JAPAN AT ITS MOST FRIGHTENING

It took me a couple of years to appreciate the work coming from Tango Gameworks, the new studio helmed by the Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami, as it was only in 2019 that I played through both The Evil Within 1 and The Evil Within 2. Both of those titles are, in my opinion, modern Survival Horror masterpieces and established the studio’s quality standard for its upcoming titles. Ghostwire: Tokyo, their whole new experience now available on PlayStation 5 and PC, takes big inspiration from the Japanese studio’s previous work, but dismisses itself from its past conventions with its own unique universe. It maybe isn’t the ''Evil Within 3'' I hoped it would be, but offers an authentic Japanese thriller that will capture you with its rich environments and gruesome ambiance, if you’re able to get past its numerous flaws.     

From the get-go, you need to jump into Ghostwire: Tokyo with the mentality that it is not a Horror title; it just isn’t. Despite Tango’s previous projects and the legacy attached to the studio’s founder, Ghostwire presents itself as an open-world Action-Adventure game with supernatural elements inspired by Japanese folklore. By far, everything that touches the studio’s exposition of Shibuya’s representation is what makes Ghostwire stand out versus other typical open-world experiences. It's with the immensely detailed environments filled with Japanese historical landmarks and elements associated to the culture through the buildings and streets that you’ll be transported to Tokyo as if it were real life. The nuance, this time around, is that Ghostwire’s world is filled with malicious spirits that only seek to eliminate you. With that, it is strongly advised to not act like a tourist for too long as you’re exploring its dark and sinister world. 

Jokes aside, Ghostwire offers the abundance of activities and stuff to do/collect that is expected from an open-world experience that will further your investment beyond the main quest of the protagonist, Akito, who tries to understand what is happening to the titular city. Whether it’s through the secondary missions that add a whole lot of narrative depth to the story or even unlocking additional portions of the map by purifying Torii Gates, Ghostwire: Tokyo’s world is filled with unpredictability that makes its open-world a joy to discover. There is also a certain layer of verticality added to Shibuya’s exploration that is strenghten by the ability to grapple yourself atop a Tengu (a sort of flying creature) that allows you to traverse via rooftops instead of the typical on-foot route. However, Ghostwire’s open-world doesn’t offer anything particularly refreshing or interesting to the typical formula; I’d go as far as to say that the approach and structure in which it presents itself is as basic as the ones from the first Assassin’s Creed titles as the Torri Gates act exactly like the Observation Towers in Ubisoft’s franchise. It’s certainly disappointing to see such a significant lack of creativity from a 2022 game (especially with what other open-world titles have offered us this year), but it still works for what the game tries to tell ultimately. 

That being said, beyond the intricacies of its open-world, Ghostwire: Tokyo doesn’t offer anything that remotely furthers the supernatural elements that lead its narrative structure. The story that puts Akito and his spiritual companion, KK, doesn’t add anything moving or particularly interesting as it is a simple detective story between good and evil, while the main antagonist, Hannya, tries to unify the kingdom of the dead with the one of the living. There is, however, a certain intrigue that is brought up with the involvement of Akito’s sister through multiple flashbacks, but nothing that ends up adding a moving or satisfying conclusion beyond the final moments of the experience. The story puts a larger emphasis on the pleasant dynamic that unfolds between Akito and KK throughout the experience; both have different motivations and values in the beginning of their adventure, but learn to put their differences aside and work together to stop Hannya’s evil plans. In all honesty, Ghostwire’s narrative isn’t anything particularly striking as it is predictable and easily forgettable. 

This also applies to the game’s overall gameplay which, despite an enjoyable initial loop, become repetitive awfully quick by offering no variety beyond simply eliminating evil spirits (named Visitors) who also lack significant nuance in their design and approach strategy. Sure, the game tries to offer some variation with sections that take a more stealthy approach (the Spectral Vision will help you a lot to see what is hiding in front of you) or by offering boss encounters that evoke the wonderful inspiration of Japanese urban legends, but it isn’t anything that captures the player in any significant way. Ghostwire also suffers from an enormous pacing problem with its mission design as it decides to restrict its open-world; by far its most interesting aspect, for a more linear approach in the second half of the 8-hour experience. Every time that Ghostwire moves away from the core elements that make it stand out from the genre, it fails miserably and makes you question the project’s entire vision. Not often do I push my exploration further than the main story/quests when it comes to open-world titles, but in the case of Ghostwire, I found myself having more fun exploring the streets of Tokyo and completing side activities than engaging with its main plot.   

As you can tell, Ghostwire: Tokyo is an overall flawed experience, but it somehow remains a game that is fun to play through thanks to its combat mechanics that are easy to understand and upgrade system that rewards your exploration of Shibuya. Through KK’s absorbed powers, Akito has access to three elemental attacks (Water, Fire and Wind) each with their own attributes. They sort of act as bullets from a gun you would typically find in a First-Person Shooter, except they are magical incantations that are done with the main character’s hands. It all cumulates in a wonderful visual spectacle that showcases the game’s stunning animations as you’re ripping your threats to shreds. You can also choose to use your trusty bow and arrow for a more subtle approach and reach further targets while staying incognito; a must if you want to be as stealthy as possible. And, of course, the stealth takedowns that showcase the developer’s technical prouesse for Ghostwire: Tokyo. All that paired up with your scavenging skills and additional buffing talismans and you’ll be storming through the streets of Shibuya in no time. The game also does a decent job of making your abilities even more stimulating, powerful and attractive through the aforementioned upgrade system that is a direct result of your exploration through the streets of Shibuya. The more you engage with secondary objectives and further your exploration, the better your upgrade opportunities will be! That being said, I have to admit that some combat interactions can feel a little clunky and frustrating at times because of the restrictions caused by the First-Person point of view, so don’t be surprised if you’re having some trouble in the opening sections of the title. 

VERDICT

Ghostwire: Tokyo is an experience that isn’t able to capture the expectations and ambitions of Tango Gameworks’ past projects. It puts you in an open-world filled with potential, yet falls in every possible trap of the genre by offering nothing particularly interesting other than its western setting. There is still some enjoyment to find out of the title through the amount of content it offers, but nothing to justify an immediate purchase or a sequel from the studio. It’s a game that shines with style, but lacks significant substance in the end.  

Pros:

• Authentic Japanese Ambiance

• Abundance of Activities in its Open-World

• Interesting Dynamic Between both Main Characters

Cons:

• Predictable and Forgettable Story

• Lack of Variety and Substance With its Main Missions & Ennemies

Final Score: 7/10

Ghostwire: Tokyo is available on PlayStation 5 & PC. This review was written with the PlayStation 5 version of the game.