It is done. Our time as The Onryo, as Atsu, in Ghost of Yotei has come to an end. Credits have rolled, the story is told and we’re left with that very specific feeling you get with a good game. Where you need more, but you’re pleased you’ve seen it through.
We’ve talked at length about Ghost of Yotei in our first two parts of this review.
This final part is all about summarising the experience and putting the experience to bed.
Ghost of Yotei
Without going into spoilers, it’s hard to talk specifics. But when it comes to the story of Atsu, you get a much more more engaging and emotional tale this time around.
Where Ghost of Tsushima dealt with internal conflict around honour and Jin learning his place in the world. Ghost of Yotei set out with a clear goal for Atsu, the core driver for all of her actions and who she had come to be.
Unsurprisingly, as you take out your targets, work with, and learn about the world. Atsu starts to change, but it isn’t without internal torment and decisions.
Some of the key moments were unsurprising. Not predictable per se, but not surprising either. Where as other moments struck on an emotional level and struck hard.
In the end, we like Atsu as a protagonist, her story in the game is emotional and resonates in a lot of ways and it really stands above its predecessor.
After the story
The first thing we wanted to do was go back and explore the world, do all those side-quests and tasks we’d left behind.
Because of how the story plays out, there’s a slight wrinkle in how you might do that. But Sucker Punch know how to make a game. They make playing after the story in Ghost of Yotei, make sense.
Seeing the care and attention to those little details gives you an idea as to how much the studio cares about their game.
It works wonderfully and means you can get back out into the world you’ve grown to love, and slice some more people up!
With the newly-added New Game Plus mode, too. There’s so many reasons to go back. It feels almost impossible not to. Because leaving the world of Ghost of Yotei to go play a new game, feels uncomfortable.
High Quality
There’s no debate to be had. Ghost of Tsushima is one of the most beautiful-looking games ever made.
The use of the wind and a pretty minimal HUD (Heads-up Display), combined with genuinely stunning cinematography, means you’re always in awe.
Add the wonderful score and in-game sounds, and you’re just under the spell of the game almost instantly.
The voice acting and dialogue are excellent, as well. With well-developed characters and exposition. Classic walk/ride and talk moments, as well as cinematics to tie everything in.
Gushing about how stunning and well-crafted this game is, may feel a bit much. But it’s hard to find another game in recent years that feels so complete and well-crafted.
Overall
Ghost of Yotei is a massive success in every single way. No burnout from a story with acts that take too long.
A meaningful and emotionally resonant story and a well-acted protagonist in a precisely, beautifully, crafted world. Engaging with characters, hunting targets, mastering new weapons and combat.
If Ghost of Tsushima was one of your favourite modern releases. Prepare to look back at it as something unsatisfying.
Sucker Punch took all of the good, and made it better. They took all of the not-so-good, and made it good. Ghost of Yotei isn’t perfect, no game is, but it’s as close as you’re going to get.
That might not be for everyone, sure. We all love scrappy indies and games in early access. But when a AAA game comes out with all the bells and whistles and delivers on every front, even the hardest of hardcore gamers would struggle to not be impressed.
Exceptional.
