Revenge is a dish best served epic
By Paul Hunter
Ghost of Tsushima raised the bar for samurai storytelling and set a benchmark for cinematic duels and open world exploration. The first game left an immediate impression and a standard to meet.
Expectations were sky high for Sucker Punch’s follow up, Ghost of Yotei. The great news? It's better than its predecessor in every way. The sequel tightens what worked and pushes forward on multiple fronts. It feels like a confident, polished follow-up.
On PS5 the whole package comes together. Combat gets deeper options, the world nudges you toward discovery in more creative ways, and technical shine keeps the action smooth. DualSense features and multiple performance modes round out the package.
This is the sequel fans wanted and more. If you want a sequel that upgrades the formula rather than just copying it, this one lands. Will Ghost of Yōtei become a staple of your PS5 library? Let’s find out!
The narrative at the heart of Ghost of Yōtei is revenge with teeth. Atsu, our new 'ghost' protagonist, returns to Ezo after a childhood massacre at the hands of the Yotei Six and sets about hunting each member down, one by one. Her motive is raw and the campaign puts that motive front and centre.
Play splits between the present campaign and Atsu's playable memories. Using the DualSense touchpad at special sites lets you slip into younger Atsu to experience pivotal moments from her childhood. Those flashbacks are seamlessly woven into progression, so the past informs the present and often compellingly. The mechanic keeps the stakes personal.
Meanwhile, each member of the Yotei Six has a distinct role and combat identity, and confronting them in no easy task. Mini campaigns for the Yotei Six lets you get a good sense of their personalities and backstory, which makes every takedown feel like a huge narrative beat rather than a repeatable task. These key duels stand out and deliver dramatic punctuation to the overall arc.
Ezo is layered by social tension. Samurai are viewed warily, ronin often edge toward lawlessness, and common folk have their own grievances. Lord Saito, boss of the Yotei Six, towers over much of the plot and his influence is felt even where his full backstory appears in scrolls and collectibles—a design choice that rewards searching. The story stays tight and personal, moving from private anguish to public reckoning with steady momentum.
Combat is at the forefront here. Ghost of Yotei swaps the old stance system for distinct weapon disciplines. Each weapon has its own rhythm and purpose. You learn styles from masters and then put them to the test in the field. It makes fights feel like small puzzles as much as tests of reflex.
Timing matters. Parry windows still reward split-second reads. Enemies throw unblockable strikes and disarming moves that force you off autopilot. The stagger meter returns as a key meter to manage before you can truly press an advantage. Add gadgets like blinding dust, kunai and firebombs and the toolbox grows fast.
Spirit and special attacks return with bite. I built up a chain in one skirmish and triggered a Howl-like finisher that cleared a path through three foes. The new wolf companion you get showed up mid-fight and tore into a guard, which let me move in for a cinematic finish. That sequence felt raw, quick and remarkably cinematic.
Ranged tools broaden the options. The bow and the matchlock gun let you shift a fight’s rhythm. In larger duels you swap between reach and speed. Some foes demand the yari. Others crumble under the odachi’s reach. This push-and-pull keeps encounters fresh.
Stealth is present but not mandatory. You can sneak through a camp or go loud and adapt on the fly. Boss duels return with a cinematic camera and exacting timing that rewards focus. Overall, combat is varied, satisfying and built to keep you experimenting rather than settling into a single move set.
Exploration is also at the heart of Ghost of Yotei. Ezo hides its rewards until you go looking. Fog-of-war, spyglass scouting and environmental cues nudge you to climb and search. When you do, altars, charms and hot springs appear and they work towards your charactger progression. Altars provide skill points, charms boost stats and the hot springs increase you maximum health.
Activities include fox shrines and wolf dens that sit alongside bounties and camps. I chased a trail of rumours to a remote village and ended up pulling a loose thread that led to a cinematic bounty. Those moments felt hand-placed rather than time fillers.
Overall the gameplay loop feels extremely thoughtful. You explore, gain tools and then test them in fights that reward timing and creativity. It’s a loop that's so rewarding, it took me over 25 hours to kill the second Yotei Six member becaus I was having too much fun exploring.
Ghost of Yotei presents an island where every inch feels alive at glance and up close. Rivers catch light differently than ponds, and each environment reacts to your presence. Gallop through fields and petals scatter. Open up your map when it's raining and droplets appear. These small moments add an immersive texture to exploration and make travel feel constantly exciting.
Technically the PS5 build is robust. Performance and Quality modes give you options. The ray tracing PS5 Pro setting brings richer reflections and crisp lighting while aiming for high frame rates. The game engine keeps animation and effects steady even in dense scenes.
Cinematic duels get extra polish thanks to the filmic camera angles and highly detailed material textures. Lip sync has an upgrade this time, so voiced scenes feel more impactful.
Controller features are used in meaningful ways. Adaptive triggers and haptics add subtle feedback during sword swings, bow shooting and small environmental interactions. You use the touchpad the play Atsu's shamisen instrument, spark kindling to start a fire, or for turning food over a bonfire to cook it to perfection. This time there are three director modes you can turn on: the classic black and white Kurosawa mode, and the new Miike mode (dials up the blood and mud) and Watanabe mode (introduces a reactive, lo-fi soundtrack). I defintely recommend trying out these director modes as they use add tremendous flair to this already gorgeous game.
In short, presentation is a core pillar here. It marries technical options with clear stylistic choices to deliver a cinematic samurai package.
Final Score: 9.5/10 - Amazing
Developer: Sucker Punch Productions
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Genre: Action Adventure
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.
By Paul Hunter
Ghost of Tsushima raised the bar for samurai storytelling and set a benchmark for cinematic duels and open world exploration. The first game left an immediate impression and a standard to meet.
Expectations were sky high for Sucker Punch’s follow up, Ghost of Yotei. The great news? It's better than its predecessor in every way. The sequel tightens what worked and pushes forward on multiple fronts. It feels like a confident, polished follow-up.
On PS5 the whole package comes together. Combat gets deeper options, the world nudges you toward discovery in more creative ways, and technical shine keeps the action smooth. DualSense features and multiple performance modes round out the package.
This is the sequel fans wanted and more. If you want a sequel that upgrades the formula rather than just copying it, this one lands. Will Ghost of Yōtei become a staple of your PS5 library? Let’s find out!
The narrative at the heart of Ghost of Yōtei is revenge with teeth. Atsu, our new 'ghost' protagonist, returns to Ezo after a childhood massacre at the hands of the Yotei Six and sets about hunting each member down, one by one. Her motive is raw and the campaign puts that motive front and centre.
Play splits between the present campaign and Atsu's playable memories. Using the DualSense touchpad at special sites lets you slip into younger Atsu to experience pivotal moments from her childhood. Those flashbacks are seamlessly woven into progression, so the past informs the present and often compellingly. The mechanic keeps the stakes personal.
Meanwhile, each member of the Yotei Six has a distinct role and combat identity, and confronting them in no easy task. Mini campaigns for the Yotei Six lets you get a good sense of their personalities and backstory, which makes every takedown feel like a huge narrative beat rather than a repeatable task. These key duels stand out and deliver dramatic punctuation to the overall arc.
Ezo is layered by social tension. Samurai are viewed warily, ronin often edge toward lawlessness, and common folk have their own grievances. Lord Saito, boss of the Yotei Six, towers over much of the plot and his influence is felt even where his full backstory appears in scrolls and collectibles—a design choice that rewards searching. The story stays tight and personal, moving from private anguish to public reckoning with steady momentum.
Combat is at the forefront here. Ghost of Yotei swaps the old stance system for distinct weapon disciplines. Each weapon has its own rhythm and purpose. You learn styles from masters and then put them to the test in the field. It makes fights feel like small puzzles as much as tests of reflex.
Timing matters. Parry windows still reward split-second reads. Enemies throw unblockable strikes and disarming moves that force you off autopilot. The stagger meter returns as a key meter to manage before you can truly press an advantage. Add gadgets like blinding dust, kunai and firebombs and the toolbox grows fast.
Spirit and special attacks return with bite. I built up a chain in one skirmish and triggered a Howl-like finisher that cleared a path through three foes. The new wolf companion you get showed up mid-fight and tore into a guard, which let me move in for a cinematic finish. That sequence felt raw, quick and remarkably cinematic.
Ranged tools broaden the options. The bow and the matchlock gun let you shift a fight’s rhythm. In larger duels you swap between reach and speed. Some foes demand the yari. Others crumble under the odachi’s reach. This push-and-pull keeps encounters fresh.
Stealth is present but not mandatory. You can sneak through a camp or go loud and adapt on the fly. Boss duels return with a cinematic camera and exacting timing that rewards focus. Overall, combat is varied, satisfying and built to keep you experimenting rather than settling into a single move set.
Exploration is also at the heart of Ghost of Yotei. Ezo hides its rewards until you go looking. Fog-of-war, spyglass scouting and environmental cues nudge you to climb and search. When you do, altars, charms and hot springs appear and they work towards your charactger progression. Altars provide skill points, charms boost stats and the hot springs increase you maximum health.
Activities include fox shrines and wolf dens that sit alongside bounties and camps. I chased a trail of rumours to a remote village and ended up pulling a loose thread that led to a cinematic bounty. Those moments felt hand-placed rather than time fillers.
Overall the gameplay loop feels extremely thoughtful. You explore, gain tools and then test them in fights that reward timing and creativity. It’s a loop that's so rewarding, it took me over 25 hours to kill the second Yotei Six member becaus I was having too much fun exploring.
Ghost of Yotei presents an island where every inch feels alive at glance and up close. Rivers catch light differently than ponds, and each environment reacts to your presence. Gallop through fields and petals scatter. Open up your map when it's raining and droplets appear. These small moments add an immersive texture to exploration and make travel feel constantly exciting.
Technically the PS5 build is robust. Performance and Quality modes give you options. The ray tracing PS5 Pro setting brings richer reflections and crisp lighting while aiming for high frame rates. The game engine keeps animation and effects steady even in dense scenes.
Cinematic duels get extra polish thanks to the filmic camera angles and highly detailed material textures. Lip sync has an upgrade this time, so voiced scenes feel more impactful.
Controller features are used in meaningful ways. Adaptive triggers and haptics add subtle feedback during sword swings, bow shooting and small environmental interactions. You use the touchpad the play Atsu's shamisen instrument, spark kindling to start a fire, or for turning food over a bonfire to cook it to perfection. This time there are three director modes you can turn on: the classic black and white Kurosawa mode, and the new Miike mode (dials up the blood and mud) and Watanabe mode (introduces a reactive, lo-fi soundtrack). I defintely recommend trying out these director modes as they use add tremendous flair to this already gorgeous game.
In short, presentation is a core pillar here. It marries technical options with clear stylistic choices to deliver a cinematic samurai package.
The Verdict
Ghost of Yotei is a stunning sequel that elevates everything Ghost of Tsushima did so well. Ezo is alive and breathtaking, packed with rewarding exploration, hidden shrines, and dynamic villages. Combat is fluid and versatile, with Atsu’s weapons, skills, and stealth options offering thrills with every encounter. The narrative fuels the adventure with emotional depth and memorable moments, while side activities and collectibles completely immerse you in the region. With stunning visuals, ray tracing, and masterful DualSense use, Ghost of Yotei is a polished, unforgettable open-world adventure that surpasses its predecessor in every way.Final Score: 9.5/10 - Amazing
Ghost of Yotei details
Platform: PS5Developer: Sucker Punch Productions
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Genre: Action Adventure
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.