Ghost Of Yotei Promises A Bigger, Bloodier Sequel

Ghost of Yotei might be the big open world PS5 game I have been waiting for, if its latest State of Play is any indication. I have been unironically replaying through the PC version of Ghost of Tsushima. Now the franchise is back with an in-depth look at its sequel, Ghost of Yotei. As was the case with the original game, Yotei looks to be another showcase for the PS5 Pro, with some truly jaw-dropping visuals during the presentation. It showcases a far-reaching open world, expanding on the scope of the first game. It’s a bigger, badder, and bloodier Ghost.

Out For Revenge

Ghost of Yotei introduces an element of Japanese folklore, with the citizens of Ezo believing that Erika Ishi’s Atsu is a vengeful ghost called an Onyo. Sucker Punch’s Nate Fox explains that she is after vengeance, carving a bloody path to take down the Yotei Six — a clan of criminals who murdered her family. This gives Yotei much more of a personal stake than seen in Ghost of Tsushima, and a protagonist who is more morally flexible with killing than Jin Sakai. And one who isn’t tied down by a samurai’s code of honor. At the push of a button, Atsu can also enter a playable flashback, which is likely to give some context to your lost family, and maybe even tug on our heartstrings.

Ghost of Yotei isn’t about recruiting allies — this revenge quest is all about tracking down and cutting down the Yotei Six. It seems to place an even greater emphasis on exploration than before because the path of a wandering warrior seems more in line with Atsu’s mission.

An Expanded Open World: More Choices, More Weapons

As you explore, you will unlock clues, presented as cards that will reveal new locations, mission objectives, and more. Locations could lead to new, deadlier enemy types or a quest line to unlock new skills. Ghost of Yotei also encourages you to play however you want, making it feel less checklist-like than other open-world games. Shrines now unlock new abilities, which can be found organically on their own or tracked easily on a map that you can purchase. Atsu’s spyglass can also reveal faraway locations seen on the horizon as well as tag enemies. One of the best elements of Tsushima was its iconic samurai duels. Ghost of Yotei brings them back by introducing bounties — optional baddies that you can take down for a quick way to earn some money, ala Red Dead Redemption.

Ghost of Yotei also gives a larger degree of freedom, thanks to the large arsenal of weapons at Atsu’s disposal. Atsu can wield traditional samurai weapons such as a Katana and spear, as well as new weapon types not seen before in the franchise. This includes the chain-based Suragama, the extra-long curved blade of Odachi, and even dual katanas. Each of these weapons can be switched on the fly and includes its separate skill tree. If ranged combat is more your speed, you will also have bows and firearms at your disposal. Atsu is neither a samurai nor a Ninja — and Ghost of Yotei paints a lead protagonist who leans into this idea with gore-tastic, visceral combat. The new weapons can dismember and disarm (pun intended) enemies in gory and glorious fashion. The variety of weapons allows for more creative and fluid play styles, without one hand tying the other.

To further enhance the feeling of freedom, Ghost of Yotei allows you to create campsites on the fly. At the campsites, you can rest and cook food, which seems to indicate that hunting will have a bigger focus this time around. Other familiar open-world activities, like steam baths, are also making a return. The State of Play also showed an impressive amount of cosmetic customization for the look of Atsu, although it’s not clear how deep the cosmetics go, or if we can customize individual pieces.

Custom Samurai

The State of Play also announced some Ghost of Yotei-themed accessories. Two Ghost of Yotei PS5 slim models were shown — available in gold and black variants. The bundles also include a themed DualSense controller, available in two color variants. The DualSense controller will be on sale separately. Console covers for the base PS5 Slim and PS5 Pro were also shown, although the covers are only available in the gold variant. Pre-order dates for these accessories have not been confirmed.

Further enhancing the tailored player experience, Ghost of Yotei also promises several new audio and visual modes, including the return of the epic Kuraswoa Mode. In addition to this, the closing moments of the presentation showcased a new lo-fi beats soundtrack mode. Legendary anime director, Shinichirō Watanabe, the mind behind Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo, is arranging the tracks with several tracks from the lo-fi mode released on Spotify immediately following the State of Play. The game will also include an additional visual modes. Mikke Mode focuses on close-ups of blood and mud-soaked combat, inspired by the style of 13 Assassins’ Director Takashi Mikke.

Ghosts of Yotei is being released on PS5 on October 2.