Story and Emotional Core

From the moment you step onto the frozen cliffs of Ezo, Ghost of Yōtei tells you it’s not just another samurai spectacle. The narrative revolves around Atsu, a young onryō whose drive for vengeance against the notorious Yotay 6 feels as sharp as the katana she wields. Rather than burying her motivations in vague honor code talk, the game weaves flashback sequences directly into gameplay, letting you experience the trauma that fuels her quest.

These memory moments aren’t cinematic cut‑scenes that pull you out of the action; they’re seamless transitions that keep you in control while the world shifts to a hazy recollection. You’ll hear the wind howl over the same peaks you just crossed, feel the weight of a mother’s touch during a quiet moment with the mystical Katsune, and understand why every enemy sighted on the horizon is a step toward personal closure. The bond with her mother, highlighted in a tender exchange beside a hearth, anchors the revenge drive in something relatable—loss, love, and the promise to honor a family legacy.

While the revenge plot follows a familiar arc—loss, hunt, confrontation—Sucker Punch avoids predictability by framing each encounter as a piece of Atsu’s inner puzzle. The game’s side missions deepen this portrait, offering glimpses of a world that shaped her before tragedy struck. A fisherman’s tale of a storm that took his son mirrors Atsu’s own grief, turning optional content into narrative reinforcement.

Gameplay, Systems and Technical Polish

Mechanically, Ghost of Yōtei feels like a natural evolution of the foundation laid by Ghost of Tsushima. The wind navigation system, a hallmark of the previous title, returns refined—no on‑screen arrows, just subtle gusts that guide you toward points of interest. This minimalist approach maintains immersion, especially when you’re tracking a raven’s flight across snow‑capped ridges.

Combat remains a fluid dance of strikes, parries, and weapon swaps. New stiffness in the timing of counters makes each clash feel weighty, while a broadened arsenal—throwing knives, spirit‑infused shurikens, and a ceremonial bow—lets you tailor playstyle to the situation. Stealth, too, has been expanded: smoke bombs that linger longer, a wall‑climbing grappling hook, and quiet footfalls for moving through dense forest without alerting patrols.

The game’s pacing shines through its side content. Rather than filler, each optional quest contributes to Atsu’s development as an onryō. For example:

• “The Whispering Pines” – a stealth‑heavy infiltration that reveals a hidden shrine, granting a new spirit ability.
• “Foxfire Hunt” – a tracking mission where following a fox leads to rare crafting materials.
• “Vendor’s Journey” – a portable merchant system that brings upgrades directly to your camp, eliminating tedious back‑and‑forth travel.

Load times are virtually nonexistent. Transitioning between the main hub, dense villages, and open wilderness happens in a blur, thanks to the PS5’s SSD and clever streaming. The map’s fast‑travel option is instant, but you can also choose to walk or ride, letting the environment’s detail soak in. Animal guides—birds and foxes—appear intermittently, pointing out hidden alcoves, secret loot caches, or rare battle encounters, thereby rewarding curiosity.

Progression feels rewarding without overwhelming. Experience points are allocated to both combat proficiency and spiritual abilities, ensuring Atsu grows in line with the story’s emotional beats. Upgrades are presented as tangible artifacts—etched talismans, forged armor plates—each reflecting a piece of Ezo’s folklore, which keeps the system grounded in the world’s mythology.

Critically, the title has garnered strong numbers: an average Metacritic score of 87 and an OpenCritic rating of 89, edging out the original by four points. Those scores place it among the top‑rated games of 2025, though the surge of high‑quality releases this year means it sits just outside the top‑20 list. Reviewers praise the balanced pacing, the seamless integration of narrative flashbacks, and the polished technical execution. Minor gripes focus on occasional plot conveniences—such as enemies vanishing at crucial moments for story purposes—but these are outweighed by the overall experience.

Ghost of Yōtei manages to honor its predecessor while forging a distinct identity. It does not lean on the same protagonist’s legacy; instead, it gives Atsu a space to become a legendary figure in her own right. The game’s world feels lived‑in, the combat feels crisp, and the story feels personal—making it a standout addition to the PlayStation 5 library and a solid reason for any fan of action‑driven, narrative‑rich titles to pick up a controller.