An Anger that Taught Atsu To Forgive: Ghost of Yotei Review

Loss is an inevitability that makes its presence known to everyone at some point. You can barter, beg, or plead, but it does nothing. Ghost of Yotei is unlike any vengeance story I’ve seen in a while, where the main protagonist isn’t afraid to be human and embrace the loss thrust upon her. Atsu’s strength lies in her humanity and in her willingness to grow and become vulnerable. In contrast, she doesn't need to show off bouts of strength, though that howl could knock a WWE wrestler on their feet in a fraction of a second. She goes from a closed-off warrior to an empathetic human embracing change, and gives people the freedom to grow from their mistakes. While I wasn’t a fan of Tushiuma’s pacing and story, Ghost of Yotei is a masterclass in character development and creating a story that moved with Atsu, and all the characters within the world, much like the very winds guiding them.  Ghost of Yotei is the kind of game that doesn't just end when the main story is finished. Much like how cozy games are approached, I feel incredibly at peace with Ghost of Yotei.  I can grab a cup of tea, tune out the world, and collect armor or even complete a few bounties. From One Ghost To Another Ghost of Yotei continues 300 years after the events of The Ghost of Tsushima, and instead of being a direct continuation, this is a standalone game. Going through Atsu’s vengeance journey to kill all members of the Yotei Six and bring her family peace felt like a more cohesive story than when I played through Jin’s experience in the Ghost of Tsushima. Jin and Atsu's stories are very different in terms of the approach, where Jin's story is more about the internal conflict between abandoning his samurai code of honor and utilizing barbaric methods to save Tsushima. Atsu’s story is more linear in terms of conveying a clear and concise storyline of what I had to accomplish during the game. Kill the Yotei six to avenge Atsu’s family.Both of these stories represent different journeys and goals for the protagonists. While Tsushima wasn’t my favorite way for a game to tell its story, it got the point across in a sufficient manner to make me still care about some of the characters. With Ghost of Yotei, the way this story was tackled was beautifully done. It was linear, but not too linear that you couldn’t do side quests or veer off the already built-in path. The way this story was approached made me care about Atsu; Unfortunately, I didn’t care all that much about Jin from how his story was told. I wish I cared more and felt more excited about how the game told the story of the Ghost of Tsushima.  From the fox dens, to the connection to her mother and father with learning shamisen songs and interacting with Sumi-e paintings, Ghost of Yotei felt vibrant and much like a puzzle had all the pieces in the right places.

Empathy In Place Of Anger Throughout experiencing Atsu's journey, something that really stood out to me was her growth throughout Ghost of Yotei. She went from being someone purely out for vengeance to letting one of the Yotei six free to make their own path in life, as well as befriending the very person who was there the night her family was murdered.  The theme of this game is growth and finding yourself again after experiencing pain, suffering, and loss. The narrative design evolves Atsu’s character beyond a vengeance-hungry Onryo, but into someone who sees value in life through the eyes of her brother's daughter. Her turning point was seeing a version of herself in Jubei's daughter, seeing that anger, and wanting to see/experience more of the world. Atsu evolves from someone angry about what happened to her and her family (rightfully so) to someone who can forgive and let the past be a reminder of what not to let happen again.The story and natural progression of Atsu and the surrounding characters are incredible, well thought out, and paced accordingly, so nothing felt rushed or misplaced. I got to know each person thoroughly and care about all of them; that’s no easy feat. Making sidequests that make each character come to life is difficult, but ranging in characters from Atsu, to Oyuki, Ran the Bower, to yes, even Lord Saito himself. All of them hold color and meaning that bring Ghost of Yotei to life in an undeniable way. Move’s Like  Fox The mechanics and overall structure of Ghost of Yotei are addictive and so much fun. I love utilizing the bow; sneaking up on my enemies, which is not only fun but oh so satisfying.  Moving on from the fact that I sound like a complete sadist, Ghost of Yotei’s Katana attack combos and weapons upgrades make for an immersive gameplay loop, that by the time I was done, 3 hours had passed, the sun had risen, and I found myself muttering under my breath, “Oh, no”. While the sun was mocking my every move, this reminded me of play sessions I had as a kid, where I would stay up until unholy hours of the night, gaming without a care in the world. When games can do that, that’s when you know you have something special.In addition to weapons and the many upgrades that are available for them, you also have charms that aid in Atsu's journey, ranging from the charm of Masakdo, which revives you at full health, to the charm of Kanayago, which increases the amount of common and rare metals and black powder collected.  There are so many ways to have the build you make tailored to your playstyle. And yes, I said builds, because in this game, you can have multiple loadouts to experiment with different playstyles. To unlock loadouts, you will need to collect armor.

To Forgive Does Not Mean To Forget Ghost of Yotei, while rich and bountiful in content, and the way it plays was also refined and well-paced. A meaningful story was created, and as I rode through the Yotei Grasslands, fought Saito's men throughout the world, and mingled with Kitsune in charming dens, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace, joy, and teary-eyed emotions. From the start to the very end, I loved my time with Ghost of Yotei, took many photos, and immersed myself in a story not of vengeance, but one of growth and understanding that sometimes it’s better to forgive, while you may never forget.