by: Nabila Rhapsodios
PLOT
Atsu, The Main Protagonist of Ghost of Yotei
Five years after Ghost of Tsushima's 2020 release, Sucker Punch released a distant sequel called Ghost of Yotei as part of their 2025 lineup. Ghost of Yotei is set in 1603, at the start of the Edo Period, hundreds of years after Jin Sakai's story concludes. In this sequel, Jin has become a literal ghost and has no screen time in Ghost of Yotei. Ezo (now known as Hokkaido) is bright and shining, welcoming the Edo Period under the self-rule of Lord Saito. Despite his promises to grant every vision and wish of a new order, nothing good comes from Lord Saito. He gathers a large militia to resist the current Shogun, who aims to strengthen his power in the north by sending Clan Matsumae to Ezo. Tensions boil over between Lord Saito and Clan Matsumae. During this turmoil, news reaches Ezo that an onryo seeks the destruction of Lord Saito and his loyalists, called the Yotei Six.
A lone female warrior, the supposed onryo the Ezo people whisper about, Atsu has slain the Snake, one of the Yotei Six. Atsu is the only survivor of the brutal act led by Lord Saito. She returns to Ezo after sixteen years, having sharpened her sword as a mercenary during the last Sengoku era wars in Southern Japan. She now targets the rest of the Yotei Six, determined to take revenge for her family, no matter the price.
After around 70 hours with Ghost of Yotei, I've finally completed the story and achieved platinum status. Now, I'm ready to share my full review.
MY IMPRESSION
I have to interpolate Ghost of Tsushima in this review because the first title keeps haunting Ghost of Yotei whenever I explore every hook and nook of Ezo. Long story short, Ghost of Tsushima is a samurai story in which Jin fights to repel the Mongol Empire invasion. The success of the rebellion on Jin's side is nearly unattainable, and so, he may have to sacrifice everything for it, including his honor as a samurai.
(+)
a. Graphics, Visuals, and Art Style
These three scopes in Yotei are an upgrade to those in Tsushima. Yotei immediately captivates me with its breathtaking visuals and beauty, presenting some of the most mesmerizing lighting and environmental design seen in recent action-adventure titles. I love it in Yotei that I see more physics in the grass when cutting bamboo with an odachi, and Yotei adds more textures to the ripples in the water. Undoubtedly, Yotei will raise the bar again for art style & ecological design for the next Ghost series.
b. Sound Design
It’s one of the biggest reasons for my two thumbs up. I could feel the wind gusts and hear the "crack" of body temperature in the snow. The crunch of footsteps, distant "songs" of Ezo's life, wind chimes, and tree creaks were vivid. My favorite is the satisfying clang of a perfect parry. The detail in sound throughout the environments is impeccable.
c. Combat Varieties
The variety of weapons and the ability to disarm enemy weapons are welcome in Yotei combat. I prefer these mechanics over the stance system because the Yotei combat feels more grounded and realistic to me than in Tsushima, where I can't just rely on the same approach all the way through. I also appreciate that enemies can switch weapons mid-fight, which makes the combat even more interesting. Wolf companion is also one of the biggest new highlights, leading to some truly great standoffs and combats. Aside from a lusterless story, which I mind, the combat & gameplay are a lot smoother and feel more fast-paced; I say it’s a good improvement of Tsushima.
(-)
a. Story
Yotei's opening scene is dazzling, but it does not match the iconic Tsushima introduction. The revenge plot in Yotei feels thin, making it difficult to become engaged. It seems the developer forgot to build up the emotions needed for players to care about this revenge. The ending also feels somewhat lacking and falls short of my expectations.
Jin Sakai, The Main Protagonist of Ghost of Tsushima
In Tsushima, I was invested in Jin from his first appearance. Between Jin and Atsu, Jin's story will always be my favorite. The contrast between samurai honor and dubious deeds to protect friends is my preferred theme. Jin’s story stands out for being more human, fleshed out, and relatable. In Yotei, I remained indifferent toward Atsu, even after many hours of controlling her. I do applaud Erika's performance in voicing and mocaping Atsu.
The NPC side stories are not as engaging as those in Tsushima, as I find them harder to connect with. I haven’t formed any deeper relationships with the NPCs; they serve as mere background decoration. However, Yotei’s myth tales stand out as being well-written and well-executed.
b. Music
By the time I finished, I was disappointed by the music. I was expecting an epic soundtrack like Tsushima's and to be constantly wowed during cutscenes and gameplay, but the game's music was noticeably quieter in comparison to its first title. My most memorable moment was only the title sequence, but that had more to do with the visuals than the score. Listening to the Yotei OST, too, I find it’s pretty good, but still somewhat lacking that epic factor and largely forgettable.
For the closing part, I’ll have to score Ghost of Tsushima a bit higher than Ghost of Yotei. Say, Tsushima is 9.0/10, and for Yotei I’d give 8.6/10. Tsushima has the writing, story, characters, and music that are significantly better than Yotei, but it lacks a lively map. Yotei boasts a wealth of detail, a brighter aesthetic and color tone, significantly improved audio, refined combat, and a dynamic map that represents a notable improvement over Tsushima. However, Yotei suffers from issues with story execution and the music department. Both are very different, yet it is interesting to follow the next step in the Ghost series in the future. Both are great games.
-The End-
*Disclaimer: Courtesy of Google Images. The material published on this website is intended solely for general information and reference purposes and is not legal advice or other professional advice.
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