With the massive success of Sucker Punch’s 2020 “Ghost of Tsushima,” “Ghost of Yotei” is an excellent follow-up video game for anyone who fell in love with its mechanics and the story that is built upon. With a new and larger area to explore, allowing players to wander in the beautiful world of Ezo, and what is there to find.
The player follows Atsu, a mercenary for hire, on a path filled with blood, hate, and revenge. When Atsu was younger, she watched her family die at the hands of the infamous group of the Yotei Six. She crafted her path to train and ultimately return home to avenge what was taken from her.
“Ghost of Yotei” features an open world, giving players the chance to do whatever they want in whatever order, making the world feel more alive. This unique feature hits the spot for players who enjoy open worlds, lots to do, side missions, and player interaction. While the overall objective of the game is to kill the members of the Yotei Six, Sucker Punch did an excellent job showing the difference between the villains, making each of them unique, and giving them their own regions. This differentiation allows the “Ghost of Yotei” to play without the sense of repetition that “Ghost of Tsushima” had at specific points in the game. In “Ghost of Yotei,” even most of the side missions are very engaging and different from one another. Some missions are short while others are longer, adding to the overall story.
The mechanics in the game are just as satisfying as the predecessor, giving players the sense of invincibility and being feared once they get their combat muscle memory back. In terms of mechanics, there were no crazy changes. Players can now throw weapons and sake jars on the ground to stagger enemies, and even have a wolf come and help their avatar. While the katana stances were removed, Atsu now has a large arsenal of weapons to play in the game’s rock-paper-scissors combat system.
The story is very engaging, and players are likely to find themselves enjoying the characters and wanting to learn more. While the game did start to feel repetitive near the end, it is still well worth a play. For a game like this, there is nothing to complain about, given how fun it is despite some parts being a bit predictable on reversals and some of the dialogue being dry.
Overall, playing “Ghost of Yotei” is a gratifying experience and was worth the wait. It is a large love letter to players who enjoyed “Ghost of Tsushima” and want more of it. The story was fun; some parts may require players to zone out, but once they get into the flow of things, they will not want the story to stop. There is always something engaging for players to do in “Ghost of Yotei” and something that will reel the players into the game is the beauty of Ezo and what is in store.
Overall score: 8.5/10.