Sucker Punch Productions shared an extended look at the PlayStation 5 game Ghost of Yōtei on Thursday during Sony’s Yōtei -specific State of Play. It offered more details about the upcoming Ghost of Yōtei’s weapons, its journey through the EZO, and new and returning modes of presentation.
Ghost of Tsushima’s Kurosawa mode was a wonderful tribute to the great Akira Kurosawa, director of some of the greatest samurai films, such as Seven Samurai and Yojimbo , and will return in Ghost of Yōtei . It features a black-and-white presentation, film grain, and lip-synced Japanese dialogue.
The new presentation style, Takashi Miike Mode, puts the camera closer to the action and features more blood and mud during fights; Miike has directed a wide range of films, and Western audiences may best recognize him from his 2013 samurai film 13 Assassins . Sucker Punch also partnered with Samurai Champloo director Shinichirō Watanabe for a presentation mode that adds lo-fi beats to exploration and combat, for when you need a slightly more laid-back vibe between Atsu’s revenge kills.
Thursday’s deep dive showcases new weapons—dual katanas, ōdachi, and Kusarigama—in action. ATSU can switch between them in real time during combat and can disarm opponents during fights—or be disarmed. Exploration was a focus of the trailer; as in Tsushima, ATSU can follow wildlife to discover hidden areas. Sucker Punch also emphasized Yōtei ‘s Elden Ring -like discovery, encouraging players to travel to cool, far-flung areas to see what they may have in store.
Limited Edition Ghost of Yōtei – Themed consoles and controllers were shown at the end of the presentation. The console plates feature Mount Yōtei, while the controllers feature atsu.
While retaining the ghost title, Ghost of the Yōtei is not a direct sequel to Ghost of Tsushima ; it takes place 300 years after the first game and is set in a different part of Japan, EZO (now called Hokkaido). Ghost of the Yōtei follows new protagonist Atsu as she sets out to avenge those who killed her family, called the Yōtei Six. While she rejects a body count, both from her six targets and from bounties you can take on, Atsu fully embraces the ghost persona. Ghost of the Yōtei offers more narrative freedom to the player than the first game, as you can take down the Yōtei Six in any order you choose.
