Alright, picture this: Sucker Punch Productions just threw a sneak peek at their upcoming PS5 game, “Ghost of Yōtei.” I know, right? Sounds epic. They did this during Sony’s—wait for it—Yōtei-focused State of Play. And why was I excited? Because they spilled the beans on Atsu’s weapons, her trek across Ezo, and some fresh, plus not-so-new presentation modes.
Speaking of which, remember Ghost of Tsushima’s Kurosawa Mode? Yeah! It’s like a nod to Akira Kurosawa, the genius who gave us samurai classics like Seven Samurai. They’ve brought it back in “Ghost of Yōtei.” Think black-and-white films, with that grainy texture and all those dramatic Japanese dialogues that scream authenticity. Lip-syncing included—fancy, huh?
Now, there’s this new mode, named after Takashi Miike. The camera gets all up and personal, with blood and mud splashing around. Miike, if you didn’t know (and who doesn’t?), directed a lot, but Western folks might best recognize him from 13 Assassins. Oh, and get this—Sucker Punch teamed up with Shinichirō Watanabe, the Samurai Champloo guy. They crafted a mode that sprinkles in lo-fi beats while you explore and fight. It’s like, quiet chaos? Or maybe mellow mayhem. Whatever. It’s chill.
So on this particular Thursday, there was this big reveal—new blades! Dual katanas, an ōdachi, and something called a kusarigama. Gotta admit, I couldn’t take my eyes off Atsu as she danced through combat, switching weapons mid-fight, disarming foes—or hilariously, sometimes getting disarmed. And yes, you can still chase wildlife like in Tsushima, discovering secret spots. They even pulled the Elden Ring vibe, letting you veer off to those tempting spots in the distance. Adventure awaits or whatever.
Oh, they also flaunted Limited Edition Ghost of Yōtei consoles and controllers. Imagine Mount Yōtei on your console. Your controller? Rocking an Atsu design. Kind of a show-off move, but hey, if you got it, flaunt it?
Now, not to burst your bubble if you were expecting a sequel—“Ghost of Yōtei” isn’t exactly riding on Tsushima’s coattails. It’s set 300 years later, in Ezo (now Hokkaido for the geography buffs), and it stars the fierce Atsu, hell-bent on avenging her family, hunting down the Yōtei Six. And yes, Atsu embraces her Ghost role while taking down these six baddies. Oh, and you can choose the order of targets. Total narrative freedom here—just minding business while seeking vengeance, you know?
There it is. Not polished, but real. I mean, maybe you gotta squint through the chaos, but that’s life, right?
