Reviews for “Ghost of Yotei,” the sequel to beloved Japanese samurai game “Ghost of Tsushima,” are in and so far the verdict is excellent.
The Sucker Punch Productions-developed title has landed an 87/100 on Metacritic from 110 reviews, a score actually higher than the 82/100 the original game scored upon its release in 2020.
It’s also on par with the 87/100 the director’s edition of that original scored the following year, along with past Game of the Year contenders and acclaimed titles like “Marvel’s Spider-Man,” “Psychonauts II,” “Hi-Fi Rush” and “Hitman 3”.
Here’s a sampling of reviews with the majority calling it an improvement on its predecessor – even if only an evolutionary one rather than a revolutionary one:
“Ghost of Tsushima walked so Ghost of Yotei could run. Yotei beats Tsushima in every category, with better graphics, better music, better gameplay, and a better story, despite the occasional narrative lull. It’s a masterful open world game.” – Game Rant
“A worthy successor, this new legend in the Ghost saga stands on its own, and as tall as Mount Yōtei itself. Ghost of Yōtei takes the foundation of Ghost of Tsushima and builds something even better on it. Atsu’s journey to take on the Yōtei Six is magnificent, and backed by some of the best mechanics, visuals, sound, and immersive elements Sucker Punch has ever crafted.” – Gaming Trend
“Building on its predecessor in all the right ways, Ghost of Yotei is an incredible sequel that makes you the ruler of your experience. Player freedom drives its open world, letting you craft the type of game you want to play… Ghost of Yotei is comfortably its greatest work to date.” – Push Square
“This game improves everything that was already good in Ghost of Tsushima to deliver one of the very best PS5 games; A dynamic and exciting combat system, a beautiful and fun-to-explore game world, a wanted list, extensive and diverse content with beautiful music, and a wonderful revenge story that offers many surprises. Game performance is excellent too.” – True Gaming
“Ghost of Yōtei is pure cinematic brilliance, and Sucker Punch Productions deserves to be commended once more for knocking it out of the park and, in some ways, topping its predecessor. I’m somewhat torn between this and Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, but without question, Ghost of Yōtei is one of the absolute best games of 2025.” – Gaming Bible
“Ghost of Yotei is a vast, sprawling adventure with one of the greatest protagonists in gaming. While some dated climbing segments and a nagging sense of artificiality prevent it from reaching perfection, Sucker Punch’s historical RPG is a must-play revenge fantasy.” – Games Radar
“Ghost of Yōtei is a worthy sequel to the already excellent Ghost of Tsushima, building upon that game’s foundation with an equally interesting (albeit quite different) plot and select improvements to combat and open world exploration. It may feel a little too familiar, not to mention similar to the previous game, but that sensation is quickly forgotten amidst all the fun you’ll have in Ezo.” – Wccftech
“Sucker Punch’s sequel offers more great swordplay and heartfelt storytelling, but would be better served as a linear action game, freed of its poor sidequests and dated open world” – EuroGamer
A Digital Foundry video has confirmed the game plays with very few flaws and a consistent frame rate beyond a slight dip in one small section – a section expected to be fixed in a Day One patch.
Whether the title will be in the running for Game of the Year this year, though, is a big question due to what has been a surprisingly banner year for gaming, with multiple titles scoring over 90 for the first time in a while.
That includes “Hades II” (94), “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33” (93), “Hollow Knight: Silksong” (92), “Blue Prince” (92), “Split Fiction” (91) and “Donkey Kong Bonanza” (91) along with some high 80s scoring titles like “Death Stranding 2: On the Beach” (89), “Monster Hunter Wilds” (88), “Kingdom Come Deliverance II” (88), “Sword of the Sea” (88), “Mario Kart World” (86), and “Silent Hill f” (86).
