REVIEW: Ghost of Yotei – A Brutal Yet Beautiful Successor

Sucker Punch Productions has returned to feudal Japan with Ghost of Yotei, a PlayStation 5 exclusive that aims to build on the foundations laid by the critically acclaimed Ghost of Tsushima. With a new protagonist, a familiar revenge-fuelled premise, and a host of refinements to gameplay and visuals, the studio is clearly intent on cementing its place as one of Sony’s leading first-party developers. What emerges is a confident, sometimes experimental sequel that balances cinematic presentation with mechanical innovation, even if not everything is polished to perfection.

Story

The backbone of Ghost of Yotei is a revenge narrative. At first glance, this feels familiar. the structure is clearly defined from the outset but Sucker Punch has woven enough nuance, intrigue, and even moments of light humour into the journey to make it engaging throughout.

You play as Atsu, a strikingly well-realised protagonist and a worthy successor to Ghost of Tsushima’s Jin Sakai. Atsu is a character of conviction and complexity, with a vendetta that propels the main story forward while still allowing for quieter, reflective moments. Her journey is deeply personal, but the narrative never feels one-dimensional thanks to the quality of writing and the characterisation around her.

Supporting characters enrich the experience further. Companions in the main quest each bring their own layered stories, and their arcs avoid feeling like filler. Even side NPCs stand out. A cartographer, for instance, not only sells maps marking hidden caves or altar sites but also offers unique rescue missions. These touches provide texture to the world, ensuring side activities feel tied into the broader narrative fabric.

It’s a story that balances the heavy theme of revenge with moments of warmth and humour, making Atsu’s struggle resonate that bit more. Without spoiling specific plot points, it’s safe to say that Ghost of Yotei succeeds in crafting a gripping tale, one that will likely keep players invested right until the credits roll.

Gameplay

Mechanically, Ghost of Yotei feels both familiar and daring. Sucker Punch has taken the fluid combat foundations of Tsushima and rebuilt them with new systems that prioritise improvisation over rigidity.

The combat system is where this becomes most evident. Gone are the stance-switching mechanics of Tsushima; instead, players wield five distinct weapons, from dual katana to spear and kusarigama. Each weapon feels unique, encouraging adaptability in the heat of battle. The disarming mechanic adds further dynamism with enemies given the ability to force you to grab and wield their weapons mid-fight, turning the tide with spontaneity.

A particularly inventive addition is the ‘last man standing’ interrogation system. When the final enemy of a group is at your mercy, you can question them about the mysterious Yotei Six before letting them flee. This keeps combat encounters fresh and ties battles more tightly into the story.

Haptic feedback on the DualSense controller is used impressively throughout, from the clash of steel to subtle environmental effects. The wolves, teased in trailers, also make good on their promise: liberating them from dens not only adds narrative flavour but also upgrades their effectiveness when they sporadically aid you in combat.

Exploration and traversal see similar refinements. Horseback riding is intuitive, with smooth animations, responsive controls, and quality-of-life additions like collecting items with a trigger press. Inns act as hubs where you can upgrade armour, gamble, or purchase maps, providing a central rhythm to the otherwise sprawling open world.

The game’s progression systems lean heavily into customisation. Charms can be slotted to tweak stats, while the ‘Growth’ skill tree branches into attributes like Core, Onryo, and Revenge. Altars of Reflection, scattered across the landscape, serve as upgrade points. However, the menu system can be frustrating, with poor legibility in the Growth section, making it difficult to track resources like Spirit items. Armour upgrades follow a similar structure, with unique requirements for specific sets, pushing players to explore deeper.

Side activities are thoughtfully integrated. A standout is the use of the DualSense trackpad for painting wildlife scenes, evoking the sensation of brush on paper with subtle vibrations. Camping, too, is far more than a simple resting mechanic. Lighting fires, cooking food with the gyro sensor, and even playing the shamisen all use tactile inputs to create immersion. These interactions may seem excessive to some, but they demonstrate Sucker Punch’s commitment to leveraging PS5 hardware in creative ways.

Not every element lands perfectly. Enemy animations outside of combat often appear stiff, occasionally breaking immersion. Similarly, while the map’s hand-inked style is striking, its limited zoom levels and lack of detail can frustrate navigation. Still, the blend of structured missions, categorised as Revenge, Bounties, Sensei, Tales, and Myths, provides enough clarity to guide players through a world packed with meaningful distractions.

Visuals

Visually, Ghost of Yotei is a showcase for the PS5. The game exudes atmosphere, from its sweeping landscapes to the minute details of armour and facial animations. The art direction unsurprisingly resembles Ghost of Tsushima’s striking colour palette but expands into bolder, more experimental territory.

Two new presentation modes highlight this ambition. Takashi Miike Mode brings the camera closer during combat, amplifying the grit with exaggerated blood and mud effects. In contrast, the Shinichirō Watanabe Mode overlays lo-fi beats during exploration and combat, lending a surreal calm to Atsu’s journey. These sit alongside the returning Kurosawa Mode and full Japanese dialogue track, giving players multiple ways to tailor their experience.

Cutscenes are consistently cinematic, with sophisticated camera work and high-quality facial animations delivering emotional weight. However, side mission cutscenes sometimes falter, with less polish in their staging and animation. Ground textures can also look disappointingly flat in places, especially when compared to the extremely impressive presentation of Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

The PS5 Pro offers an additional performance option: ‘ray-traced lighting at 60fps with an intermediate resolution’. This strikes an effective balance, with Sucker Punch making a conscious decision to favour atmosphere and cinematic quality over sheer technical sharpness. The camera itself deserves credit, dynamically shifting perspectives to enhance immersion – a wide, sweeping angle during horseback rides is particularly memorable.

Audio design is another win from the team at Sucker Punch. The score blends traditional Japanese instrumentation with understated string and guitar arrangements, reminiscent of Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us but distinct enough to not sound too similar. Ambient soundscapes, from rushing rivers to the soft rustle of wind through bamboo, heighten the sense of place.

While interactivity with the world’s foliage and environment could be more robust, the sheer density of motion and life in Yotei ensures the world feels far from static. Combined with the comprehensive photo mode, Ghost of Yotei is as much a visual playground as it is a traditional game world.

Conclusion

Ghost of Yotei is an ambitious, confident successor to Ghost of Tsushima. Sucker Punch has resisted the temptation to recycle mechanics wholesale, instead delivering a game that feels distinct yet familiar. Atsu’s story is compelling, the combat system is fluid and improvisational, and the world is drenched in atmosphere.

It is not without its flaws – stiff character animations outside of combat, inconsistent cutscene quality, and occasionally clunky menus remind you that this is still a work of compromise. Yet these issues are overshadowed by the sheer scale of Sucker Punch’s achievement. The studio has once again delivered a title that feels quintessentially PlayStation: cinematic, technically ambitious, and narratively strong.

For players seeking another evocative journey through feudal Japan, Ghost of Yotei not only meets expectations but, in several respects, surpasses them.

Ghost of Yotei Pricing & Availability

Ghost of Yotei launches exclusively for PlayStation 5 on October 2nd. The standard edition is priced at €79.99, while a Digital Deluxe edition, featuring additional armour sets, weapon skins, and in-game currency, will be available for €89.99. A Collector’s Edition, including a physical ‘Ghost Mask’, a papercraft ginkgo tree, art cards and a selection of other game-related items, will also be released in limited quantities for €249.99 and available via Smyths.