Ghost of Yotei review: Majesty among vengeance

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Ghost of Yotei is incredibly immersive, instantly transporting you to its captivating world. It’s a game where every new find feels special. Much like a well-made movie, all the elements – the performances, visuals, and even the fighting – combine to create a truly believable experience, putting you right in the shoes of a samurai exploring the secrets of old Hokkaido.

While *Ghost of Yotei* follows the world of *Ghost of Tsushima*, it tells a brand new story. It builds upon what made the first game great, delivering a more exciting, immersive, and cinematic adventure. Though it uses classic samurai themes and open-world gameplay, everything works together perfectly. The result is a beautiful and unforgettable game, offering one of the most impressive depictions of ancient Japan we’ve seen in a long time.

The Tale of Atsu

Atsu’s story is one of revenge. As a child, she witnessed the brutal murder of her family at the hands of Lord Saito and his elite group, the Yotei Six. Miraculously surviving a horrific attack where she was left for dead, Atsu trained as a mercenary in the south, determined to return home and avenge her family.

Revenge is a common story in movies and games, including Ghost of Tsushima, but *Yotei* still feels different. The main character, Atsu, is special not only because she’s a woman in a world of men, but also because people see her as a vengeful spirit-an onryo. Despite this, she gains real respect by freeing villages, fighting against Saito’s forces, and protecting the helpless.

Saito, at times, prevents his soldiers from referring to her as a ghost, worried it will give the impression she cannot be defeated. Though Atsu appears to be a powerful and relentless fighter, the game subtly emphasizes her human side. By showing glimpses of her past-like learning sword fighting from her father or playing music with her mother-the story becomes both grand in scope and deeply personal.

The game’s location adds a lot to the overall feeling. Hokkaido, then called Ezo, is beautifully diverse, with wide-open fields and stunning, snow-covered mountains. Climbing the impressive Mt. Yotei and looking into its crater is a particularly memorable moment, perfectly capturing the sense of wonder the game creators were aiming for.

Unlike some revenge stories, Yotei doesn’t force you to follow a set path. After defeating the Snake, you get to choose which of the remaining Yotei Six you’ll hunt down next. The game provides clues to their locations, letting you decide if you want to confront the Oni to the west or challenge the Kitsune in the mountains. A neat feature is that the story changes based on your progress – characters will comment on who you’ve already defeated, with Atsu even casually mentioning your kill count to other enemies.

As you become more well-known, the challenges you face will increase. Every enemy you defeat adds to the reward offered for your capture, attracting bounty hunters and assassins who will pursue you across Ezo, laying traps and seeking a fight. But the system works both ways: you can also accept contracts to hunt down other criminals and mercenaries, earning money and valuable equipment while discovering short, self-contained stories through special cutscenes.

The Way of the Mercenary

Unlike the samurai Jin, Atsu’s history as a mercenary gives her more freedom in combat. She can use a variety of weapons, like the yari spear or kusarigama chain, each effective against different enemies. The game encourages you to switch weapons during fights, and finding new instructors to learn different styles means every player’s experience and weapon choices can be unique.

Your opponents will also learn and change tactics. Many challenges aren’t simply harder – they require you to become skilled at timing your defenses like parries and blocks, and switching weapons effectively. Especially during boss fights, you’ll feel like you’re in a strategic battle of wits as much as a test of reflexes. A great new feature lets you disarm enemies with well-timed attacks, leaving them vulnerable, but be warned – they can do the same to you if you’re not careful!

Playing stealthily is still a great choice, providing a nice change of pace from direct combat. While rushing in to fight can be fun, sneaking past enemies undetected feels even better – it’s similar to the satisfying experience of *Assassin’s Creed Shadows*, but Atsu stands out because she’s equally skilled as both a warrior and a ninja, offering more flexibility than other female leads.

PROS:

  1. Stunning visuals and film-inspired cinematography make the game feel like a samurai epic;
  2. new weapons and the rock-paper-scissors mechanic add variety and depth, making battles feel more strategic and impactful;
  3. nonlinear structure gives you more choice in your adventure;
  4. Ezo feels diverse and its varied landscape leads to some fun areas to explore.

CONS:

  1. The revenge-driven samurai story has been overplayed;
  2. some battles rely heavily on parrying and weapon-switching which make them drag longer than they should.

Views of Mt.Yotei

While you’ll still find classic activities like relaxing in hot springs to improve your health and visiting shrines for helpful charms, *Yotei* adds some new elements to the mix. These include jizo altars where you can earn skill points, and wolf missions that connect to Atsu’s story of revenge. Rescuing captured wolves gives you new abilities, like calling a wolf into battle or performing stealth attacks – a fitting addition that makes the game even more engaging. The game also cleverly uses the DualSense controller’s touchpad for mini-games, letting you create beautiful sumi-e paintings with your finger or play songs on the shamisen.

The golden bird returns as your guide, pointing you towards valuable discoveries like hidden treasures, shrines, and new missions whenever you’re near something interesting. It’s great for players who want to find everything, but can be a little disruptive if you’re trying to focus on the main story. Luckily, you can disable this feature if you prefer.

The game’s side quests and detailed world really pull you in. It prominently features the Ainu people, with the character Atsu remembering playing their traditional games as a child. The developers even include some Ainu words without translation, which emphasizes their culture. Although the game doesn’t aim for perfect historical accuracy, the careful attention to detail makes the world feel real and celebrates the unique culture of Ezo during a period when Japanese clans and the native Ainu tribes were interacting.

Final Thoughts

Ghost of Tsushima’s sequel, *Yotei*, continues the beautiful, cinematic style of the first game. Cutscenes show characters’ feelings with incredibly realistic detail, and the way scenes are filmed-especially during confrontations and duels-clearly pays homage to classic samurai movies. Beyond the existing black-and-white filter inspired by Akira Kurosawa, the game now features two new visual options. One creates a dark and violent atmosphere reminiscent of Takashi Miike’s films, while the other offers a more relaxed, playful feel with a lo-fi filter and music inspired by *Samurai Champloo*. Combined with incredibly fast loading times, *Yotei* feels refined and up-to-date.

Building on what made the first game great, *Ghost of Yotei* still feels fresh and unique. It offers improved combat, a detailed and interesting world to explore, and more ways to shape your own adventure. While the story is ultimately about revenge, it’s the game’s focus on Atsu’s character, the setting of Ezo, and its people that truly make it special.

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2025-09-25 16:34