Ghost of Yōtei Review

It’s not an exaggeration that I adored Ghost of Tsushima, so when Ghost of Yōtei was announced, I was really looking forward to it. Set 300 years after the events on Tsushima, you play as Atsu, who is on a quest for vengeance across the island of Ezo against the gang who slaughtered her family over a decade prior.

Exaggerated haptic noises turn ordinary moments into tactile little events, so you don't simply watch Atsu act; you feel the weight and rhythm of what she's doing. You use motion controls to strum a guitar, hammer away at a forge, and even cook at camps.

That same attention carries into how you explore the island of Ezo. Rather than herding you from one objective marker to the next, the game scatters Atsu's memories across the landscape, rewarding curiosity with genuine emotional payoff and slowly building a fuller picture of who she is. Guiding you through it all is a small bird that flits towards points of interest, and anyone who wrestled with the Guiding Wind in Ghost of Tsushima will appreciate how much better this approach feels.

Combat is where the changes really shine. The weapons are varied, with tools like blinding powder to disorientate enemies and the option to snatch up and hurl swords mid-fight, keeping every encounter dynamic. The biggest shift is the move away from interchangeable fighting stances in favour of distinct weapons, which I was a big fan of.

Beyond the fighting, the world feels noticeably more alive. One of my favourite distractions, even though it was sometimes frustrating, was the Zeni Hajiki coin-flicking mini-game: a simple gambling diversion that's easy to learn and oddly compulsive once you start. Tsushima could feel barren, since everyone was being murdered by Mongols, so it’s nice to see people now and then.

If there's a wrinkle to point out, it's a small one. The loadout screen relies on stat bars to communicate things like defence, and they're easy to overlook at a glance. It does nothing to dent the overall experience, but a touch more visual clarity here wouldn't go astray.

That single quibble aside, Ghost of Yōtei is a confident, generous, and beautifully crafted sequel. It understands what made the original resonate, then builds on it. If you've been wondering whether it's worth your time, consider this a wholehearted yes.