Ghost of Yotei — Review
Sucker Punch's follow-up to Tsushima is a standalone story in a new era with a new protagonist. Here's how Yotei lands as the studio's most considered second swing.
Ghost of Yotei is one of the most-anticipated PS5 exclusives left in the generation, and Sucker Punch has set itself a deliberately tricky brief: keep the soul of Tsushima while not just remaking it. Yotei is the answer — and it's a more confident one than the cautious first-party sequel template usually permits.
What Yotei Is
A standalone story in early-1600s Japan with a new protagonist (Atsu), a new region, and a combat system evolving rather than reinventing the Tsushima foundation. The setting trades Tsushima's coastal openness for Yotei's denser, more volcanic interior, and the change is felt in every encounter.
How It Plays
Stance combat returns, refined. The wider, more open structure gives traversal more room to breathe. The duel system still anchors the moment-to-moment, and the world's visual identity is once again Sucker Punch's strongest weapon. New mounted-stance combinations let you commit to a fight while still moving, and the consequence-tracking system gives a real sense of regional reputation that Tsushima only hinted at.
What Stands Out
The protagonist swing. The willingness to set the game in a new period rather than chase Jin Sakai's shadow. The art direction. Atsu is the most fully written lead the studio has ever shipped, and the script trusts her to carry scenes Tsushima would have softened.
What Holds It Back
A handful of open-world density beats borrow too directly from Tsushima's playbook. A few systems feel like the previous game with a new coat of paint where they could have pushed harder — particularly some of the camp-clearing structures in the southern region.
Who It's For
Tsushima players. Anyone who wants late-generation single-player exclusives that still take swings. Anyone watching Sony's first-party output going into the next hardware cycle.
The Verdict
A deliberate evolution of the Tsushima formula with a real protagonist swing. Yotei is more confident, more cohesive, and willing to risk what Tsushima played safe — the right way for the series to extend its run.
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Sucker Punch's open-world samurai saga — from Jin Sakai's defence of Tsushima to the standalone follow-up Ghost of Yotei.
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