“Ghost of Tsushima” is one of my favorite games I have ever played. It was the game that refined most of the problems of modern open-world games and it led to this being my comfort game for a while. So when the follow up “Ghost of Yōtei” was announced late last year, I was jumping up and down at the nearby library.

I was expecting something a bit similar to its predecessor, like a typical sequel would play out, but with mission design elements and other things that would be improved upon.

I got exactly that and a bit more. I mean, there are some notable changes, without spoilers of course.

To start with the gameplay, the structure of the activities are somewhat different. Tasks like inari shrines and bamboo strikes are scaled down to make way for other missions like wolf dens and bounties. The charms you collect are now upgradable, and the altars you find completely replace the leveling system of the old game. This system makes the player earn their abilities, instead of grinding to level 100.. To add, the mission design for these objectives have deepened, making all of these quests less monotonous. 

On top of all of this, the world design is still mostly the same, but has an emphasis on discovery instead of having points of interest handed out to you. You can also go to any region of the map to complete a segment of the story, which grants the player more flexibility.

Then you have the combat, which is gratifying if you are smart and quick enough. This was especially true on lethal difficulty, the toughest option in the game. When I tell you some of these bosses were beating my ass, I mean it. The combat Sucker Punch put together demands you to put time into mastering timing and patience.

I think all the quality of life updates make the game flow more seamlessly. There wasn’t any point where I felt like exploring Yōtei was a job. Naturally, I collected the platinum of this game, completing every task this game had to offer in just over 70 hours of gametime. Its improved combat is my favorite though. Its balance of difficulty and finesse is felt through the smooth animations and sound design.

The score, sound design, art direction and graphics all combined into a visual and audible feast that made me come back for more.

The story was decent, I guess. Don’t get me wrong, I thought Atsu’s journey to find the Yotei Six and plot revenge on them was well-executed. It just felt flat in some areas, and I thought there were some areas in chapters two and three that left something to be desired.

Granted, I do like the theme of finding something more to live for beyond revenge, but the predictability of the plot kills the impact of the story a bit. If you have interacted with any medium that has the theme of vengeance surrounding it, whether it is “Kill Bill”, “John Wick”, “The Last of Us Part 2”, or “Sifu”, you already know where this story is going to go. You might love or hate it more than I did, and I think the enjoyment depends on if you like any of the movies or games I mentioned.

Also, the lack of a New Game Plus mode is astounding. The mode is offered at the end if you would want to replay a game and not have to start over. I want to get back into the game one day, and hopefully a later update includes this mode.

I know it won’t be an essential purchase for everybody, and some might want some innovation in a sequel to a celebrated game. SkillUp has a good review that is greatly detailed, which has insight from someone that plays “all the games.” I might not agree with most of the critiques, but I acknowledge that this would be something to look for if you need a differing opinion.

Look, if you played “Ghost of Tsushima”, you already know what this is. Your interest in “Ghost of Yōtei” might depend on your enjoyment of its predecessor. If you hated “Ghost of Tsushima”, or wanted Sucker Pucker to change up the formula, this game won’t win you over.

If you want more “Ghost of Tsushima”, “Ghost of Yōtei” is everything you will want and more, as this is a much needed face-lift for the foundation that Sucker Punch set five years ago. By that metric, “Ghost of Yōtei” does its job as a sequel, and I highly recommend it if you need another open world game to sink your teeth into.