Numerous different critiques have mentioned precisely the identical factor: Ghost of Yotei is a secure sequel. It’s simply extra Ghost of Tsushima. It’s such a rote, generic piece of study, isn’t it? Pah. I pity these fools who lack my capacity to write down…er, good. And but…nicely, it’s fully true. Ghost of Yotei actually is a secure sequel, and it truly is simply extra of the identical, albeit improved in nearly each means.
That additionally means I can bust out the opposite cliche of reviewing a sport: for those who preferred Ghost of Tsushima, you’ll love Ghost of Yotei! And for those who both didn’t love Ghost of Tsushima or had your fill the primary time, it’s most likely greatest you bugger off, isn’t it?
Out there On: PS5
Reviewed On: PS5
Developer By: Sucker Punch
Revealed By: Sony Interactive Leisure
Set a couple of hundred years after the occasions of the primary sport, Ghost of Yotei is a sequel that may be performed and loved by individuals who by no means wielded a katana in opposition to the Mongol hordes in Ghost of Tsushima. There are, in fact, some hyperlinks to the earlier sport, however they’re minimal. That provides new protagonist Atsu house to shine, free from the shadow of Jin Saikei, however sadly not free from the shadow of her personal traumatic childhood.
You see, little Atsu lived together with her mother and father and brother in a easy, peaceable setting. Her father labored a forge and had fairly the status for making lovely swords, and her mom was a proficient musician. All is nicely, till it isn’t. The Yotei Six come to go to, led by Lord Saito, who had some form of grudge in opposition to Atsu’s father. Demise and destruction. Atsu left pinned by a blade via her shoulder to a burning tree. A quest for revenge.
Atsu returns to her homeland sixteen years after that evening having fought in quite a few battles, prepared to hunt out the Six and declare her vengeance. The remainder of the evening’s horrific occasions will unfold via a collection of cutscenes as Atsu hunts down the members of the Yotei Six one after the other and earns her bloody revenge, changing into what is named an Onryo within the course of.
It’s a strong story of revenge, of changing into misplaced within the pursuit, of having the ability to let go, of the last word price of violence – however one which tends to smack itself off all the usual revenge-tale branches because it falls out of the burning tree. You’ll see just about each single one in all them coming from a mile away. Whenever you consider a revenge story, Ghost of Yotei hits all the usual factors you consider first and has nothing to say about them that’s new or daring or fascinating.
That may not have mattered if the execution of these beats and the writing had been of the best caliber, however that isn’t the case. It’s not dangerous. Under no circumstances. The writing is strong, and it’s all backed up with loads of visible oomph and robust voice work. It’s simply that when the construction and theme is as routine as this, every thing else must be first-class or it turns into forgettable. I had enjoyable watching Atsu’s journey, I loved it, however I barely keep in mind it, whereas there are a number of different revenge tales that observe the usual template however stay etched in blood in my mind.
Maybe a little bit of fault lies with me, thoughts you. Once I realised it was going to be a revenge story, I had hoped it was going to go down a Kill Invoice route and it didn’t do this. It went the opposite means, and for me that was the route too nicely trodden.
Finally, I feel the general theme of Ghost of Tsushima was far more fascinating, however this sport has a greater protagonist. As a lot of a badass as Jin was, I don’t keep in mind a lot about him, whereas Atsu has caught with me a bit bit extra.
All the principle quests do a wonderful job of telling the story, too. They do are inclined to overuse the identical template time and again – meet an individual, journey to a location whereas they speak to you, combat or sneak into someplace and repeat. And I’d have liked a couple of extra correct cutscenes because the few we get are attractive. However regardless of these flaws, the principle missions managed to maintain including in new, fascinating characters or delivering enjoyable set items. It’s an extended sport, however the pacing not often drags; the combo of quieter beats and large duels retains the rhythm alive.
I’ve to say, Sucker Punch are very good at this entire open-world adventuring malarkey. By no means thoughts that the world is an endlessly attractive picture shoot from finish to finish, with fairly a bit of additional environmental selection this time round. I imply, it’s absurdly lovely, whether or not it’s using via a discipline of pink cherry blossoms or chilling out beneath the celebs at evening. Which is why I’ve a bazillion screenshots saved. However the true star is how the world is laid out so organically, letting you discover new adventures and quests as an alternative of force-feeding them to you. The guiding wind from the earlier sport is again, as is the distant billowing of smoke that signifies a village or campsite. These two issues together with primary missions that carry you into proximity with different actions and good world design imply you’re all the time stumbling into another journey or discovering a hot-spring to wash in or a traveller needing assist or some random berk who needs a duel. Ubisoft, for God’s sake, take some notes.
Exploring the world is additional inspired by making Shrines the one technique to unlock new abilities outdoors of missions that grant them. These little beauties are discovered in every single place, chilling out in entrance of idyllic views, lurking in enemy outposts you must filter or on the very tippity-top of particular climbs it’s a must to embark on.
I do take problem with one of many sport’s a number of kinds of point-of-interest, although, and that’s the Scorching Springs. I’m absolutely supportive of the temporary glimpse of Atsu cheek that we get, however the well being enhance supplied is form of pointless. I stored looking for out baths to buff my well being, and but would nonetheless die in what appeared like the identical quantity of blows from an enemy blade. Possibly I’m simply loopy. Possibly it’s simply Maybelline. However it felt just like the enemy injury was scaling with my well being.
Let’s shove that right into a deep darkish recess for a second, although, and get again to the world. You see, not solely is it pleasant to have a look at nevertheless it additionally hosts a heap of gratifying side-quests, from battling strangers at duelling bushes to attracting the eye of a mysterious man to searching down a myriad of bounties, every a enjoyable little story in its personal proper. There was no side-quest that I discovered boring or unworthy of completion, and identical to earlier than, the sport was glorious at gently shoving me towards the subsequent individual in want of assist.
The core of the fight – dodging, parrying, blocking and attacking – is essentially unchanged. That’s wonderful, as a result of it nonetheless feels terrific, a satisfying and enjoyable dance of dying — solely this time, as an alternative of toes getting stepped on, it’s guts getting stabbed via.
Thoughts you, I did discover the soft-lock system a little bit of a pest. There’s no full lock-on system; fairly, the sport will decide a goal for you. More often than not, that works nicely sufficient. Generally, although, I discovered myself wanting to focus on another person, at which level getting the digital camera to interrupt its fixation was troublesome.
Switching stances like a dancing ninja is out; switching weapons like a cellular armoury is in. Atsu is a grasp of many arms, or not less than, she turns into one as you hunt down the precise Masters scattered all through the world. Every new weapon realized is greatest deployed in opposition to particular foes. So, the Yari (spear) is nice in opposition to enemies with sickles, whereas the superior kusarigama is greatest in opposition to shields. Actually, there isn’t a lot distinction mechanically talking between this and the stance altering, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a enjoyable twist. A number of the animation work is particularly glorious.
The place fight has been expanded is within the number of ancillary instruments you’ve gotten stuffed into numerous pockets. Jin Sakei was hardly missing in devices, however Atsu has gone full Batman and has a software for each scenario. Smoke bombs, blinding mud, particular oil for setting your weapons ablaze and even a pistol are just some of the quickfire weapons at your beck and name.
And, in fact, there’s the selection to go ranged by using a bow and a few completely different arrow sorts. There’s even a rifle, too.
All in all, then, fight has expanded, supplying you with new methods to sort out every combat even because the core of it stays largely unchanged.
Stealth might be the a part of the sport that has been modified the least. It performs largely like Ghost of Tsushima—hiding in tall grass, leaping off rooftops, chaining assassinations collectively. The mechanics stay satisfying; working a few enemies via or linking kills in fast succession nonetheless delivers that dopamine hit. And there’s completely little question that clearing a whole compound with out being detected grants a way of satisfaction in a job nicely stabbed.
However right here’s the issue: it’s generic. It’s precisely what you’ve finished in dozens of different open worlds, and it’s nearly precisely what you probably did in Ghost of Tsushima 5 years in the past. The tall grass hasn’t gotten any taller. The AI hasn’t gotten smarter. The loop stays unchanged.
Maybe I’m being too harsh, nevertheless it seems like this style—the open-world action-adventure—hasn’t actually superior stealth mechanics in a very long time. Whereas video games like Hitman proceed to innovate with social stealth and emergent gameplay, the Ubisoft-style open-world method has stagnated. We’re caught in a rut. It’s a enjoyable, comfy rut, to make certain, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a rut. When your stealth performs identically one hour in because it does forty hours in, when crouching in foliage stays the go-to tactic throughout half a dozen franchises, it’s laborious to not really feel that the style is treading water fairly than swimming ahead. I’d have liked Ghost of Yotei to work extra on its stealth, particularly as Atsu has far much less compunction than Jin did about stabbing individuals from behind.
For those who watched a number of the trailers previous to Ghost of Yotei’s launch, you then’ll have seen the mysterious wolf popping up a few occasions. I anticipated Atsu’s four-legged companion to play an even bigger position within the sport, however alas the beast solely pops up right here and there. It could randomly arrive throughout fight or whereas sneaking round to lend a pair of jaws to the scenario, and it’s particularly badass when it seems throughout a standoff. You possibly can enhance the probability of it popping up by finishing Wolf Dens, nevertheless it doesn’t grasp round on a regular basis.
The presentation, as ever, is impeccable. The sound design sells each sword conflict and storm gust, whereas the rating leans closely into conventional devices and swelling strings that make even minor skirmishes really feel operatic. It’s a type of video games the place merely standing nonetheless and listening is half the enjoyment. On PS5, all of it runs silky easy with barely a hiccup – photo-mode prepared always. I imply, significantly, I took an obscene quantity of snapshots.
In Conclusion…
Only a few can match Sucker Punch’s open-world chops as they ship one more belter of a sport. Preventing, sneaking, exploring: these are all improved over Ghost of Tsushima. The story is the one space the place I’m left not sure if Ghost of Yotei is best or not, though I do discover Atsu a extra compelling protagonist. Finally, it’s Tsushima…simply higher.
And that’s actually what defines Ghost of Yotei: security. It doesn’t shock or subvert; it sharpens what labored and doubles down on acquainted pleasures. Some will name that complacent, however I feel it’s extra a form of quiet confidence — a studio that is aware of its craft and isn’t chasing developments. There’s consolation in that, in realizing precisely what kind of journey you’re entering into. Nonetheless, I can’t assist however want Sucker Punch had let a bit extra chaos in. The perfect samurai tales, in spite of everything, are those keen to bleed a bit. Even a secure sword can lower deep, although — and Sucker Punch’s blade stays as sharp as ever.
