Sucker Punch is gearing up to bring us a title that has been long-awaited ever since we rolled the credits on Jin Sakai’s tale of redemption and loss back in 2020. We’re talking, of course, about Ghost of Yotei, a title that seems to be an ambitious take on the open-world samurai formula that the studio established in the first game.
A gameplay showcase at a previous State of Play event, along with a rather insightful interview with Nate Fox, the game’s Creative Director, has brought a lot of information to the table regarding exploration, and combat we’re about to see once the game is in our hands.
That’s enough information to convince us that this one’s definitely worth checking out. But if you’re on the fence about it, here are 14 things you should know before you buy Ghost of Yotei.
Note: All information in this feature has been revealed officially.
1. A More Organic Open World
Sucker Punch has been quite enthusiastic about a revamped approach to the game’s open world. While Ezo is around the same size as Tsushima, it’s likely that the entire map could be explorable right after the game’s prologue, with Fox stating that there’s going to be a “little bit of gating” when asked if portions of the map would be blocked off like in the first game.
It’s a clever choice that would allow Atsu to travel to different areas of Ezo without having to progress further in the story, making the experience all the more engaging and immersive as a result.
2. Better Riding Controls
Fox mentioned one of his personal favorites was the addition of a jumping ability for your horse, which not only grants a speed boost that could work very well with flowery paths that provide a similar function. While the studio is yet to comment on whether that adds new wrinkles to the game’s combat, it’s certainly going to make exploring the map a lot smoother, and visiting interesting locations you see in the distance just got a whole lot more enticing.
3. Weapon Masters
Atsu doesn’t rely solely on her katana in her quest to bring her brand of justice to the Yotei Six, picking up a variety of weapons along her journey (more on that in a minute). However, just like how Jin learned the way of the bow from Sensei Ishikawa in the first game, she will need to track down masters of each weapon and learn how to wield them against her enemies first.
The weapons replace the stances from the previous game, with each one being effective against a particular type of enemy, which makes seeking these senseis out early on a priority, just like how observing Mongol leaders to learn new stances was a thing in Jin Sakai’s adventure.
Perhaps a few of them could seek Atsu out when she makes camp out in the world? We’re going to have to wait and see.
4. Don’t Neglect The Ones Who Help You
The game’s unique clue card system and revamped approach to its journal make keeping track of quests a breeze. However, you’re still going to have to do your best to ensure that you maintain a good relationship with the allies you make along the way. Fox was quick to point out that there are rewards for doing so, and it’s likely that achieving a strong affinity with important NPCs could yield great gear, weapons, or other prizes that make your hunt for the Yotei Six easier.
5. The Yotei Six
Fox also confirmed that the Yotei Six are important parts of the story and, as such, cannot be discovered at random as you explore Ezo. Major story missions could be tied to each of them, with side content being required to learn more about their presence in the world and identify potential sources of information about them.
That would be in line with the studio’s emphasis on organic exploration, encouraging players to just go wherever the road takes them. In a world as stunning as the one Sucker Punch has created this time around, that’s a very good thing in our book.
6. Returning Side Activities
Fox confirmed that Bamboo Strikes are making a comeback in Ghost of Yotei, joining a host of other activities that could have you spending hours exploring the map while the main story takes a back seat.
He was also quick to point out that the game is more about providing variety to the things you discover as you travel, which aligns with the new approach that Sucker Punch has taken to exploration in the game.
7. Sumi-e Is A New Addition
Atsu is set to be more attuned to the world around her, and even indulges in Sumi-e, a Japanese form of painting that’s focused on capturing unique creatures at scenic moments. Although Assassin’s Creed Shadows already featured it in its take on ancient Japan, Ghost of Yotei is doing things a bit differently.
Fox confirmed that Sumi-e was going to make good use of the DualSense 5’s touch pad, making the activity way more interesting than simply sneaking up on an animal and then watching a cutscene play out.
8. There’s Going To Be a Lot of Fighting
While the Yotei Six are going to be quite formidable in their own right, there are a lot of other opportunities for Atsu to take on worthy opponents. Bounty hunts are one way to do that, being yet another side activity being added to the game.
We’re wondering if Sucker Punch would give us a new take on the iconic Six Blades of Kojiro questline from the previous game. Nevertheless, if you’re in it for the swordplay, there’s more than enough of it to go around.
9. The Platinum Trophy
Fox was happy to point out that Ghost of Yotei is going to be “pretty reasonable” as far as its Platinum Trophy is concerned. That could mean more action and less chasing after well-hidden collectibles, which was among our few issues with the first game.
Atsu’s shamisen also replaces the function of the Traveller’s Attire from the first game, allowing her to learn songs that use the guiding wind to point her in the direction of specific collectibles when you’re out in the open world. That should be quite useful when you’re looking to find everything that Ezo has to offer.
10. Pick Up Your Weapons
While we were quite excited to see the game’s combat in action during the State of Play gameplay showcase, a detail that was worrying was the possibility of losing our weapons in a fight. Don’t get us wrong, the potential to disarm an opponent or be disarmed by them is an excellent addition to an already solid combat loop.
However, it would have been quite annoying to lose a weapon, essentially one of your stances in this game, and then have to scour the world for a replacement. However, Fox confirmed that you can pick up weapons you’ve been forced to drop, ensuring that Atsu always has access to the tools she needs to take on foes with varying strengths. It’s an intelligent choice that ensures we’ve always got options while out in the field.
11. Firearms Are Now A Thing
With the story set around 300 years after the events of the first game, the addition of firearms is not only a logical choice, but is one that could seriously beef up the combat system. Atsu’s role as a mercenary could see her pick up some wild guns that she can then turn on those foolish enough to get in the way of her vow of revenge against the Yotei Six.
There was quite an explosive trailer that showed off the new weapon type to great effect, if you’re interested in seeing how they factor into the gameplay loop.
12. You Get To Wield an Odachi
Speaking of trailers, another one showcased Odachis, which are two-handed katanas and one of the new weapon types that Atsu will have to master in the game. As expected, they’re pretty awesome and might just be our favorite weapon to wield when we take on her adventure, although the kusarigama seems quite viable too!
13. The Giants of Yotei
Legends mode is set to bring its unique flavor of multiplayer co-op madness to the table in 2026, and the Yotei Six are going to be quite prominent among the new enemy types that Sucker Punch is adding.
We mean that quite literally, as the studio has stated in a PlayStation blog post that we could be taking on “demonic, giant versions” of the main game’s antagonists as we go. That’s certainly something to look forward to with a fair bit of apprehension thrown in.
14. Atsu Has No Connection to Jin
It’s been quite clearly stated by this point that Atsu will have nothing to do with Jin, with Fox confirming that Ghost of Yotei is a separate story on multiple occasions. While many of us may have been hoping that the OG Ghost does make an appearance in some form, we’re certain that Atsu’s story is going to be a solid addition to the franchise, irrespective of how she chooses to take on the mantle of an onryo haunting the Yotei Six.
And that’s a wrap on the things you need to know before you pick up a copy of Ghost of Yotei. Which of its new features are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments!
