Ghost of Yotei is a violent game about hunting down murderers on a quest for revenge. You kill a lot of people along the way. There are tons of sick showdowns in which you gracefully cut down foes as fountains of blood spurt from their slashed limbs. But what I actually love to do most in it is just occasionally stand still.
Sucker Punch’s new open-world sequel might not be the most beautiful game on PlayStation 5 but it certainly feels like one of the most visually vibrant and dynamic within the genre of hyper-realistic action adventure sandboxes. The island of Ezo is full of characters, some more interesting than others, but none more captivating than the wind.
Sucker Punch Productions / Sony / Kotaku
It wisps through the world, telling you which way to go next in what remains one of my favorite UI innovations of the PS4 era. Even when you aren’t looking for your next objective, however, it’s always hanging nearby, ruffling leaves, blowing through flowers, and pushing over tall grass to remind you that the world of Ghost of Yotei is more than just a playground for collectibles, upgrades, and quest markers.
There are so many times when I’m dashing across a field or along a river with Atsu on horseback and just feel compelled to stop, get down, and take in my surroundings. It’s rare that a game can consistently knock me off the critical path and get me to take my time exploring off the beaten path. Sometimes they try with secrets, rewards, or confusing level design. Yotei does it better than most, and without just relying on the same old tricks.
There are places in its world that make standing around look and feel so good I sometimes don’t want to stop. A rare thing for a game indeed, to make putting the controller down every once in a while feel as riveting as the rest of it.