"Ghost of Yotei": When the wind blows

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Epic, bloody, dreamy: “Ghost of Yotei” is a game of contrasts. One moment we are slaughtering our way through enemies with main character Atsu, and the next we are riding through seemingly endless meadows, watching leaves blowing in the wind or playing our songs on the lute. If you want, you can also switch on the Kurosawa mode in black and white, which is already familiar from the previous game.

“Ghost of Yotei” is one of the PS5's big exclusive titles. A sprawling open-world action spectacle with all the bling bling that makes an AAA title. In the end, we had over 70 hours of gameplay under our belt. Numerous battles were fought, weapons upgraded, and countless secrets discovered. Players should take their time to explore everything. Sucker Punch's samurai revenge epic is not a game for in-between.

Bloody samurai western

We meet the main character Atsu as an embittered young woman around 300 years after the events of its predecessor, “Ghost of Tsushima.” Her family has been brutally massacred by the evil Lord Saito and his gang of the “Yotei Six.” Atsu only manages to escape with difficulty. 16 years later, she is a war-hardened swordswoman who returns to her home island of Ezo to take bloody revenge. But in the idyllic landscape or on icy mountain trails, not only ruthless opponents await her, but also a few surprises that will challenge her desire for revenge.

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"Ghost of Yotei" im Test (5 Bilder)

Fans of well-known PS5 exclusive titles such as “God of War” or “Horizon” will quickly recognize the narrative pattern: assemble a team to help the heroine in the fight against evil. Here, it is outcasts, hermits, and, finally, a she-wolf who join forces with Atsu to form a “wolf pack.” However, Atsu remains the only playable character. She is an anti-heroine with rough edges: brutal, vulnerable, withdrawn. Only the clichéd revenge story initially feels very strained.

The gameplay has hardly changed compared to its predecessor, “Ghost of Tsushima.” Players work through the usual open-world workload as Atsu while a war rages and the heroine hunts down the bad guys. Atsu discovers villages and helps the inhabitants, clears out enemy camps and duels with daring warriors. The big spectacle is reserved for the story missions. Here she defends castles or flees on horseback from the arrows of her enemies. The climax is crunchy boss battles against extremely stubborn opponents, in which Atsu has to constantly switch tactics and weapons.

Action with style

There are no experience points with which Atsu levels up. Instead, the choice of weapons and equipment determines her fighting power. A sword like a katana is not all-powerful. She often only staggers large opponents with a powerful Odachi sword or fights spear with spear. With a chain sickle like the kusarigama, she pulls enemy samurai towards her to quickly eliminate them or shatters shields. Arrows or bombs control larger groups of enemies.

Armour and talismans provide bonus effects, and Atsu learns new skills from master trainers and altars. She will soon be able to disarm opponents with her katana or impale them with her spear. Similar to its big competitor “Asassin's Creed: Shadows,” Atsu also infiltrates enemy camps and kills her opponents from ambushes.

Away from the battles, Atsu goes searching for altars to learn skills or helps her she-wolf to free her fellow wolves. The bond between man and beast soon grows stronger. The she-wolf then helps Atsu in battle and saves her from certain death. As in the previous game, foxes lead our heroine to new talismans. After a small test of skill at bamboo trunks, she gains so-called “spirit” points, which she needs for her abilities. Of course, a little crafting is a must. Atsu produces new ammunition in her camp and improves her equipment at the blacksmith and the bow maker.