Ghost of Yōtei sees Atsu set out on a journey to find her family’s killers. 

Publisher PlayStation Studios and developer Sucker Punch Productions have released a State of Play diving into the upcoming open-world game Ghost of Yōtei, showing off its combat, new modes, and exploration. The Ghost of Tsushima sequel isn’t all that different from its predecessor, putting an emphasis on the majestic visuals of Japan in the Edo period. 

Watch the gameplay deep dive here, and read up on everything that was revealed below:

Ghost of Yōtei’s main story progression

The main protagonist of Ghost of Yōtei, Atsu (Erika Ishii), has embarked on a quest that will take her to the lands surrounding Mount Yōtei in the year 1603. She’s setting out to punish the Yōtei Six, a brutal gang which slaughtered her family in her childhood. Unlike Ghost of Tsushima, which also featured childhood flashbacks, Atsu can flash back to her youth with the press of a button. 

The lands surrounding Mount Yōtei in Ezo are massive and breathtaking, and Sucker Punch seems intent on allowing players to take these sights in without feeling stressed about chasing down leads for the Yōtei Six. To that end, the map is structured in such a way that player objectives are never clearly outlined. 

Instead, players will rely on a new Clue System, which takes the form of cards, to chase down leads on the Yōtei Six and where they might be in Ezo all these years later. Players can also interrogate enemies in the map along the way, though they might gain information on different questlines depending on the questions they choose to ask. 

What happens when you find the Yōtei Six? You fight them, of course

Combat in Ghost of Yōtei isn’t all that different from Ghost of Tsushima. Atsu will be able to use weapons like the katana and spear, plus a few ninja-like weapons, including the kusarigama. She can also fight at a ranged distance using bows and guns, and utilise a spread of gadgets to stay stealthy if she so chooses. 

Although Atsu starts off as something of a loner, she builds up her own group of friends over time. The game calls this cast of characters Atsu’s Wolf Pack, which is displayed in a special menu where players can keep track of their new quests and any resources they might have to offer Atsu. 

What else can Atsu do?

Ghost of Yōtei also includes a customisation system to let players dress up Atsu in all manner of armour and clothing. Several game modes themed after iconic Japanese creators are also coming, including the returning Akira Kurosawa (Rashomon) Mode, which shifts everything to black and white with increased wind and effects for more visual flair. 

Additionally, Takashi Miike (13 Assassins) is getting a Miike Mode, with more blood and mud included for visual splatter. Meanwhile, Shinichirō Watanabe (Samurai Champloo) is also getting a mode featuring lo-fi beats for a more laid-back gameplay feel. 

Lastly, the game will once again feature an extensive Japanese dub, and a Samurai Cinema mode that packages this dub with English subtitles. PlayStation Studios also showed off special-edition PlayStation 5 consoles and DualSense controllers themed after the game. 

Ghost of Yōtei launches on 2 October, 2025.