Ghost of Tsushima was my favourite game of the entire PS4 generation. Maybe it was due in part to coming out during Covid, but it is one of the few games where I completed every side quest and still felt like I wanted more. I played it again including the Iki Island DLC when the Directors Cut launched on the PS5.
For whatever reason, the sequel just passed me by. I have banged on about it before, but from August 2023 until recently I just did not have that much time for video games. I also felt fatigued by modern AAA games in general.
I am in a good spot now with childcare, sleep pattern etc. Finally at a point where it reaches the end of the day, my dogs are walked, my daughter is asleep, my house is tidy and I actually have the time and energy to put real time into games.
I finally purchased Ghost of Yotei around 5 weeks ago. 40+ hours later and I have finished the game. I think it is one of the best games I have ever played.
Lets get the video game-y bits out of the way first.
The open world is perhaps even more beautiful and vibrant than in Tsushima. It is absolutely stunning to look at.
While in GoT, Jin Sakai has different stances for different enemy types, Atsu has different weapons. Its a rock/paper/scissors type thing so you are constantly changing up what you are using when fighting numerous enemies at once and it keeps it interesting. Combat is never dull and stealth is never forced. I was finding I could clear out entire areas with assassinations or equally I could go in guns blazing. There's a good amount of freedom.
As with all games of this type, there's a hell of a lot of customisation and upgrading to do and this is all done in a very satisfying way.
Where this game truly shines is the story. I wont go into a plot summary here or spoilers but I thought this was just a simple tale of revenge. It unfolds into so much more and deals with identify, grief, letting go, parental relationships, the end of childhood. Some of the characters are so strong and there are twists in the story I genuinely didn't see coming and found genuinely moving.
A masterpiece.