Ghostwire Tokyo
(Rated T for Teen)
(PS5, PC)
Ghostwire Tokyo creates a unique and can’t miss ghost-hunting adventure game with all the quirkiness you’d expect from a Japanese title.
The visuals look wonderful. The city of Tokyo has a large draw distance, letting players see tall skyscrapers in the distance. The character design from the enemies to the main character all feature rich amounts of details. The fog that encases parts of the city adds to the spooky and dark atmosphere of Ghostwire.
Each area of the city is different and feels genuinely creepy. The streets are bare with just cars and clothing littered where people once stood.
The audio is rich with well-written dialogue, explosion sound effects and more. The PS5 controller plays a big role when it comes to audio from the character of KK, letting the player know there is a collectible nearby. Even explosions are played through the controller to add to the immersive feeling.
In Ghostwire Tokyo, you play as Akito, a young man who after a motorcycle crash is possessed by a spirit detective named KK. Now the story really kicks into weird mode. All city inhabitants mysteriously vanished and all that’s left are the Yokai, also called the visitors.
You are trying to find out what happened to everyone and rescue your sister who has been kidnapped by the evil mastermind behind this.
The spirit possessing you has given you some powers that will help you fight to free your sister and restore the city.
The first thing you’ll notice when the game kicks off is you play the game in first-person mode. This lets the player see all the action and more of your surroundings.
The combat has the player using various elements like wind, water and fire to dispatch the visitors littered around the city. Players aim with the right thumbstick and fire with the R1 bumper for a light attack. Holding R2 will leave you open for attack but will also fire a more powerful attack.
Different elements are better against different enemy types. Combat is simple, yet varied enough to not get stale.
“Visitors” come in many forms, from schoolgirls to traffic police. Each enemy has different ways of attacking. You can easily be challenged when you face a number of different enemy types at once.
The control on the PS5 is well used during battles with explosions. Players can use stealth to take out the enemy fast.
You explore the streets of Tokyo saving lost souls, completing final requests, learning new powers and doing story missions.
The lost souls are floating silhouettes the player can absorb and deposit at pay phones, which works as a kind of points system. These points will have you increasing the power of attacks, learning moves, and improving abilities.
The game isn’t all horror. There are spooky and funny moments added to the mix. At some locations you will find talking cats and dogs helping you out.
The city has areas filled with fog that will kill you if you stay in it too long. The fog can be lifted by cleansing gates. Once lifted, you can have access to side missions, souls to collect and more in that area.
The lore the developer created will have most players intrigued to find out more. Finding different areas’ lost souls, and other collectibles will keep you busy.
This game, like other Japanese-style games, will either hook you or not. Some will be drawn into the rich world while others can find it repetitive. I was drawn to the world of Ghostwire Tokyo. I wanted to find all that the city and game had to offer.
If you’re looking for something different from any other game, this might be for you.
Ghostwire Tokyo gets a 9/10.
Email: sggall@telus.net.
On XBox One: acehardy13. On PSN: acehardy13