Ghost of Yotei: the Bushido ghost returns, and it will be vengeance

Perhaps the guys at Sucker Punch would never use such serious tones to talk about their next work, but there is no doubt that Ghost of Yotei, the official sequel to the open-world masterpiece Ghost of Tsuhima, takes on a challenge that has the flavor of the bloodiest duels at dusk at the foot of Mount Fuji.

Announced for 2025 on PlayStation 5, the spiritual son of Ghost of Tsushima takes its distance at least temporally from its predecessor, catapulting us a full three hundred years after the saga of Jin Sakai, the fallen wandering samurai who became the Ghost, the terror of every bandit and scourge of the Mongol conquerors, who will find in him a banner of death and destruction. This time we will play a female character, as in the best tradition of sequels where one enjoys shuffling the deck and embracing new narrative solutions, as well as gameplay ones.

The developers have released discreetly leaks and official statements regarding the game, not sparing the experiential aspect of the main adventure as far as greater freedom of exploration is concerned, not that this was lacking in its predecessor, to be honest, and more effective and immersive control over the development of Atsu and her abilities.

Atsu, yes.

This is the name of the warrior we will control, a style icon and anger to unleash with blade strikes from what we have seen in the few frames dedicated to her: we are in 1603, a land in turmoil in this case as well, ronin, criminals, and proud, stubborn peasants who would do anything to protect their own possessions. We should expect this and more as we wander on horseback, in search of the irreplaceable taste of vengeance. Under the name of Ghost, it seems.

The narrative connection with Jin’s adventures is thus revealed here, in Atsu’s choice to confront her enemies by evoking the legendary hero from many centuries earlier, probably to instill fear in them even before knocking on their door, and at the same time win the favor of the population. It is well known that nothing is more powerful than superstitions and campfire stories, so why not make people believe that the Ghost of Tsushima has returned to save them? The choices we make, before facing duels and raids on enemy camps, in this case as well will determine the path our Atsu will follow, whether that of stealth and success at any cost, sacrificing the honor of the Bushido, or that of the samurai code, where impeccable moral conduct and duty come first above all else.

From a strictly technical point of view, the graphics engine does not seem to differ all that much from the first game in the series: of course, the visual impact of the PlayStation 5 is sensational, the rural landscapes seem to have come straight out of a painting by Korin (an extraordinary painter who lived in that very era), and the effects that play with light and dynamic shadows sketch scenes that calling them evocative would be an understatement.

The feudal Japan exudes a timeless charm, and the video games inspired by an era as turbulent as it was rich in ideas for beautiful stories deserve to be played at least once in a lifetime.

May Spectre return soon to fight on our televisions, we can’t wait.