Ghostwire: Tokyo (Computer)
Official GBAtemp Review
Product Information:
- Release Date (NA): March 25, 2022
- Release Date (EU): March 25, 2022
- Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
- Developer: Tango Gameworks
- Genres: First-person, action
- Also For: PlayStation 5
Game Features:
Ghostwire: Tokyo’s plot starts with a mysterious fog draping the titular city which is causing the spirits of its inhabitants to leave their bodies. While Tokyo’s population has vanished, new occupants are now prowling its streets: yokai. Amidst those supernatural occurings, a young man named Akito seems to have been spared from the fate of the other citydwellers as he has himself been partially possessed by the spirit of a former detective, KK, on a quest of its own.
While Akito gets a brief grasp of the situation he’s in, he loses no time to get to his hospitalised sister, Mari, who he was on his way to visit before the incident. As it so happens, Mari has also survived the incident but her case has also piqued the interest of a cryptic person wearing a hannya mask.
This particular occultist is the common denominator to KK’s and Akito’s quests; and so begins their unlikely partnership which could help uncover the truth and save the city.
With Ghostwire: Tokyo, Tango Gameworks went all-in with the presentation. Supernatural Tokyo is gorgeously rendered with intricate detail from scene to scene, whether it’s in Shibuya Crossing, Tokyo Tower, or the subway. I felt like I was treated to an authentic virtual tour of the city; albeit with a supernatural take. Given that Tango Gameworks is located in Tokyo itself, their personal knowledge of the ins and outs of the Japanese capital is striking.
In addition to the great attention to detail paid in crafting in the environment, the excellent presentation is hammered in by the voice acting of the cast. Although the main cast of characters is relatively limited, they are vividly portrayed by the voice actors with convincing emotions conveyed that brings their characters to life.
It’s also fitting that the supernatural twist in the game is inspired by Japanese folklore and urban legends whether it’s the tengu to grapple onto and leap on top of buildings, the two-tailed cat nekomata shopkeeper you’ll buy items from, or the Shine Dancers and Kuchisake you’ll encounter in battles. These all fit and condense nicely to convey the supernatural and creepy setting of the game and its plot. It is distinct from Tango Gameworks’ previous focus on survival horror with The Evil Within series, and as a first outing trying something somewhat different, they struck the right chords with the tone.
Similarly themed are the game’s mechanics. With KK at his side, Akito is endowed with Ethereal Weaving abilities. These exploit the elemental powers of wind, water, and fire to deal damage to aggressive yokai. To assist you in taking on the latter, you can use talismans to temporarily boost your stats. By praying at Jizo Statues, you’ll permanently bump up the SP gauge required to perform Ethereal Weaving. Sometimes you'll need to perform hand seals to remove afflictions; and these are performed by following on-screen patterns by moving your joysticks to emulate hand gestures (a bit more elaborate from what Quantic Dream games do).
Akito’s plethora of singular hand gestures, whether it's for attacking or bypassing barriers and obstacles, offer unique and often captivating animation that gives the title a flair of its own.
But you won't be able to always rely on those ethereal powers since at some points Akito and KK can get separated (either through the plot or from a yokai’s ability). You'll have to rely on stealth and more manual attacks such as a bow/arrow or even your bare fists to take on Tokyo’s new inhabitants. Stealth is also a viable approach in Ghostwire: Tokyo as it helps you sneak past enemies, stealth kill some in the process and avert drawing attention to yourself. With KK’s powers, Akito can also scan the surrounding area to locate enemies and useful items so as to better plan his manoeuvre. Or you can simply go in firing elemental powers at will given the open world aspect supports freedom of playstyles.
On top of those singular attacks, Ghostwire: Tokyo’s gameplay relies on first person exploration and the regular gamut of RPG mechanics with skill trees and upgradeable abilities. Exploration will vary from sneaking in underground parking lots to vaulting rooftops with some minimal parkour aspects. While being branded as a first-person open-world RPG might have sounded like yet another title in this mix, the unique premise, presentation and the accompanying gameplay mechanic help Ghostwire: Tokyo to truly stand out.
Moreover, even if it bears an open-world aspect, the game feels more focused with the linearity to its plot progression. In order to progress, Akito has to clear Torii gates infested with malevolent yokai and this will help dispel the surrounding fog which otherwise limits exploration. Once the area opens up, you’ll be able to progress through the story as well as explore further and take on the side quests that open up. This represents the framework for the game’s template.
I did not find this relative linearity to be a downside but on the contrary appreciated the game even more as it also helps in keeping bloat off of the title and feels respectful of one’s time (it takes around 10-12 hours to complete the main quest). However, this might understandably be a subjective opinion with other gamers requiring more freedom to approach the game to their liking.
When it gets down to the framework template, it can be summed up as a series of fetch quests. But these are masked well enough with the engaging and original plot that I could overlook this aspect.
Another notable aspect of the game is the relatively limited types of enemy yokai you’ll encounter. At Torii gates or on the streets of Tokyo, Akito will come across those headless schoolkids or that slender man-like figure or that woman with giant scissors or those flying ghosts time and time again. Boss fights offer a nice change of pace with original designs and attack techniques but a more diverse set of regular enemies would be welcome. However, given the game’s relatively short duration, the limited enemy types are only felt for so long.
Moreover, some of the story beats feel like they could have been expanded upon and could even have provided additional gameplay material. For example, towards the end of the game, there’s a bike chase that unfolds through a cutscene. This could have been an interesting gameplay segment to explore. Another example where the plot could have expanded upon are the giants that appear later in the game (yes, things keep getting stranger and stranger but in a good way!). Fleshing out these entities or even exploit them as boss fights could have led to an interesting take.
Nevertheless, by the time the credits rolled, I truly enjoyed my time with Ghostwire: Tokyo. It’s not perfect and could have been improved upon. But I laud it for offering something original from the premise to the animations through the gameplay in a concise format.
Ghostwire: Tokyo – Official Pre-Launch Trailer
Verdict
- Excellent presentation
- Original premise
- Well-executed Japanese folklore themed plot and mechanics
- Limited enemy types
- Linearity can be divisive
- Main cast can feel limiting
