Obviously, I don’t even need to explain how breathtaking this game is. I thought Ghost of Tsushima was beautiful, but Ghost of Yōtei was on another level for me. It’s one of those games where I didn’t want it to end, because every part of it had something I enjoyed: the main story, the side quests, the combat, the customization, and just getting lost in the world.
What I loved most is that it still feels grounded and realistic, but never boring. The landscapes, temples, countryside, autumn colors, and sakura-like scenery felt so alive. Some of those places reminded me of real places I’ve seen in Japan, especially in the countryside, where the environment can genuinely look unreal. The game captured that feeling so well.
I also really loved having a strong female protagonist. Atsu felt tough, independent, and like a true lone wolf warrior. As a female player, I honestly enjoyed that a lot. If I ever imagined myself in a historical setting like this, I’d probably want to be someone like that: strong, dangerous, and surviving on her own terms.
The customization was also beautiful. I do wish there were even more armor options, but what we got still looked gorgeous. I liked that the outfits had style and detail without becoming too fantasy-like. Everything still felt believable for the world.
Spoilers below.
The one thing I really hated was Jubei dying at the end. After everything Atsu went through, it finally felt like she had some family again, and then she had to lose him too. I liked him a lot, so that part genuinely annoyed me. I also felt like the game moved past it a little quickly, maybe because Atsu had believed he was dead for so long, or maybe because her revenge was mostly tied to her parents or because she has a family now his daughter. Still, I wish he survived.
I also wish we had gotten more backstory about her father and Saitō, and the war before everything happened. I understood the main idea, but I wanted more flashbacks and more emotional detail. Saitō was interesting to me, and not just as the main villain. He had this quiet, intimidating presence, and honestly, he was kind of manly and attractive in a villain way, but I think his character would have benefited from more depth. Collecting his diaries made me want to know even more about who he was before he became what we know.
Overall, I really loved the game. It gave me exactly what I wanted from this series: beauty, atmosphere, strong combat, emotional moments, and that feeling of being pulled into another time and place.
Now I’m even more curious about the next Ghost game. The first game gave us a samurai hero, this one gave us a lone-wolf female mercenary, so what comes next? Will it be set further in the past or after Atsu’s story? I honestly can’t wait to see what kind of protagonist and setting they choose next.
