I started my 2023 spooky season playthrough with Ghostwire: Tokyo and it did not disappoint. Even though I picked this game up a while back I knew I’d play it during one of my spooky seasons. I am glad I waited. My spooky playthroughs have really become a favorite of mine. This year has been a little light lately so I decided to extend them out for awhile. Maybe even the remainder of the year. I’ll see how I feel later but for now I am not yet done with horror.
Going In Blind
I knew very little about this game going into it. Luckily that came in handy. Around every corner was a new surprise that both kept me on my toes and reignited my interest in this game. Granted, I had suspected I’d like it since I did pick it up afterall, but after seeing some hate it received online I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was pleased to see how quickly this game reminded me that I enjoy forming my own opinions.
As the game took me through its tutorial I began to appreciate how much it didn’t seem to hold my hand. Your standard tutorial elements were present but I didn’t feel locked into a painstakingly boring segment. Instead, it was more of a learn as you go situation and I enjoyed that. I was put right into the action and the story followed slowly behind. The pacing was right where I wanted it to be.
The biggest thing that took me by surprise was discovering that this game was open-world. From what little information I saw online, I definitely didn’t guess that it would be open-world. Again though, I was pleasantly surprised. I am a sucker for an open-world game and this one was certainly unique in many ways. I quickly became excited to explore Tokyo and discover more of what was going on within the city.
K.K. And Akito
This game’s strong suit, at least for me, was in the relationship between these two individuals. Without this, I don’t think I would’ve enjoyed the game as much as I did. K.K.’s spirit enters Akito’s body at the very beginning, granting Akito all the powers you are able to use throughout the game. That very much symbolizes their bond to each other as they both quickly realize they cannot work separately. What starts as a forced interaction slowly becomes a friendship and watching that happen was a true delight.
Because of what is transpiring throughout Tokyo, K.K.’s spirit is the very thing keeping Akito alive. The game let’s you experience moments where K.K. isn’t in Akito and that is when the game really gets scary. Without K.K. Akito does not have access to any powers at all. You are left with stealth and a bow. It was in these moments I found myself thankful for K.K and what he brought to the table.
As the story progresses, the two are able to figure out how to blend together what they both want. Akito wants to save his sister and K.K is after the man who took Akito’s sister. The two set off on an unforgettable journey together that I thoroughly enjoyed experiencing.
Ethereal Weaving
Ghostwire: Tokyo’s other big strength lies in its combat. With K.K. possessing you, you get access to powerful Spirit Skills. These come in the form of three different elements: Wind, Water and Fire. Each element offers a different type of gameplay. Wind is a very basic shot, allowing you to shoot quickly and precisely. Water is like a wave, great for closer combat and crowds of enemies. Fire is long range and explosive.
While this game is technically a shooter, it never really felt like one to me. Sure the concept is the same but watching Akito’s hands weave and cast spells made it feel different somehow. There is a certain fluidity here that isn’t present in tradition shooters. The combat is beautiful even if the enemies are just downright grotesque.
The skill trees here offer up some really useful and powerful upgrades. It made me feel like I was actually working towards something and not just spending points because I had them. I was honestly amazed at how creative the skill trees were and really set out to get all of the skills I could acquire. I found myself really enjoying combat in different ways each time I would unlock a new skill.
Outside of Ethereal Weaving, Akito can get a bit more hands on if need be. This game implements stealth rather well and lets you take out enemies quietly. There are a few skills you can unlock to make this even more easy and fluid, so you can tackle combat however you see fit. Personally, I always tried the quiet way first.
The City Of Tokyo
Most of my time in Ghostwire was spent exploring the world. While the story was great, I often found myself immersed in the world itself. I’d spend countless hours exploring the city, hunting down side quests and other activities to do. This game is full of side content so completionists will have a ton of content to play though here. There was a time where I might have considered myself a completionist but as time went on I became more of a game collector and now my backlog is out of control.
Regardless, I made sure to explore this game to my heart’s content. The city offers so many things to do, many of them benefiting you. You can cleanse shrines to clear up more of the map, and find praying locations to increase your Ether capacity. There are plenty of other little things sprinkled across the city so explore every inch.
The enemies in this game can be creepy at times, but they are also unique. As I progressed through the game I noticed different variations of enemies appearing, offering harder challenges the stronger I grew. This game’s art design is so unique and beautiful that I couldn’t get over it. Even in the combat there was so much detail and beauty.
Spooky Season Underway
This was the perfect game to kick off this year’s spooky season. It offered a compelling story, engaging combat and some really solid world design. Not to mention some really good scares. It kept me on my toes, let me feel all the feels and has stuck with me since I have completed it. I was pleasantly surprised by this one and cannot wait to see what spooky season will offer next.
