The recent State of Play event offered a deeper look into Ghost of Yōtei, the anticipated successor to Ghost of Tsushima. While it retains the evocative feudal Japanese setting, the developers are clearly not content to rest on their laurels. Significant changes are coming, particularly to the core combat experience. Get ready to put away some of those focused samurai techniques, because protagonist Atsu is definitely not your typical Jin Sakai.
Unlike Jin, the honorable samurai who mastered different stances with his katana to adapt to foes, Atsu is introduced as a “lone wolf mercenary.” This is more than just a character detail; it`s the foundational concept driving the game`s revamped combat. Her fighting style reflects a pragmatism and willingness to use whatever tool gets the job done, a far cry from the more traditional and arguably restrictive samurai code Jin adhered to.
Where Jin relied primarily on his trusty blade and a limited set of ghost tools, Atsu arrives on the scene as a veritable walking armory. The State of Play showcase revealed her wielding a diverse and extensive array of weaponry. For close-quarters combat, she is adept with not just a standard katana, but also a spear, kusarigama (sickle and chain, handy for keeping enemies at bay), the formidable ōdachi (a larger sword for extra oomph), and even a pair of dual swords for swift, relentless attacks.
But Atsu`s toolkit extends well beyond melee. She’s equipped for ranged engagements and tactical advantages too, packing a half bow, a longbow, a teppo (a Japanese matchlock firearm, because sometimes you just need gunpowder), kunai for quick throws, bombs for area control, and blinding powder to disorient opponents. If Jin was a master of the blade, Atsu appears to be a master of *everything* within reach. One might even cheekily suggest she packed for a small apocalypse rather than a simple stealth mission.
This extensive collection isn`t purely for player choice; it ties into a new combat system. The gameplay demonstrated a weapon-based counter mechanic, framed somewhat like a rock-paper-scissors system. Instead of relying solely on swapping through Jin`s combat stances to gain advantage against different enemy types, Atsu will find specific weapons are hard counters to particular threats. For instance, the powerful ōdachi is explicitly noted as effective against large enemies, while the dual swords are ideal for breaking through the defense of spear-wielders. This shifts the tactical decision-making from how you hold *a* weapon to which weapon you choose to wield in the first place.
While this new weapon-focused system seems poised to take center stage, it`s not yet entirely clear if it completely replaces or merely augments the previous stance-based mechanics. However, given the emphasis on Atsu`s mercenary nature and broad toolkit, it strongly suggests a departure from Jin`s more specialized approach.
Beyond her personal collection of instruments of persuasion, Atsu also showcases the ability to disarm enemies and can apparently be accompanied by allies. The showcase specifically mentioned and briefly showed a mysterious wolf companion. Details on how these alliances function in gameplay – whether they are passive buffs, active combatants, or something else entirely – remain largely under wraps for now.
With a dramatically expanded arsenal and a combat system prioritizing weapon versatility over traditional stances, Ghost of Yōtei appears set to deliver a fresh, more varied take on the feudal Japan action formula established by its predecessor. Players won`t have to wait too long to get their hands on Atsu`s full toolkit, as Ghost of Yōtei is scheduled to launch on PlayStation 5 on October 2.
Ellis Thorne