Yōtei may not be reinventing the swordplay genre, yet it continually quenches my thirst for sharp steel and feeds my photo mode passion.
Taking place 300 years after Ghost of Tsushima, you don’t need prior knowledge of the first game to grasp the narrative here. It’s packed with well-crafted storytelling, intense battles, and stunning visuals.
In terms of performance, the game runs smoothly for the most part. Loading times are brief, and the autosave feature is a lifesaver for preserving progress. While a few crashes diminished the mood, and some minor bugs, like invisible coins during mini-games, appeared over my 100-hour playthrough, they were infrequent and didn’t majorly impact the overall enjoyment.
The one major issue I came across was a bounty quest and altar locked behind a gate — I’ve submitted a report to PlayStation.
Should you buy Ghost of Yōtei?
Is it the pinnacle of open-world samurai experiences? Not entirely — but it doesn’t need to be. Yōtei stands as one of the most visually striking PS5 games, offering impeccable combat, an engaging storyline, and a highly personal lead character. Although its immersion may not surpass other recent titles, it confidently holds its ground.
If you were captivated by Ghost of Tsushima, this is a straightforward decision. With new weaponry, fresh terrains, refined mechanics, and an emotive narrative arc, Yōtei ranks among my top games of the year.
Ghost of Yōtei launches on PlayStation 5 on October 2nd and retails digitally for $124.95.
The most anticipated video games of 2025
Julian Price was supplied with an early copy of the game for the purpose of this review.
