Ghost of Yōtei is a 2025 action-adventure game developed by Sucker Punch Productions and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It is a standalone sequel to the 2020 game Ghost of Tsushima.[1] Set in 1603 in Ezo, Japan, the story follows Atsu, a mercenary seeking vengeance against the "Yōtei Six" for slaughtering her family sixteen years prior. Ghost of Yōtei was released for the PlayStation 5 on October 2, 2025. It received generally positive reviews and sold over 3.3 million copies by November 2025. Ghost of Yōtei is played in the third-person perspective, and features elements of combat, stealth, and open-world exploration. As Atsu, the player is free to explore various regions of Ezo, each with its own series of locations to visit, allies to recruit, and enemies to fight. As the player progresses through the story, they unlock an arsenal of melee, ranged, and throwable weapons, expanding upon the selection available in Tsushima. The "stance" system has been replaced by a "weapon counter system"; unlocking new weapons gives the player more options to counter various enemy archetypes. Atsu begins with a single katana, and as the game progresses, she unlocks the yari (spear), kusarigama (chain-sickle), ōdachi (two-handed greatsword), and will also be able to dual-wield katana. The hankyu and yumi bows return from Tsushima, and Atsu can also gain access to a tanegashima (matchlock rifle) and a tanzutsu (matchlock pistol). Unlike in Tsushima, Atsu is able to use the grappling hook from the beginning of the game. Returning elements from Tsushima's gameplay are combination attacks (that must be parried), and unblockable attacks (that must be evaded). New features include disarming attacks that can cause Atsu or her enemies to drop their weapons, and the ability to pick up and throw dropped weapons at foes.[2] Atsu can also summon a wolf to aid her in open combat, or stealth missions. Ghost of Yōtei's environments have been updated with dynamic weather effects inspired by the real climate around Mount Yōtei, including snow, rain, and aurora borealis.[3] The game features a non-linear story, allowing the player to choose the order in which they confront the Yōtei Six (with the exception of the Snake and Lord Saito, who are fought as the first and final boss respectively). Players can take on side-quests for NPCs, with new activities such as bounty hunting for monetary rewards, and weapon mastery quests to unlock new in-game abilities. Atsu has the ability to set up a camp, allowing her to regain health and spirit, cook meals for stat boosts, craft ammunition, and interact with vendors to trade resources and equipment.[2] Side activities allow the player to improve their statistics; returning from Tsushima, players can bathe in onsen (hot springs), cut bamboo, and follow foxes to find charms. New side activities include sumi-e painting (replacing Tsushima's haiku composition), gambling by playing zeni hajiki, and learning new songs on the shamisen. The "guiding wind" also returns to direct Atsu to objectives, and can be changed by playing the shamisen.[3][2] Kurosawa Mode returns to Ghost of Yōtei, based on the black-and-white films of Akira Kurosawa. Two additional modes, inspired by the works of Takashi Miike and Shinichirō Watanabe, are also available in the game.[4]
