a true open world experience without selling out by adding too much. Certain aspects such as the roaming Ronin hunting you down, to the varied herds of wildlife you see roaming the plains, all add to this living world that looks in simplest terms, beautiful. This is further reinforced by how the game encourages you to explore. Not every side quest or location of importance is labeled for you on your map, and it makes it so it’s almost always worth it to explore the pillars of smoke in the distance. Overall I have no complaints from a world perspective. Just like it’s predecessor, it’s both beautiful to look at and fun to explore and honestly, what else can you ask for.

Gameplay: Brutal, Satisfying and Familiar

When we finally make our way to the gameplay aspects, I have to admit that this game very much feels like the ‘if it isn’t broke don’t fix it’ idea personified. The gameplay of Ghost of Tsushima was always seen as a brutal, fun mix of the 3^rd person aspects of games like The Witcher 3 with the assassin elements from the Assassins Creed series, and you have much of the same here. The major changes that Sucker Punch have implemented to that formula is the removal of the different katana stances, and a new companion to assist you in your journey in the form of a ferocious wolf.

In place of the different katana stances that are useful against specific weapons, Sucker Punch has instead chose to embrace a more open approach. You have access to a variety of weapons from your standard katana to the dual blades and more unique weapons such as the Kusarigama, each of which excels against a specific enemy type. I will admit the enemy variety is much of the same from the first game, but that doesn’t mean that the system in place isn’t still a blast to use. You will almost always be the lone fighter against a dozen or more enemies, and the weapons that the game gives you really does make you feel like a master of death. The general flow of combat and the smoothness of your inputs is very much still here from the first game, and you will almost always be carving your way through enemies with dangerous precision. If you enjoyed the general combat and feel of the first game, you will feel right at home here with the arsenal at your fingertips. Each one feels brutal to use, while maintaining a level of usefulness that makes each one feel as if it’s more than just wasted inventory space.

The other new addition to the gameplay systems is the wolf companion that progresses with you as Atsu hunts down the Yotei Six. She is with you from the beginning of your journey and really does become a standard member of your combat encounters once you get a few upgrades for her. She has many uses that feels specialized such as the ability to randomly show up when you use a throwable, but she can also save you from certain death and stick around after to help to clean up. It is a breath of fresh air to have a companion system in a game such as this, and I think Sucker Punch did a great job at making her feel like a core part of the gameplay loop without making her mechanics feel like a crutch for the player. Once again harping back to what I said about wanting to explore the world, she can only be upgraded by assisting other wolves scattered around the map. Weird system? Kind of, but I think it fits with Atsu’s lone wolf persona, and I felt as if she was a direct mirror of the trials you’re going through as Atsu. Other than the new weapons and the wolf companion, Ghost of Yotei plays it safe with it’s previous formula. It’s fun, it’s brutal and the variety of ways to kill your enemies will keep you entertained for dozens of hours.

Ending Thoughts: The Next Evolution

While it might play it safe in some regards, Ghost of Yotei is a sequel that builds off the greatness of the first. Often feeling like a tale pulled straight from the American ‘Wild West’, the vibrant setting of a 17^th century Ezo is the perfect backdrop for telling Atzu’s journey of vengeance against those that wronged her. It’s combat might feel similar to the first entry in the series, but the addition of some new weapons and a terrifying companion make it just as brutal and fun to master as before. Though it might not reinvent the wheel, Ghost of Yotei is another solid entry in Sony’s cinematic single player catalog that should be picked up by anyone who enjoy the beauty hidden between the cuts of a katana.