Alright, so, I was sitting there at home, munching on some cold pizza—don’t judge—when Sucker Punch Productions just casually drops this big reveal for Ghost of Yōtei. Yeah, the game’s for PS5, and it’s part of Sony’s, um, Yōtei-themed State of Play. They’re giving us future ghosts (like me, someday?) the lowdown on Atsu’s gear, her wild adventures around Ezo, and all these nifty new modes. Kinda felt like Christmas came early, but, you know, full of digital sword fights.
And then, bam! Here comes Kurosawa Mode again. Remember Ghost of Tsushima? That nostalgic black and white vibe, like watching an old Akira Kurosawa film. It’s back—thank goodness—I absolutely loved the touch of film grain and all, with those epic Japanese dialogues. I mean, if you’ve seen Seven Samurai or Yojimbo, you know what I’m talking about, right? The whole cinematic thing just tickles the nostalgia bone.
Now, here’s the twist, they’ve cooked up something called Takashi Miike Mode. See, the camera gets all up close and personal, like it’s got a big crush on the action. Blood, mud, chaos—it’s like a messy artist’s palette during the epic fights. Maybe you know Miike from 13 Assassins? If not, give it a watch, it’s a rollercoaster. Anyway, it gets crazier. They teamed up with Shinichirō Watanabe of Samurai Champloo fame to mix in lo-fi beats. So, imagine slicing through foes to some chill vibes—a bit like samurai jazz, I guess.
Oh, and Thursday wasn’t just for teasers or whatever—real gameplay magic there. Atsu’s out there wielding dual katanas, an ōdachi (those huge swords!), and even a kusarigama. My inner warrior was fist-pumping. It’s like weapon-switching mid-battle is some casual Tuesday activity. You can even follow critters to hidden spots, just like in Tsushima. Ezo’s apparently the place for explorers with an itch for adventure. Kinda makes me want to lace up some boots and go exploring.
The cherry on top? Limited edition consoles and controllers with Ghost of Yōtei flair. We’re talking Mount Yōtei glory on consoles and badass Atsu on controllers. Who wouldn’t want that, right?
So, what’s the deal with Ghost of Yōtei? It’s not a Tsushima sequel, as it happens centuries later—in Ezo, before it became what we know as Hokkaido. We’ve got our new lead, Atsu, slicing and dicing her way through the Yōtei Six—those baddies who, spoiler alert, did something terrible to her family. There’s a revenge arc there that’s just too juicy. And the kicker? You get to play with narrative freedom. Take down the Yōtei Six however your heart desires. Anyway—yeah, I got distracted—but that’s it. I can’t wait to dive into this messy, chaotic world again.
