Since their 2020 monster hit, Ghost of Tsushima, Sucker Punch Productions were hard at work on the next instalment: Ghost of Yōtei. However, this isn't a direct sequel but rather a standalone chapter into the production house's tribute to "samurai cinema".
Ghost of Yōtei takes place 329 years after the events in Tsushima. You play as Atsu (voiced in English and motion captured by Erika Ishii, while the Japanese audio is voiced by Ai Fairouz), who returns home after 16 years to exact revenge on the men who murdered her family and left her for dead. Taking on the persona of an onryō (a spirit of vengeance in Japanese folklore), Atsu will traverse the expansive open world of Ezo (now known as Hokkaido), make allies and eventually find her revenge.
During a recent Sony's State of Play presentation, Yōtei's Creative Directors, Jason Connell and Nate Fox went into a near-20-minute deep dive into the game play. Here are the takeaways.
In Ghost of Tsushima, you had two main weapons—katana (close-range) and bow and arrow (long-range) and four fight stances. From what we saw in Yōtei's, demo, you'll have an expanded arsenal that adds a spear; an ōdachi (big sword); a kusarigama (a chain-sickle); dual swords and a tanegashima (matchlock gun).
You can switch among weapons on the fly, even during combat. Each weapon is effective in certain battles. For example, an ōdachi is great against huge enemies and dual swords work well against a spear. Atsu can disarm an enemy and she can lose her weapon when an enemy swings hard at her. Weapons and the skills to wield them can be upgraded.
On your journey, you'll meet a wolf, who will act as your companion; perfect during combat. When night falls, Atsu can set up camp to recuperate, play your shamisen, cook but more importantly, it opens up an invitation for passing individuals to sit with her and provide her with resources and quests. Made up of vendors, senseis and the random quest giver, these people are initiated into your growing network—the “wolf pack", which proves that the road to vengeance need not be a lonely one.
Unlike the last game, Yōtei now has more than one antagonist to cut your way through. These antagonists with fancy names—Snake; Oni; Kitsune; Spider; and Dragon—are led by Lord Saitō; players can choose the order of elimination (though we reckon that Lord Saitō would remain as Atsu's final boss).
Bounty missions return again. You can find them on the bounty board and capturing (or killing) your target nabs your monies.
Exploration in Yōtei levels up. With no fixed waypoints or minimap, Guiding Wind returns as a navigational aid but you can also mark out locations with your telescope. Peer through your spyglass and any landmark that comes into view, will be highlighted as an area of interest. When you're riding your horse, gallop through a flower stream and your steed will be given a speed-boost.
The developers strongly urge that players explore the lands at their own pace. Ezo is lovely through the seasons and while you're on the mission of vengeance, it's, at least, nice to take the scenic path every now and then.
Like the last game, Yōtei allows you to alter the visuals after the samurai films that inspired the game. Once more, Sucker Punch Productions licensed the right to call their grainy black-and-white filter “Kurosawa Mode.” And now we have two new cinematic presets—“Miike Mode,” (named after Takashi Miike who directed 13 Assassins, Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai and Blade of the Immortal) which puts the camera closer during combat and dials up the mud and blood and “Watanabe Mode,” (named after Shinichirō Watanabe how created the anachronistic Samurai Champloo) which swaps out the score for lo-fi beats.
Ghost of Yōtei is a PS5 exclusive and will be released 2 October 2025
