Ghost of Yotei Review - A Familiar Yet Stunning Adventure

I was fortunate enough to experience Ghost of Tsushima during a peaceful time in my life, when the year was winding down and I could devote more hours to myself and my family. From the moment I booted it up, I was struck by its beauty and minimalistic approach. Every step pulled me deeper into its world, and before I knew it, I was chasing the platinum trophy and diving into everything it had to offer, including the expansion DLC on PS5.

Ghost of Yotei delivers that same feeling. It’s visually stunning, its combat remains satisfying, and its open world constantly tempts you to explore at your own pace. But while it offers a fantastic experience, it isn’t aiming for bold reinvention, which could be a disappointment for some, as it leans heavily on familiar territory.

Rather than a direct sequel, Ghost of Yotei feels like another chapter in what could become an anthology of Ghost stories. Each entry follows a lone figure whose actions inspire both fear and hope. The gameplay loop, environmental design, and minimal user interface all echo Tsushima. The moment you boot it up, you know you’re playing a Ghost game.

This can feel like a double-edged sword. On one hand, Yotei is another excellent open-world adventure. On the other hand, it’s essentially Tsushima with a fresh coat of paint. Personally, I don’t see this as a weakness. Sucker Punch has crafted another masterful samurai tale, but it’s worth noting early in this review that Yotei doesn’t make major strides in game design. If Tsushima didn’t appeal to you, Yotei won’t change your mind.

Atsu’s Journey

In Ghost of Yotei, the story is more personal and grounded in fiction as we follow Atsu, a mercenary driven by revenge against the Yotei Six, the group that murdered her family before her eyes. Scarred for life, she dedicates herself to becoming a warrior capable of hunting each one down.

On paper, it sounds like a straightforward revenge story, but Sucker Punch adds meaningful layers. Atsu’s motivations unfold gradually, showing how obsession shapes her actions and relationships. Each member of the Yotei Six is tied directly to that fateful night, making them more than villains in a mask.  The game emphasizes her trauma further as Atsu relives nightmares where she confronts Lord Saito, the clan leader who now rules the region through force and stands as the final target that seems far too hard to reach.

Each region is shaped around one member of the Yotei Six, giving the world both gameplay and narrative variety. One area focuses on the war between rival clans, while another is a snowy battlefield ruled by Saito’s network of spies. By Chapter 2, the story ramps up significantly, pulling you deeper into Atsu’s journey. Supporting characters join along the way, creating emotional tension as they challenge her fixation on revenge.

Lord Saito himself is less fleshed out. His motivations exist, but he’s portrayed more as a looming presence than a fully realized character, as he mostly lives in the background or in the game’s flashbacks. At first, he dismisses Atsu’s efforts as minor inconveniences, but as her legend grows, he can’t ignore the effects of being the Onryo — a vengeful spirit haunting his ranks. This mirrors Tsushima’s themes, though here Atsu is framed as a terrifying one-woman army that can whip out the perfect weapon for the job.

Thankfully, at launch, the game features multiple languages, specifically Japanese voice, which I think is the best way to take in this game. English is serviceable at best, as they all sound somewhat the same, and each unique word is emphasized more by the voice actor, giving me the impression that they are respecting the terms and Japan’s culture. It’s not in the levels of being a bad anime dub, but I wouldn’t be all that surprised if it comes out like that for some people.

A World That Expands at Your Pace

The world of Ghost of Yotei unfolds naturally, much like Tsushima before it, and this is the series's biggest strength. Instead of overwhelming players with icons, it introduces activities organically. A wandering NPC might call for help or point out a wolf's den that was seen nearby; a bird may guide you toward a hidden spring, or a gambler may invite you to try your luck at the game’s weirdly addicting minigame of flicking coins to one another. Even maps purchased from vendors serve as subtle clues that lead to fruitful points of interest.

Exploration feels rewarding because it’s shaped by your curiosity. I rarely felt pressured to rush or feel intimidated by the things I can pursue. Side stories vary in quality, but many add a bit of personality, whether it’s uncovering a bounty target’s connection between his victims and music, or investigating a masked demon haunting nearby villagers.

Mythic Tales also return, weaving folklore into unique questlines that reward players with powerful armor. They often require puzzle-solving or exploration, making these tales some of the most memorable content in the game due to their rewards and tasks.

Less Is More in terms of Exploration

Visual cues in Ghost of Yotei are exceptional, as they are subtle guides that help you through the world without clutter. Smoke rising on the horizon might lead to a camp, while an unusually tall tree signals a secret nearby. Horses gain temporary boosts by running through white flowers, and the ingenious gusts of wind system is back, pointing you towards your marked destination. Shrines, fox dens, and subtle details like rock patterns or Buddha statues push exploration naturally without ever feeling forced.

This design creates a minimal user interface. Combat indicators are clean, with subtle glints signaling unblockable strikes, while exploration blends naturally into the environment. It’s a sharp contrast to modern games that plaster yellow paint or icons across everything to guide players. Yotei’s design feels like they trust the players to figure it out, and small hints through bright colors and standout objects keep the world immersive and informative. 

A rock, paper, scissors kind of combat

Combat in Ghost of Yotei builds on Tsushima’s foundation with a rock-paper-scissors system tied to weapons rather than stances. Atsu wields dual katanas, a spear, a Kusarigama, and an Odachi, with each weapon excelling against another type. For example, a spear is best used against those using a kusarigama, while an odachi is best for larger enemy types.  The constant switching keeps encounters dynamic, and I appreciate how katanas remain central to the arsenal, as the best weapon to use when facing another katana is your own.

Unlike Jin Sakai, whose mastery of the katana grows steadily, Atsu becomes a jack of all trades, learning a variety of weapons and gadgets from masters she meets. She has access to smoke bombs, kunai, explosives, bows, and even muskets. While this makes her adaptable, Atsu’s versatility isn’t as appealing compared to Jin’s mastery of the katana, but that’s subjective because, at the end of the day, it’s relatively the same.

New mechanics, like disarming, add unpredictability. Specific attacks can knock weapons out of your hands, forcing you to scramble to recover them. Enemies can also be disarmed, which creates sudden shifts in battle flow, and downed enemies sometimes have their weapon available for pick up, allowing the player to rapidly take out an enemy by quickly picking up a weapon and throwing it for a quick kill.

Another new addition is Atsu’s wolf companion, as it serves less of a partner in crime but acts like a partnership, where two hunters cross paths more than once as they have a common enemy. Their bond grows as you find more wolf dens in the world, and Atsu will eventually find the ability to summon the wolf to be nearby, allowing him to join nearby standoffs and fights. The wolf feels more like a summon, or a common occurrence, as he/she will show up at random times, either to save you from a game over screen, or to take out an enemy after taking one out by throwing a picked up weapon. The addition of the wolf is not an extension of the combat, but something that can and will happen as you unlock more skills specific to the wolf.

On Hard difficulty, the combat truly shines. Enemies are aggressive, surrounding you with little mercy; Atsu will morel likely be attacked from multiple sides. This makes stealth more valuable, as whittling down groups before engaging felt needed in some instances, as it’s tough when facing a pack of enemies equipped with different weapons. Boss battles on this difficulty are big highlights, as these encounters demand focus and constant weapon-switching to match the boss's unique attack patterns.

As for stealth, I find this to be the game’s weakest element, only because it’s not my preferred playstyle. Technically, the basics are there, as each area allows players to start in stealth with elements like tall grass and ropes. AI can be easily manipulated, so expect funny situations when sneaking around. Secret openings through walls and hatches give players opportunities to take specific enemies silently, and if you’re noticed, it’s not a total loss, as the whole area is not instantly informed of your presence. I still prefer going head-on and challenging a camp right at its entrance, but the tools to go pure stealth are there and are bolstered even more with the right charms and armor.

A familiar progression

In terms of progression, Ghost of Yotei also carries over the same system from the first game. Players bow at shrines to earn points that unlock new skills and abilities. These range from taking out two enemies at once, to rolling to avoid fall damage, to unleashing unique Spirit attacks. The more you explore, the more Atsu’s abilities open up.

Gear also works the same way, as you can put more emphasis on a specific play style through the game’s unique armors and charms that grant key passive skills. I’m starting to feel like a broken record at this point, as this is another example of how Yotei is simply Tsushima. For newcomers, this system feels clear and rewarding; for veterans, it's a form of deja vu. It’s rewarding, yes, as I slowly find more interesting loadout combinations that eventually fuel my curiosity about the world even more. It seems like Sucker Punch realized that if it isn’t broke, why make any major change?

Sucker Punch didn’t stray far from what worked originally, and it shows as you play more of Yotei. This time, however, it feels like they’ve further mastered the formula. Rather than chasing bold reinvention, they’ve fully embraced their vision of the open-world samurai experience. The result is a game that feels polished from the outset, with environments that are both striking and purposeful. Riding through open fields on horseback is still magical, as are petals carried by the wind, sun rays piercing the mountains, and shadows changing with the horizon. Everything feels carefully placed to give the world meaning, from a creative, technical, and even gameplay lens.

The visual presentation is equally impressive. Higher-end TVs will showcase every detail, but even at baseline settings, the game looks jaw-dropping. Performance and fidelity modes both ran flawlessly in my time with the game, holding steady at 60 fps or 30 fps, respectively. I didn’t run benchmarks, but from feel alone, both modes seemed stable. More importantly, I encountered no crashes or major bugs that broke immersion in its recreation of 1603 Japan.

Choreography is another standout. Combat animations and set-piece duels capture the flair of samurai cinema, as character details in key story moments are crisp and expressive. The game did overly use the classic samurai stare-down, with Atsu slowly drawing her katana before battle, a trope that works, but too often for my liking. There’s also some inconsistency, as the detail and polish found in main story cutscenes isn’t always matched by the side stories scattered across the world.

The soundtrack in Ghost of Yotei is subtle, leaning on calm, traditional Japanese melodies. Outside of the main theme, nothing truly stands out, but still works as the shamisen cues and atmospheric tracks align with the game’s identity, as most of what I heard could fit nicely in a Kurosawa flick. At times, it even feels like a mix of Western and samurai Japanese tunes, giving the feeling that you want to run towards the sunset. In the end, the soundtrack blends the game’s cinematic flair seamlessly, and their use of the theme made the end section of the game even more satisfying.

Ghost of Yotei checks all the boxes of a worthy follow-up to Ghost of Tsushima. It’s a personal revenge story that remains engaging across my time with the game, which I ended at around 40 hours. It feels possible to reach the game’s end in 25 - 30 hours if you simply focus on the main story, but it’s rather hard to do as the game is relentless at pulling you away from the main path. 

It’s a densely packed adventure and is visually striking, technically polished, and confident in its design. The main drawback is that Sucker Punch didn’t dare to attempt bold changes or unique innovations, making Yotei feel more like a refinement than a massive step up for the studio. The PS5’s potential was certainly used, but there’s nothing that would make Yotei incomparable to Tsushima. 

What makes the Ghost series stand out is how flexible its open world feels, as it can be as meditative or intense as you want it to be. The Ghost series does this for me, as the whole experience evokes calm and satisfaction from its beautiful vistas, a simple yet charming tales, and encounters I can tune in to on the fly. Simple activities that improve Atsu also express relaxation, as hot springs are a time for reflection, while key spots in the world allow her to pause and draw from the beauty she’s lucky to witness, or get inspired to write a song.  This series is one of those perfect games to cap off the day.

In the end, it’s a game that may even entice new players to try Ghost of Tsushima after completing this one, and feel right at home despite both titles having a five-year gap.

But if taken on its own terms, Ghost of Yotei is another masterful entry in Sony’s samurai series that can elevate your expectations for future open-world games, and it is easily a must-play for anyone with a PlayStation 5.

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Verdict: 4.5 / 5 (Fantastic)

PROS

• It’s mainly Ghost of Tsushima with a different coat of paint.

• Combat feels satisfying, especially when you’re switching from weapon to weapon when fighting multiple enemies

• A visually stunning world that perfectly serves as eye candy and a guide for the player

• Can be considered the best open world formula available today

CONS

• It’s mainly Ghost of Tsushima with a different coat of paint.

• Lord Saito didn’t have enough time to shine as an antagonist to add more weight towards the end

What I’ve Played 

• Completed the game at over 40 hours

• Didn’t rush the story, naturally explored and tried every possible activity as I progressed through the story

*This review is based on a PS5 review copy provided by Sony

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