After years of waiting, Ghost of Yotei is finally here. The new PlayStation exclusive follows a young woman who vows revenge against those who killed her loved ones, ultimately teaching her the consequences of vengeance and the cycle of violence. You wouldnโt be mistaken for thinking this sounds familiar, maybe itโs not even the first time youโve heard a version of this story this year. Itโs very similar in premise to Ubisoftโs Assassinโs Creed Shadows, both set in Japan roughly 25 years apart. It also revisits many of the themes seen in The Last of Us Part II, a game that was released just weeks prior to Ghost of Tsushima.
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Itโs not a revelatory premise, but the revenge story is a seminal piece of the samurai genre and Ghost of Yotei does an incredible job of leaving its mark on this tried and true storytelling formula. The story is rich and emotionally compelling, the gameplay is titillating and satisfying, and the open-world is something that has stolen dozens of hours of my life already. In case there was any doubt, Sucker Punch has delivered a truly fulfilling sequel that scratches a number of itches for PlayStation fans.
Rating: 4/5
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Gorgeous art direction | Non-linear structure leads to uneven pacing |
| Fulfilling revenge story with strong themes | Side content can become too checklist-y |
| Cinematic and satisfying combat | |
| Captivating open world to get lost in |
Ghost of Yotei’s Satisfying Story, Yet Uneven Pacing, Is a Stark Comparison to The Last of Us 2
Ghost of Yotei sees a young woman named Atsu tracking down a notorious group of killers and war lords to avenge her family. As a young girl, a clan known as the Yotei Six came to her home and slaughtered her family before pinning her to a tree and setting it on fire, leaving her for dead. The game opens with Atsu in the immediate aftermath of all of this, giving you just enough to quickly empathize with her circumstances while getting you into the meat of the gameplay and story swiftly. Instead of a long, drawn out prologue that shows you every gory detail, Sucker Punch chooses to slowly reveal what happened on that fateful day though flashbacks tastefully sprinkled throughout the story.
Itโs a difficult task to weave these moments into a story without disrupting the flow, but itโs extremely effective as it gives every member of Atsuโs family their own moment to shine. Ultimately, Sucker Punch wastes no time in giving you what you want, allowing you to start taking your revenge within minutes of the game starting. Itโs effective and ensures thereโs minimal handholding. Itโs not long before youโre thrust into the open-world and given a variety of leads on the members of the Yotei Six.
This gives almost half of the game a non-linear structure, allowing you to pick which members of the clan you want to target first and letting you follow various quest lines to completion at your own leisure. This is where some of the problems with the structure come into play as I felt that this non-linear format keeps Atsuโs character somewhat static for a significant portion of the game. Because you can do quests in any order, major events from one part of the game wonโt really be acknowledged in another. It doesnโt allow Atsu to actively grow throughout the entire narrative, only during specific segments.
Maybe this wouldnโt feel this way if a player chooses to bounce back and forth between questlines instead of just mainlining your way through each one individually like I did, but it still highlights an issue with how things progress. This non-linear structure is thankfully largely abandoned in the second half of the game as Atsuโs journey becomes a bit more focused, which is arguably where some of the best moments of her arc come into play. Thatโs not to say that the story is bad before this point, itโs just mildly disjointed at times.
When all of the narrative pieces of Ghost of Yotei come together to sing in harmony, thereโs something really special at play. This isnโt a revenge story about someone who constantly feels torn about their actions. Thereโs no annoying self-loathing or internal conflict that causes her to doubt her mission. Atsu is already way too far gone by the time we meet her and is a lone wolf, solidifying her legend to the people of Yotei as the vengeful Onryล. The lust for revenge is empowering and almost intoxicating even as the player, but Sucker Punch masterfully finds a way to eventually show the effects of your actions.
Although some people cheer you on as you take down their oppressors, you also begin to see the fallout of being judge, jury, and executioner. This becomes a story about the cycle of violence which may make some PlayStation fans roll their eyes given The Last of Us Part 2 already covered this ground quite controversially. However, I think Sucker Punch takes a different and unique angle at this theme that effectively gets the message across while also being extremely fulfilling for players.
It doesnโt feel like itโs lecturing the player or like Ghost of Yotei wants you to feel miserable, but more so understand that revenge does eventually come with a cost for everyone involved. It gives Atsu a valid reason to care that doesnโt feel dishonest or abrupt, making every development in her arc feel earned. I ultimately felt thoroughly satisfied by the end of the story and was surprised by how well Sucker Punch walks a very fine line of telling a thoughtful revenge story with a message without compromising on it being gratifying.
Ghost of Yotei’s Combat Is Better Than Ghost of Tsushimaโs
While PlayStation exclusives typically herald a lot of praise thanks to their cinematic stories with scripted setpieces and well-orchestrated cutscenes, Ghost of Yotei continues the cinematic momentum into the moment-to-moment gameplay. In addition to moments of grand spectacle where you partake in large battles or violently duel against a foe in front of captivating scenery like a calming waterfall, there are individual unscripted moments where a combat encounter feels like a film.
A lot of third-person action games based around melee combat can feel too loose or missing a certain kind of punch to really sell the hits. You end up swinging your weapon around haphazardly without purpose. I donโt feel that way with Yotei.
Every slash of your sword makes a devastating impact either on the person youโre targeting or their weapon. Thereโs an effortless fluidity in the way combat unfolds, creating a dance between you and your foe. Part of the thrill of a swordfight in a film isnโt necessarily seeing someone get stabbed, but the tension that gets created as you see two blades clash against each other. You know any hit can be fatal and thereโs something hypnotic about watching two people who are quickly reacting to each otherโs moves to avoid death.
Somehow Ghost of Yotei captures all of that in its combat. Nothing feels floaty or janky, itโs all very precise. It also means that Atsu is incredibly vulnerable and can die in just a matter of hits. However, those moments when you are on the back foot with low health and are desperately blocking a flurry of attacks can be moments of triumph. Itโs incredibly euphoric when you are able to successfully parry your foe who is laying into you, breaking their flow and opening them up to a killing blow. Sucker Punch is always finding ways to back you into a corner as you can actually become disarmed and have your weapon flung to the other side of a combat zone.
If you have another weapon, you can use it in the meantime, but otherwise youโll have to use your fists. Enemies will try to block off any route to your sword sticking out of the ground, prompting you to either become extremely aggressive and bold or very creative. You can drink sake to regain health, but it can also be used as a throwable to briefly stun enemies if you need a distraction. If youโre out of sake, you can also look around for other weapons like loose swords which can be picked up and thrown to impale any poor soul in its path.
Thereโs also a balance that needs to be struck when it comes to combat like this. It needs to look cool, but you need to feel like youโre fully in control. If this is all just stylish animations with minimal input, it means nothing. You run the risk of making the player feel like they are watching a glorified movie. While there are some special moves that are meant to let Atsu aura farm and easily take out anyone around her, those moments have to be earned by building up a lengthy streak of uninterrupted kills.
The higher degree of difficulty to combat means you canโt just rely on cool animations to do all of the work. Itโs a very mindful experience that forces you to become well acquainted with every tool and move you have at your disposal. This isnโt a hack and slash game, itโs one that requires patience and strategy so you can properly dodge, counter, and gain the advantage in a fight.
Thankfully, youโre given a lot of tools to turn the tide in a battle. As you progress through the game, you can discover a wide variety of weapons including bows, guns, dual katanas, and much more. Each weapon serves its own purpose with some being used to destroy shields and break guards while others are meant to deal rapid damage. On top of that, you have throwables like bombs which can ignite enemies into a blaze or give you the cover of smoke so you can quickly assassinate those who are dazed.
Ghost of Yotei’s World Is a Treat to Get Lost In (But It Could Use More Interesting Side Activities)
Ghost of Yoteiโs world is absolutely divine. I spent probably close to ten hours just doing bounties, side quests, and exploring before even touching the story after getting let off the leash at the start of the game. This wasnโt something Iโd normally do or something I even planned to do, but I couldnโt help but be absolutely swept up in it. As you roam around, the gameโs HUD completely evaporates and allows you to soak up every detail.
The way the wind blows through and causes your clothes and the environment to ripple perfectly captures a breezy spring day. Youโll see packs of wild horses stampeding through fields as birds flock away in fear. Hot springs lure you in for a warm bath with their smoke that can be spotted from a distance. If you pull out your map during a rain storm, you will see raindrops gently explode on the parchment. Itโs an extremely detailed game that encourages you to wander, inviting a sense of wonder. In many ways, it reminded me of Red Dead Redemption 2. I just saddled up on my horse and got lost, letting whimsical characters approach me with favors and threats.
It really brings out the spirit of the great samurai films as a lone wolf roams from town to town in search of something to fill the void in their soul. Thereโs also something striking about how this world looks and feels as soft as a cloud, but is also ravaged and polluted by bloodshed and war in many areas. Seeing that upsetting contrast also helps you side with Atsuโs desire to bring down the oppressing forces as you can see and feel the beauty being drained from this world.ย
The only downside about Ghost of Yoteiโs open world is that it can ultimately devolve into checkbox side activities. There are a number of hot springs, bamboo strikes, fox and wolf dens, and other random activities that you can check off to improve stats or gain new loot. As I currently pursue the platinum trophy in Yotei, I am now more or less fast traveling around just following markers on my map to clean up collectibles.
Itโs good that the entire game doesnโt feel this way, but I wish Sucker Punch tightened up on creating more diverse and interesting side content that felt less like chores in the end. There is a gambling mini-game that has been an obsession of mine for the last few weeks, but thatโs exactly what Ghost of Yotei needs more of. Atsu can obtain fish throughout the game from looting environments and she can then cook it at a camp. It would be great if Atsu could fish with her own rod instead or have a deeper hunting system to gather materials from animals.
Even with a few shortcomings, Ghost of Yotei is an exceptionally captivating experience. The combat is dynamic and uniquely cinematic, the story is thrilling and emotionally rewarding, and the world is unbelievably breathtaking despite eventually devolving into typical open-world fodder. Ultimately, Sucker Punch has managed to find beauty and catharsis in such a violent revenge saga.
A copy of Ghost of Yotei was provided by PlayStation for this review.
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