Ghost of Yōtei Review – Sympathy for Lady Vengeance

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The saying goes that revenge is best served cold, and while that can be true, sometimes even the remnants of a burned-out grudge can be satisfying. Sucker Punch Productions has explored themes of revenge before, as seen in *Ghost of Tsushima*, but *Ghost of Yōtei* feels different – more focused on a personal and consuming quest for vengeance. While it touches on familiar moral questions, it approaches them with a new and inventive spirit.

You might notice similarities to other stealth-action games set on islands, but after nearly 40 hours with *Ghost of Yōtei*, immersed in its story and exploring the beautiful landscapes of pre-Hokkaido Ezo, I can confidently say it’s a truly remarkable game.

Revenge Tour

But “Ghost of Yōtei” goes deeper than just telling a story. It explores how the monsters of our childhood – both the ones that were real and the ones we imagined – continue to affect us. It’s also a story about accepting change and moving forward, even if you never fully let go of the idea of home.

The story centers on Atsu, a mercenary returning to Ezo after many years to avenge her family. When she was a child, a group known as the Yōtei Six brutally murdered her family and left her for dead, impaled on a burning ginkgo tree. Miraculously surviving, Atsu is now seen by some as a vengeful spirit – an onryo – who will relentlessly pursue her revenge.

From the start, Atsu immediately reminded us of classic samurai films, thanks to its beautiful visuals and deliberate pace. She seems pleased with this impression, even if the focus on vengeful spirits feels a bit heavy-handed. For years, Atsu has been consumed by a desire for revenge, and it’s shaped every aspect of her life.

I initially worried the story might be too simple, but truly satisfying revenge tales have unexpected turns – they challenge a character’s sense of morality. However, *Ghost of Yōtei* goes even deeper, exploring how childhood encounters – both real and imagined – can haunt us. It also thoughtfully considers themes of letting go, even if it means accepting you’ll never go back, whether breaking the cycle of violence is possible, and if anyone can truly be redeemed.

Naturally, there’s a lot about the story I won’t discuss to avoid spoilers. Whenever I thought I had figured out what *Yōtei* was going to do, Sucker Punch surprised me with a clever twist that made the story even better. Plus, the missions are really well-designed, mixing big, exciting moments with quieter, character-driven scenes. While the gameplay mechanic of following another character can feel a little repetitive, at least they keep up with your pace.

Pack Mentality

One of the best parts of this game is the freedom it gives you to explore at your own pace – you can spend hours wandering or focus on completing tasks with specific characters. While I’m not sure how it stacks up against other open-world games, Ezo has quickly become a favorite of mine, and I think it’s much better than Tsushima.

Atsu appears strong and self-reliant, but underneath that exterior, she’s surprisingly stubborn and often refuses assistance, which is ironic considering how easily she reverts to a childlike state. The game, *Sucker Punch*, highlights the importance of the ‘Wolf Pack’ – a group of characters crucial to Atsu’s progress. They even have their own dedicated section in the game menu. This group includes skilled trainers who teach you new combat abilities and blacksmiths who can improve your armor.

The actors deliver strong performances, portraying complex characters and emotions realistically without being overly dramatic. Even for those playing in Japanese, the English voice acting is top-notch, with Erika Ishii particularly shining as Atsu, seamlessly shifting between calm composure and playful irritation.

While I enjoyed the supporting characters like Ran, Ginji, and Taro – especially getting to learn about them through quests and exploring Ezo – I felt they could have played a larger role in the story. However, the way the game developed the connection between Atsu and the wolf was really well done; it added depth to Atsu’s character without being overly dramatic.

People will likely compare the characters in this game to those from *Ghost of Tsushima*, like Jin Sakai, Yuna, Masako, and even Ryuzo. While opinions might differ, the characters here are unique and well-developed, and I found myself invested in their stories, even wishing there were more chances to build deeper relationships with them.

Where Winds Meet

The open world is another big draw. While exploring Tsushima Island was beautiful, and I liked finding collectibles and clearing outposts, it did become a bit predictable. Ezo offers similar exploration, but with new things to do, like creating paintings using the touchpad, playing the Zeni Hajiki coin game (though it’s a bit unbalanced), and solving puzzles at Mountain Reliquaries. You’ll also spend time relaxing in hot springs to increase your health and chopping bamboo to boost your Spirit, which is similar to the Focus mechanic in the previous game.

What’s really impressive is how Sucker Punch has expanded upon the world, making it feel much more diverse and interesting than in *Tsushima*. The combat challenges, called Bamboo Strikes, now offer more ways to play and are more demanding, with fun details like other hunters reacting to Atsu’s progress. Hot springs now have special effects that unlock if you meet certain requirements. Reaching some shrines requires more complex climbing, but it’s still manageable for anyone with a little platforming experience. Even enemy camps are less repetitive, with different layouts and extra objectives beyond simply defeating all the enemies.

Despite all the impressive features, the game’s quests are truly outstanding. You might find yourself searching for a missing man, fighting off ninja attacks along the way. Or, you could meet a woman who’s a master kunai maker-and a great cook-and help her manage her farms, learning more about her life as you do. And then there’s Mad Goro, a legendary figure with a unique and slightly unsettling story.

The game also features engaging Mythic Tales that give special rewards. These tales include challenging platforming sections, simple puzzles, and exciting fights. Each bounty target feels distinct, and sometimes connects with other gameplay in surprising ways. While not every side quest is perfect, most of them are consistently fun and worth doing.

As you search for the Yōtei Six, you’ll also get tips from people you meet about things happening around the world, which helps fill out your map. The world itself is huge and full of surprises – I keep finding new things even after finishing quests! You’re free to explore as much or as little as you want, and even choose which Yōtei Six member to hunt next. While I’m not sure how it stacks up against other open-world games, Ezo has quickly become one of my favorites, and I think it’s better than *Tsushima*.

‘Tis but a Scratch

The level of detail is amazing – from leaves blowing across the ground to raindrops rolling off awnings, and even running through a field of flowers, everything feels incredibly realistic.

Like *Tsushima*, the combat is a core part of the experience, and players familiar with that game will quickly feel comfortable. Instead of switching between combat stances, *Ghost of Yōtei* lets you master a variety of weapons. You begin with a katana and then unlock dual swords, a spear (yari), a chain-sickle (kusarigama), and a large two-handed sword (odachi), plus new firearms. You’ll also have access to familiar tools like smoke bombs for stealth and assassinations, and oil to coat your weapons and inflict damage that enemies can’t block.

Combat starts a little slow, but it becomes really engaging as you unlock and upgrade a wide variety of weapons and tools for taking down enemies. It’s easy to think this is just a different version of the previous combat system, but stick with it! You’ll soon find yourself smoothly switching between powerful attacks with dual swords, deflecting enemy strikes with the blades, knocking opponents off ledges with a yari, or even taking enemies out from afar with a kusarigama – and it all feels fantastic.

The disarm ability seems cool at first, offering a potential reward for taking a risk, but it’s a bit too easy for Atsu to use. You can dodge disarm attempts without much trouble. However, quickly defeating an opponent after disarming them makes the move worthwhile. I also really liked the new weapon-throwing feature – it’s satisfying to pick up weapons from fallen enemies and throw them at anyone who tries to fight you.

I really like how the new weapons feel, even though the upgrades aren’t always exciting – some just add a little extra damage. They work well with the different armor and Charms, letting you create some incredibly powerful combinations. I’ve already built three different character setups (and I’m glad the game lets you save them!), for fighting from a distance, sneaking and taking enemies out silently, or going head-to-head in close combat, and it’s all fantastic. (No spoilers, though!)

This game feels like a great improvement over *Tsushima*. I even had to lower the difficulty from the hardest setting down to Medium because it was so challenging. While some boss fights fell into predictable patterns, the variety of strategies and more complicated attacks made each one stand out.

The Painted World of Ezo

Visually, *Ghost of Yōtei* is breathtaking. The setting allows for a vibrant and diverse range of colors. Sucker Punch has improved the game’s distance rendering, which really highlights the vastness of Ezo. The level of detail is incredible – from leaves blowing across the ground and raindrops rolling off roofs, to running through fields of flowers. I played in Performance Mode and was amazed that the game maintained a smooth frame rate without any noticeable glitches or delays. The music is also fantastic, predictably. The shamisen is a central theme, and it’s equally beautiful in quiet, emotional moments as it is in fast-paced battles where it builds tension.

While the game looks great overall, some of the animations, particularly for background characters during normal conversations, could be smoother. The way some dialogue scenes are filmed also felt a little awkward at times. These issues aren’t major and don’t ruin the experience, but they’re noticeable compared to the high quality of the main cutscenes and detailed facial animations. We also encountered a few minor bugs, like characters being in the wrong place or some strange physics during jump attacks. These were rare, but worth mentioning.

Dancing With Wolves

Atsu’s story isn’t about a typical revenge tale; it’s more about her own transformation as a person, all set against the stunning backdrop of Ezo’s culture and landscapes.

Building on the strengths of *Ghost of Tsushima*, *Ghost of Yōtei* improves and expands upon its stealth and combat system. While the combat might not be drastically different, it’s still a fantastic game that’s worth playing for anyone, even if you don’t usually enjoy open-world titles. The story focuses on Atsu’s personal development and beautifully showcases the culture and landscapes of Ezo, and I’m eager to discover everything the game has to offer.

This game was reviewed on PS5.

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2025-09-25 16:15