Home Video Games Ghostwire Tokyo review on PS5

Ghostwire Tokyo review on PS5

May 24, 2022

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Ghostwire Tokyo

Ghostwire Tokyo takes place in Tokyo, one of the busiest cities on the planet. For those who have had the privilege to travel there and take in its incredible beauty, the one thing they note is just how hard it is to get around. There are so many people, bustling about and handling their daily tasks.

It does make you wonder, however, what it might be like to wander the streets when they are relatively deserted? While in reality that’s not likely something you will be able to do, supernatural forces in Ghostwire Tokyo, a brand new game published by Bethesda, does.
As you wander the lonely desolate streets of Tokyo, can you unravel the mystery behind the suddenly vanished population?

Can you return the city and its inhabitants back to normal? Let’s wander the streets of Tokyo and see how this adventure unfolds!

Ghostwire Tokyo Details

Platform(s): PlayStation 5 and PC
Reviewed on: PlayStation 5
Developer(s): Tango Gameworks
Publisher(s): Bethesda
Genre: Action-adventure
Modes: Single-player
ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Mysterious disappearance

The once bustling city of Tokyo has gone eerily quiet as supernatural forces overrun the city, causing havoc and making the locals disappear. As you explore the beauty that is a desolate Tokyo, you will ally with a spectral being who is bent on vengeance. Using a wide array of powerful abilities, you will begin to unravel the darkness that hovers over the city.

As the main character, you are one of the sole survivors, and while partnered with your spectral ally, you quickly begin to realize the alliance you have is not necessarily an alliance you always want. With only one body, the game does a good job of exploring the struggles of two beings with separate goals. Yours, to unravel what has happened and to find out what has happened to a loved one, while the spectral being is just looking for revenge. The struggle between the two and their competing priorities plays out well, and makes for interesting moments throughout the game.

I would not describe either character as incredibly deep or engaging, but the two work together most of the time to overcome their ultimate challenges. The one major bonus is that your character obtains supernatural powers to deal with the various creatures you meet along the way.

Ghostwire Tokyo

Virtual sightseeing tour?

What struck me the most, however, was that I enjoyed the game more for the environments I was able to explore, than for the story I was unraveling. Ghostwire Tokyo is an absolutely stunning game, giving you a decent amount of freedom to explore a very modern Tokyo, complete with dank alleys, historic shrines and temples, and more.

I was especially taken back by the game’s use of lighting, whether reflecting off puddles in the street, or being used to create an eerie, uneasy feeling as you watch spirits float through the city streets. I think I spent more time exploring the city with no main goal in mind than I did actually working on story progression. Every corner has something new to see, and something else to marvel at. This is the masterclass in artistic direction, and it is right at home on the PlayStation 5.

Not taking concepts far enough

The thing is, after you’ve decided you are finished with the outstanding looking city of Tokyo, you are left with an action-adventure role playing game that isn’t doing a ton different to make it unique or engaging. It’s fun for sure, but not necessarily more fun than any other RPG available on the PlayStation 5. The combat is based around your use of supernatural powers, and watching your character manipulate their hands to fire out attacks is actually pretty unique.

The whole system is great for a while, but the lack of depth quickly becomes apparent. So much more could have been done with the game’s combat. After finishing my epic adventure, I felt that the development team missed a great opportunity.

Still, a somewhat strong collection of side quests kept me pushing through Ghostwire Tokyo. I think that is what the main appeal will be. When the main story suffers, a new part of the city might open up allowing you to marvel and get excited about something else. When you’ve hunted around an area of the city for too long finding the game’s various collectables, you might stumble on an engaging and interesting side quest. Although not all side quests are created equal in Ghostwire Tokyo, a few are just boring fetch quests, the majority bring something new to the table. More often than not, it’s a nod to Japanese culture and folklore.

Ghostwire Tokyo

Ghostwire Tokyo gives you the freedom to explore a supernatural modern day Tokyo

Ultimately, if you love role playing games, then Ghostwire Tokyo should probably be on your list of games to play. Fantastic upgrades in the skill tree will keep you moving through the story. Deciding on how you want to play, all out or stealth, will have you picking and choosing how you approach each situation. There is a lot of content here. It always seemed that when one part of the game lagged, there was something else to prop it all back up.

One thing, however, is a guarantee. There are not many better looking games on the PlayStation 5, and that’s almost enough of a reason right there to give Ghostwire Tokyo a go.

+ Gorgeous presentation
+ Many fantastic side quests that explore Japanese culture and folklore
+ Unique combat system

– Great combat system doesn’t go far enough
– Portions of the story fall flat