Ghostwire Tokyo is the newest game by Tango Gameworks, and as of this writing, it is only playable on the PS5 and PC. Ghostwire Tokyo is an open-world first-person shooter. Ghostwire Tokyo stars a young man named Akito, he is the last human in Shibuya and maybe even the world. A man in a Hannya mask has cursed the world and stolen the souls of everyone on Earth. Akito may not be thrilled about it, but he will do what he can to save the world.
Akito initially cares only about his sister’s well-being. In the opening minutes of the game, a spirit fuses with Akito. The spirit KK saves his life with the fusion and grants him powers. KK and Akito are very different people, but as the game progresses they grow closer together as Akito learns that this is the only way he will survive. KK is a spirit who knows more than he lets on and understands the supernatural. KK is a brilliant scientist who is looking for a way to fix things; he might not have a body in the traditional sense, but his mind is an asset. He helps Akito come to terms with the new world and shows him that he’s on his side, even if he’s a curmudgeon.
KK’s spirit form allows Akito to use spirit powers. Akito can initially only shoot windblasts, but he soon obtains the ability to shoot fire and water. The wind power is rapid-fire, the water attack is a wide shot, and the flame power causes explosions. It’s possible to upgrade the abilities to increase their efficacy and usability. Each power will run out, but upgrading certain skills will allow Akito to restore his ammo even in battle. It’s important to keep stock of the powers because it’s not always possible to easily restore them. He also finds talismans that summon decoys, create bushes, and paralyze enemies. It would be interesting to play in third person as there are different costumes, but it’s a solid game all the same. KK’s voice comes through the controller, and it helps the player feel as though they are actually Akito.
Sometimes KK and Akito are split up, and Akito does not have access to the skills he’s grown so used to possessing. He luckily has a bow and the talismans at his disposal. Akito is a surprisingly good shot with a bow immediately and can lay waste to his enemies with a few good hits. He’ll need to use every weapon at his disposal if he’s going to save his sister and the world.
Akito and KK can upgrade their skills via a skill tree, and it offers up a few different categories. The first category is Abilities, and it can improve Akito’s stealth, glide length, and even lengthen the time the enemies’ cores are visible. The second is Ethereal Weaving, and it is essentially his spiritual powers. The last category is Equipment, and this will give him more arrows, potions, and spell tags. Akito’s move-set can change slightly based on the upgrades, so go with what feels right.
Akito and KK are working together to take down the man in the Hanya Mask, save Akito’s sister, and rescue the 240,300 spirits who’ve been taken. Akito will find many of the spirits floating about, and can transfer them at a phone booth for money and exp. By increasing his stash of Katashiro he can reap bigger rewards so it’s best to work toward gathering 50. There are random events where the ghosts are capturing spirits. They start when the player sees the huge cube capture boxes. It’s up to Akito to take down the enemies and do it fast. Every region has a designated amount of spirits so doing it quickly will offer up a larger portion. It can be tricky, but Akito can do anything if he puts his mind to it.
Shibuya and the surrounding areas are recreated lovingly in this game. It’s a realized city, albeit a humanless one. I’ve explored Shibuya in a few games now, and seeing it look so good warms my heart. It’s stupid, but when I found the Shibuya station I’d seen so many times in Persona 5, I smiled like an idiot. The city is another character, and it’s filled with treasures, events, and magic, all of which work towards keeping the player interested.
The enemies in the game are all vicious ghosts, some of them might seem childish, but it adds to the fun. The first enemies are ghosts in suits that protect themselves with umbrellas and have no face. Some visitors are actual children skipping through life with a raincoat on or an angry woman with a pair of gigantic scissors. Akito will learn to take them all down, but they aren’t all so easy to kill. Watch out for the businessmen: these big lugs don’t play fair.
This game is supernatural and full of yokai. Akito encounters many different yokai and needs to both subdue and capture them. It’s fun to see the yokai looking more realistic than in Yokai Watch, of which I’m also a big fan. Seeing the folklore of Japan come to life is great and adds to the experience, it’s thrilling to see the yokai pop up, and they all have something different they bring to the table.
In several instancesAkito must leave cucumbers for a Kappa. Kappas may love cucumbers, but they are wary of people, so Akito has to hide. It’s a simple waiting game, but it’s a different thing to do and shows off a little Kappa spirit, and that’s all I could ask to see. It is interesting because normally Kappa are vicious but these Kappa will run if spotted. There are a few other yokai in the game, including the lonely long-necked lady Rokorokubi, the umbrella-like Kasa-Obake, and the wall-like Nurikabe. Each yokai is generally just living their lives, but their powers will aid our heroes.
Shibuya and its surrounding cities need help, and Akito has much to do. He can help out the Nekomata shop keepers, cat-like yokai that meow, with finding lost goods. He’ll need to cleanse shrines to harness new powers and prayer beads to enhance his skills. There are Jizo statues to pray to increase his ammo stock and a family of hiding tanuki that want to gather together again. The world is vast, and these are only a smattering of things he can do, but it’s a world worth exploring.
The game is dubbed in ten different languages, but it defaults to Japanese dub with subtitles. Battles can be pretty fast-paced, and KK will often provide hints or help, so it’s up to the player how they proceed. The only problem is to change languages it must be done on the main menu, but it can make playing the game a little more seamless which doesn’t hurt.
Ghostwire Tokyo is a game that relies on quietness, and it’s often better to explore without music. Akito can purchase songs from the Nekomata and gain them from completing quests. With his mp3 player in hand, he can play any song, and some are great for battle while others work better for exploration. I always appreciate when there are songs to listen to in games, especially when they are so good.
Ghostwire Tokyo is a spooky and sometimes horrifying game. Akito is a character that might start as seemingly uncaring, but he grows with the help of KK. KK also seems to change with the help of Akito, and seeing them bond as they continue to journey together is heartwarming. This game has great combat, a strange and mystifying story, and solid characters. Shibuya is in chaos; will the player help Akito and KK do the right things and save the world?
Disclaimer: A review key was provided