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As soon as we saw the announcement trailer for Ghost of Yotei, we knew we’d be in for another adventure across a beautifully depicted region of Japan with cinematic combat and a great open world formula. However, we didn’t know it would look way better than its predecessor. Judging by the latest gameplay showcase, Ghost of Yotei is aiming for a more reactive and diverse open-world formula while retaining what made its predecessor so unique.
The Latest State of Play Shows Bits of All the Activities You’ll Be Able to Do in Ghost of Yotei
In case you missed it, I’ve attached the State of Play gameplay showcase of Ghost of Yotei above. If you’re a fan of the series or just enjoy open-world games, you should definitely watch it.
As we all know, Ghost of Yotei is not a direct sequel per se. As Sucker Punch puts it, it is more of a spiritual follow-up that includes a new protagonist, a new revenge story, and improved mechanics. Fortunately, we were able to confirm that all of that is true thanks to the latest showcase.
This 20-minute deep dive shows Atsu’s story as she looks for the Yotei Six. The people responsible for murdering her family. It seems that a big part of the narrative, which is tied to the gameplay, is the ability to jump from the present to the past with the press of a button, at least in certain areas. And no, it isn’t time-traveling, it’s more of a reminiscence mechanic. On top of that, Ghost of Yotei will include a clue system that will lead you to new locales and objectives the more you explore.
A Wider and More Alluring World to Explore
Even if Ghost of Tsushima felt a bit repetitive at times, it featured a refreshing formula. There was no icon clutter. Exploration mechanics went hand in hand with narrative elements. Overall, it was a world that encouraged you to explore—to look at every nook and cranny to discover a new skill, collectible, or point of interest. Ghost of Yotei seems to be refining that.
From what we saw on the gameplay showcase, Ghost of Yotei brings back many of the systems we saw in its predecessor. Yet, it brings many changes and more player freedom. One of the biggest is the aforementioned clue system. This mechanic will reward players who explore and encourage them to go to faraway places to discover new allies, skills, or weapons. However, we can also expect many of the activities we already know, like hot springs, bamboo challenges, and more.
The fascinating part lies in its combat, which seems like a step-up from Tsushima. By the looks of it, it seems stances are gone from Ghost of Yotei, but that isn’t a bad thing. We saw Atsu wielding different weapons, including a spear, a kusarigama, and even dual blades. These weapons seem to fill the stance-like mechanic, as each one will be effective against a particular type of enemy. Of course, gearing plays a significant role in the sequel. You’ll be able to tailor Atsu’s play style toward fighting, sneaking, or a mix of both.
While Ghost of Yotei is still a few months away from hitting physical and digital shelves, I must say that I’m excited after watching the gameplay showcase. It retains all the things I loved from Jin Sakai’s adventure, but it seems that Sucker Punch is polishing the few rough edges that Tsushima had. It is uncertain if it will remain refreshing throughout the whole game, but I’m hopeful. Sucker Punch already delivered one of the best open-world experiences in recent memory, and I believe it has everything to do so once more.
