GhostWire: Tokyo: An Action-Packed Supernatural Adventure

Bethesda gave us an in-depth look at how GhostWire: Tokyo plays. Check out what we thought of it in our preview.


Published: February 4, 2022 10:00 AM /

Previewed By:


Tokyo tower

GhostWire: Tokyo takes place in an eerie Tokyo that has been enveloped by fog. The citizens who normally run the street have disappeared and trapped souls now freely float around a city where yokai wander. We were given access to an event hosted by Bethesda that gave us a deeper look at the game and how it plays, the environment, and we even go to indulge in the beautiful soundtrack of this action-adventure title.

GhostWire's Core Gameplay

The showcase started off with what looks to be an early game mission, where you get the bow shown in the game's trailers. We were shown several instances of GhostWire's elemental abilities being used, as well as how stealth shots work. Akito, the game's main protagonist engaged in banter with KK, a supernatural entity who is sharing his body.  As Akito battled through the game, he had to be strategic as his arrows were limited, and running out of Ammo could leave him more vulnerable. This also showed that you can play through the game more aggressively by using your ethereal weaving, or more stealthy by using your bow to pick off targets. A skill tree was briefly shown, indicating that abilities can likely be upgraded to be more effective over time.

The gameplay that we did get to witness showed Akito fighting a few different enemies, including the school girls and suited men shown in many of the trailers. Switching between the different elemental abilities seemed fluid, and it was enjoyable to watch as the wire move easily dismantled the spirits at the end of combos. In many parts of the showcase, you could see how satisfying it was to take on some enemies using these different abilities. 

Another interesting skill we got to see was spirit vision, which can help you track down enemies and know their location before attacking. This feature adds a layer another layer of depth to both stealth and aggressive gameplay styles as it allows players to plan out their next move before hopping into battle.

Ghostwire combat

Getting to Know Tokyo

You can explore Tokyo from the streets or even grapple onto a Tengu to explore from the rooftops. There is a lot to do in the city, from following the game's main story and learning more about KK, to doing sidequests, or simply trying to find all the spirits.

During the story segment of the preview that revealed a bit more insight about KK and Hannya, we got a look at a barrier puzzle. This showed Akito being trapped inside a barrier, in which he had to find barrier stones to escape. Akito worked his way through an apartment building that was heavily distorted. A clock was shown ticking on the screen, counting down just how long he had to dismantle all three seals to escape. There were no enemies in this segment, but it was easy to see how players could get tripped up by bypassing a closest where a seal was hidden, making running out of time a real danger. 

There were quite a few locations and mission types shown other than that which relates to the main story. Akito was shown wandering some of the streets of Tokyo, where some neat features came to light. A sidequest was shown, where Akito interacted with a troubled spirit. After learning that she had lost her Zashiki-warashi, Akito headed inside her home, where he eventually found an evil spirit who had tormented the poor yokai. After dealing with the spirit, Akito returns the Zashkiki-warashi to the troubled spirit in exchange for a reward. We also go to see that there were several shrines scattered around the city and by unsealing them, players could clear out the fog in the area, as well as earn rewards like extra Katashiro.

Akito also stopped into a shop that was operated by a cat Yokai, who offered to sell him goods. Collection lovers will be pleased as a large number of spirits to collect with thousands being in the game. These are collected using Katashiro and can be redeemed by using a payphone.  You will also find bits of corruption around Tokyo, and in the showcase, destroying one showed one of the collectible spirits popping out. It's clear that Tokyo will be filled with side quests and activities to keep the player interested instead of just trying to push them through the story.

Shrine distored

Rounding up Our Thoughts

GhostWire: Tokyo seems to be a very fluid game, with fun gameplay mechanics that are bursting at the seams with Japanese lore. Instead of just focusing on crafting horrifying monsters, the game creates stylish creatures that each have their own abilities. This is especially nice, as the game's designs easily set it apart from other game's in its genre, and are going to be easily recognizable when placed beside monster designs from other games like Resident Evil

The non-linear gameplay will keep players entertained with a multitude of activities that they can find wandering the streets and the spirit system will feel collect-a-thon lover with glee. We also have to throw our hats off the amazing music that was sampled during the showcase, and that will likely end up on players' playlists when the game is officially released. All in all, GhostWire: Tokyo really feels like it can bring something new to the table, and we can't wait to play the full version of the game.


TechRaptor got to see GhostWire: Tokyo in a presentation by Bethesda. The game will be available on PC and PlayStation 5 on March 25th, 2022.

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Jessica Thomas
| Staff Writer

 

Jess is an otaku at heart who spends most of her time gaming, reading manga, and collecting anime figures. She has worked for several big names… More about Jessica

More Info About This Game
Learn more about Ghostwire: Tokyo
Game Page Ghostwire: Tokyo
Developer
Tango Gameworks
Publisher
Bethesda Softworks
Platforms
PlayStation 5, PC
Release Date
March 25, 2022 (Calendar)
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