Okay, so let’s talk about this wild ride that Sucker Punch Productions dropped the other day. They’re bringing us deep into this Ghost of Yōtei universe in a way that’s way too intense for something called just a "State of Play"—whatever that even means. Atsu’s arsenal? Insane. Picture it: she’s darting all over Ezo with these wicked weapons, and it’s like, what’s even real anymore?
Oh, and Kurosawa Mode is back! You ever watch those old films, like Seven Samurai? It’s that kind of vibe, all black and white—so much film grain you can practically smell it. Japanese dialogue, too, which is just perfect for getting lost in this samurai world.
Wait, I almost forgot—there’s this Takashi Miike Mode now, too. You know Miike, right? He made 13 Assassins—you should check it out if you haven’t, unless you’re squeamish about a little… okay, maybe a lot… of blood and mud. They say the camera’s up-close with the action, and it’s all kinds of gritty… like, dirt-under-your-nails gritty. And there’s also this collab with the Samurai Champloo genius, Watanabe—gotta love those lo-fi beats. Imagine chilling with those tunes as you’re slicing through enemies. So zen.
Now, the weapons! Dual katanas and more gadgets than you can shake a stick at—and Atsu can switch them so fast, it’s dizzying. One moment she’s in a fight, and suddenly, poof, she’s disarming opponents left and right. You see a hawk or something? Follow it! It’s basically a treasure map, leading you to hidden spots. I’m a sucker for exploration, can’t help it. It’s like their Elden Ring nod? No idea what that’s about, but it’s neat, I guess.
Oh, and don’t get me started on the Limited Edition consoles. There are these awesome Mount Yōtei designs—I mean, talk about a masterpiece. The controllers are, like, a work of art too. Atsu’s on them, totally bad to the bone.
Moving on, then—this isn’t just some direct sequel thing. Ghost of Yōtei’s playing a 300-year-leap card from Ghost of Tsushima. We’re in this whole new land of Ezo, now called Hokkaido. Atsu’s got this fiery revenge mission against the Yōtei Six—people who totally ruined her life. It’s like, chaos meets strategy? You get to decide the order of taking them down—really puts the "ghost" in Ghost of Yōtei, doesn’t it?
Anyway, it’s got me hyped. Just a lot going on here, in all the best chaotic ways.