Known as the master of horror, Shinji Mikami earned its stripes with flagship licenses like resident Evil and Dino Crisis. In recent years, horror has been shared in particular via The Evil Within, and its psychological horror sequences. And after two very good opuses, now Mikami changes genre with GhostWire Tokyoan action-adventure game designed especially for the PlayStation 5. We had the opportunity to test it, it’s time for us to share our verdict with you.
visit to the Japanese capital
Presented for the first time to the general public in 2019, GhostWire Tokyo is due out on PlayStation 5 and PC this Friday, March 25. In this action-adventure game, players are immersed in a completely empty Tokyo. 99% of the inhabitants of the Japanese capital disappeared without warning, leaving behind only their clothes. Behind this paranormal incident, a yokai invasion led by the mysterious Hannya. Japanese supernatural folklore has invaded the streets and someone is going to have to clean it all up. This someone is obviously the protagonist. A young man by the name of Akito, who finds himself harboring a spirit by the name of KK while hovering between life and death.
The duo will have to live together at first, before teaming up to solve the mysterious setbacks of this masked antagonist. And for that, Akito can count on KK’s mastery of elemental powers. Wind, water, fire, the young man now finds himself capable of mastering the elements. Each power has its specificity. The wind will rage from a distance with fast and precise attacks, the water will shine at close range when the fire takes care of inflicting huge area damage. It’s up to you to choose the element that best suits the situation. To attack, Akito can charge or not his attacks. Be careful though, the ammunition is limited, so you have to know how to aim correctly so as not to deplete your reserves too quickly.
Fortunately, there are many ways to regain ammunition quickly, starting with the destruction of supernatural elements present in the decor. To send said elements, Akito relies on precise movements of his fingers. Successful, engaging and immersive animations (even more so thanks to the first-person view), which energize the fights. In GhostWire: Tokyoyou face a bestiary straight out of Japanese folklore. A complete and varied bestiary that expands over the course of the adventure. More powerful enemy variations that spice up the fight. To defeat them, it is possible to opt for a face-to-face duel, based on multiple attacks, counters and dodges, or to play it stealthily.
a bestiary that hits the mark
Enemies are powered by a heart. Over the attacks, this heart is revealed and it is then possible to extract it using a combination of keys. Several enemies can thus be extracted at the same time, provided they are within range. Be careful though, extracting these hearts takes time. And during this time, Akito is vulnerable. It is therefore advisable to time your shot well so as not to take unnecessary damage. Note that it is still possible to defeat these enemies by inflicting damage on them again while their heart is exposed. Tactical battles that further take on strategy as levels are gained. Because yes, in GhostWire: Tokyoit is possible to gain experience and levels.
As this welcome power gain, Akito will increase his life bar, which can be restored via consumables purchased from merchants, or found in Tokyo, but also his skill points. 10 points per level, enough to increase your skills via three dedicated trees. One focuses on utilities, the second on etherweaves (combat skills) and the last on secondary skills. The skill increase is well thought out and every point spent is quickly felt. Leveling up is relatively quick, enough to browse these skill trees to adopt the skills that best suit your gameplay.
In addition to the ether weaves, it is possible to make your way through this Tokyo emptied of its souls thanks to a somewhat special bow. Found quickly in the adventure, it allows you to eliminate enemies from a distance without getting wet. The arrows in the head are particularly effective, pay attention all the same to the trajectory of the shot. With its dynamic combat, at a distance or closer, GhostWire: Tokyo manages to make his clashes unique. A salutary performance which makes it possible to delay the inevitable redundancy of its exploration.
google maps better watch out
Immersed in a Tokyo on a 1:1 scale and with a very appreciable verticality – it is possible to walk around the tops of buildings thanks to flying demons – Akito will have to explore the smallest corners of the Japanese capital in search of its objectives but also the many secrets it contains. A reproduction to be applauded which immerses completely, while the artistic direction is responsible, for its part, for delivering all the magic to which Mikami’s productions have accustomed us. The details are not lacking: from animals without masters to wandering spirits through enemy ambushes and stalls run by yokai. The apocalyptic scenes of life seem suspended in time, while this devastated Tokyo changes according to the alterations caused by Hannya.
Explorations of buildings are quickly rewarded, although they tend to quickly look the same. A feeling of deja vu is felt quite quickly during exploration, the fault of a formula that lacks pep after several hours. Tokyo buildings, empty streets, fights, torii gates, a system that loses flavor after several purifications. Fortunately, GhostWire: Tokyo manages to capture the player’s attention thanks to its atypical atmosphere that is worth seeing. The real-time transformations of the decor, like a demonic hallucination, are simply to be applauded. The icing on the cake: the passages in areas, which we will describe as special, deserve a small screenshot for posterity. The great strength of this GhostWire: Tokyoit is above all his artistic direction.
The finished work is to be welcomed, especially since some side quests will come to present themselves as beautiful slices of life to conclude. The quests in question will be given to you by spirits or yokai. These spirits, which you can help, will reward you graciously. But to try to repopulate Tokyo and above all, thwart Hannya’s plans, you will have to capture all the wandering spirits via your katashiro (little paper men). A great way to collect experience and money, while saving Tokyo in the process. The spirits are particularly present in height. You will therefore have to survey the summit of the capital to collect as many as possible.
Small platforming puzzles are scattered here and there to test your brainpower when summoning a personal Tengu tends to solve the problem quickly. With its devastated Tokyo, GhostWire: Tokyo plays the small details card. We are talking here about a “guided tour”, with essential places to visit, which the map hastens to mark with a hot iron in the event that you wish to retrace your steps later. On the story side, the trials faced by Akito and KK are meant to be significant at the start before facing a big soft belly. A problem to underline for a main quest of approximately 7 hours which takes in flavor before being sublimated by a last third. The climax of the campaign deserves its weight in gold with a finale that may make you shed a few tears. The dubbing also has a lot to do with it, and the translations are good, reinforcing the immersion.
Conclusion
With its rich bestiary, its dynamic fights with finger animations to mark with a white stone, its faithfully transcribed Tokyo and its overwhelming story in the end, GhostWire: Tokyo stands as a must-do experience for Mikami fans or players who would like to visit the devastated but faithful Japanese capital. Its comprehensive folkloric bestiary, ether weaves, and (especially vertical) exploration are also noteworthy. Corn GhostWire: Tokyo is not perfect and its inconsistent story, too short (count 7 hours from one end to the other), and its redundancy tarnish the picture. Nevertheless, GhostWire: Tokyo is a very good game that succeeds where it ventures, even if the formula deserves to be sublimated. An artistic direction that should easily convince even the most refractory.
