Ghost of Yōtei, the biggest PlayStation 5 exclusive of the year, arrives.

It has been five years since the publication of Ghost of Tsushima, a title that consolidated Sucker Punch as one of the major labels of the current PlayStation Studios conglomerate. The story of Jin Sakai in his fight to defend the island of Tsushima from the Mongol invasion captivated the hearts of players around the world and has already sold over thirteen million units. The creators of other relevant series such as Sly Cooper either Infamous They have decided to make a sequel to the title but conceiving the saga Ghost as an anthology series. That's why the new Ghost of Yōtei changes time and space with respect to its predecessor, while also having a new protagonist.

The new game stays within the context of feudal Japan, but travels nearly three centuries into the future to 1603, the year that marks the beginning of the Edo period. In terms of location, the island of Tsushima gives way to Mount Yōtei and its surroundings in Ezo, currently known as Hokkaido. Finally, the protagonist of this new story is Atsu, played by actress Erika Ishii. Far from being a noble samurai like Jin Sakai, she is a wandering mercenary in search of redemption and revenge against those who massacred her family. The player accompanies Atsu during a bloody plot as she hunts down the Yōtei Six and adopts the identity of a onryō, a spirit of vengeance in Japanese folklore.

A refined formula

As for gameplay, at first glance, Ghost of Yōtei It doesn't differ much from the previous title: third-person action-adventure in a vast open world with large doses of combat. But the new installment shines in the details and proves that it is a sequel of greater, and above all, better quality. To begin with, the main story has more depth and narrative weight, and it accompanies very well the arc of a character with many contrasts, such as Atsu. In fact, through scenes in his past, we can discover more about his origins and motivations. The plot is not linear and integrates smoothly into the open world of Yōtei, a completely free explorable world that seeks to stimulate the player's curiosity. The game achieves this through points of interest and clues that subtly guide their steps, such as a small wild animal or the direction the wind is blowing.

The characters Atsu meets along the way each have their own identity, and as she forges her legend, they gradually unite to grow stronger and form a pack that shares a common purpose. What's more, one of the heroine's companions on this adventure is a mysterious wolf, who occasionally helps her and fights alongside her. Speaking of companions, Atsu's most inseparable companion is her own. shamisen, a Japanese string instrument from the llaüt family, and its connection to music is evident in a great soundtrack. Aside from playing the instrument, the game also features other contemplative and immersive activities. Baths return to the onsen and the practice of bamboo cutting, but new possibilities such as painting are included sume-e or the cooking that takes place when Atsu is camping, to recover energy between so much action.

As for combat, the general mechanics are quite similar, with agile, crowded confrontations, dodging, and parrying. But there are also stealth sections with assassinations, or more cinematic one-on-one duels against named antagonists. The main difference with its predecessor is the inclusion of new weapons, which replace the combat styles of the previous protagonist but operate on the same rock-paper-scissors premise to counter enemy weapons. Atsu's diverse arsenal includes weapons such as theodachi and the kusarigama, among others, but retains the traditional katana, although it can now be dual-wielded. Also notable are various widgets and the tanegashima, a firearm reminiscent of the arrival of the outside world to Japan. Overall, the new features add greater dynamism to combat and tactical options for the protagonist to persevere in her objective.

The beauty of feudal Japan

The formula of an open-world action game set in feudal Japan has been used repeatedly, for example last year with Rise of the Rōnin, or this February with the latest installment ofAssassin's Creed. But Ghost of Yōtei manages to differentiate itself and recovers one of the elements that made the original title stand out and captured the interest of so many players. The art direction of Sucker Punch's title is exquisite and prioritizes aesthetics above all else, with open environments, saturated-color bricklayers, dramatic lighting and camera shots, and, above all, lots of leaves and flowers fluttering everywhere. The whole thing, which at first glance may seem exaggerated, is executed in a way that brings out the more magical side of traditional Japan and emphasizes its beauty. As a novelty, and to give the world more life, dynamic weather effects such as snow and rain have been included, as well as auroras inspired by the real-life environment around Mount Yōtei.

Atsu's new adventure will have a similar length to Jin Sakai's, with about 25 hours to complete the main story, but about 60 if the player wants to complete all the tasks. However, the studio has already confirmed that a free mode will be included later. Legends Like the first title, an alternative online cooperative multiplayer game mode that explores the most mystical and dark side of Japanese mythology. It's available since October 2nd. Ghost of Yōtei, The biggest PlayStation 5 exclusive of the year, a new adventure in feudal Japan optimized for Sony's console.