Kinda Funny Gamescast: Ghost of Yotei Review
Episode Date: September 25, 2025
Hosts: Andy Cortez, Greg Miller, Blessing Adeoye Jr., Roger Picorni
Episode Overview
This episode of the Kinda Funny Gamescast delivers an in-depth review and discussion of Ghost of Yotei, the highly anticipated sequel to Ghost of Tsushima, developed by Sucker Punch. The hosts share their hands-on experiences, analysis of the game’s narrative and design, technical features, and comparisons to other genre heavyweights. They debate the game’s successes and shortcomings, drawing on varied playstyles and personal expectations while engaging with live audience questions.
Main Theme
Ghost of Yotei is positioned as both a refinement and evolution of Ghost of Tsushima, exploring the underdog vengeance story of Atsu in early 17th century Hokkaido. The cast discusses whether it delivers a fresh samurai/ronin fantasy or retreads open-world conventions, measuring its impact against other blockbuster sequels and recent open-world releases.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Synopsis and Context Setting
- Game Setting & Story: Set in 1603, Hokkaido, starring Atsu, a mercenary-turned-Onryo spirit, on a quest for revenge against the criminal Yote 6.
- Critical Reception: The game holds strong critical acclaim—87 Metacritic, 89 OpenCritic, with notable praise from Game Rant and IGN, but also mixed reviews like Eurogamer's.
[05:00] Andy Cortez:
"Ghost of Yote centers around the theme of the Underdog Vengeance…Atsu has an impactful, powerful journey that has everything it takes to earn her place as the Legend of Ezo…"
2. First Impressions & Review Scores
Blessing Adeoye Jr.
- Playtime: ~30 hours
- Score: 8/10 – "Great video game"
- Positives:
- Stronger story, more invested in Atsu vs Jin (Tsushima)
- Satisfying combat; improved tools and fluid action
- Gorgeous open-world, cinematic direction
- Negatives:
- Lacks structural innovation—"cookie-cutter" open world, checklist syndrome
- Side content and activities can feel repetitive and perfunctory, detracting from immersion
[09:01] Blessing:
"I think my quick review of Ghost would be to say you already know what Ghost is…It's an 8 out of 10 video game. That would be my score. I think it is great. I had a great time playing this game...The things that I love and adored about it would be the story...I'm more invested in Atsu's tale..."
Roger Picorni
- Playtime: ~24 hours to credits, still playing (~34 hours total)
- Score: 9.5/10 – "Amazing video game"
- Positives:
- Pacing is exceptional; open world feels alive, with dynamic and handcrafted-feeling events and side quests
- Story and gameplay mesh better than Tsushima; bounties and mysteries are high quality
- Small team—impressive achievement for scale and density
- Minor Critiques: Some required tasks start to show formulaic edges late game
[12:22] Roger:
"Ghost of Yotei does what some of the best sequels of all time do. It refines, it expands and remixes Tsushima…It is one of the prettiest games I've ever played…What makes this game so special in my mind is the pacing… This is a really amazing video game and I did not expect it whatsoever."
Greg Miller
- Playtime: ~40 hours (credits at 35)
- Score: 9/10 – "Amazing"
- Positives:
- Major improvements over Tsushima (loadouts, UI, sense of purpose)
- Encourages exploring everything—side content adds real value to progression and depth
- Addictive gameplay loop; keeps coming back even after credits for “just one more thing”
- Mini-game “Zeni Hojiki” surprisingly compelling
- Negatives:
- Touchpad and other forced PS5 features feel dated/unwieldy
- Can feel repetitive, especially in open-world loops
[14:28] Greg:
"I think Ghost of Yotei is incredibly special and I think it has improved on all the things we complained about with Ghost of Tsushima…They've gone through and done so much set dressing to change this up and make it feel like it matters and make it feel like it's personal....I could see myself eight-fiving this, but really, I think I have to go and give this a 9 out of 10..."
3. Open World & Structural Comparisons
- Comparisons to Assassin’s Creed, Spider-Man, and Elden Ring:
- Ghost of Yotei leans more toward the "frictionless," checklist-driven design of Spider-Man than the organic exploration of Elden Ring or the deep immersion of Red Dead Redemption 2.
- The game's quest "card" system is essentially a new way to organize quest logs, not true choice-driven structure.
- Freedom: Initial freedom to choose targets, but the game becomes more linear as it progresses.
- Replay Value: High, thanks to side content, mini-games, and ongoing post-credits activities
[26:39] Blessing:
"Here I felt like I was more--the exploring the open world map for me felt like I was looking at a menu of things to do...it never felt like the natural feeling of I am really Atsu in this world."
4. Story & Villains: Yote 6
- Yote 6 as Antagonists:
- Well-constructed, memorable villains with dynamic narrative roles (first half receive more depth)
- Not all can be tackled in any order; game quickly becomes more linear story-wise.
- Some villains deliberately underbaked to focus narrative on key figures/confrontations.
[34:22] Roger:
"I was very surprised by the twists and turns that they took with the Yote Six. I thought it was gonna be pretty straightforward…you're learning how these people work and you get way deeper into the lore of each of them than I expected—or at least some of them."
[34:53] Greg & Blessing:
- You cannot tackle all Yote 6 in any order; some gating occurs to advance the plot.
5. Weapons, Combat, and Progression
- Weapon Variety: Mix of katanas, odachi, spear, dual blades, kusarigama—unlocked through specific quests or exploration
- Upgrades & Loadouts: Meaningful technique trees and customizable loadouts that address past critiques from Tsushima
- Combat Style: Rock-paper-scissors weapon matchups continue; choice of style supported, but often dictated by enemy type
- Resource Management: Players can craft, camp, and prepare for encounters; slowing down is rewarded
[43:14] Blessing:
"I never felt like the game really, you know, incentivize having a favorite weapon. It's similar to the stance system, right, where it is the rock, paper, scissors thing."
6. Accessibility & Options
- Visual Modes: Performance, Quality, Ray Tracing modes available, even looks great on base PS5.
- Special Visual Modes: Kurosawa black & white return; new "Miike" (blood/mud) and “Watanabe” (lo-fi beats) modes are entertaining but not game-changing.
- Accessibility Critique: Options (e.g., HUD, difficulty tweaking) exist but not as robust or granular as recent PlayStation first-party releases (e.g., The Last of Us). Notable lack: can't directly expand parry window except via custom difficulty.
- Photo Mode: Impressive, but some hosts found it less robust/essential than Tsushima's. Still capable of beautiful shots.
[47:23] Greg:
"There are options here. I find them lacking, especially for a Sony first party game...I'm not Perry Poppy...I was frustrated with some of the things...Is there a way to increase the [parry] window? Can I just do that? And there isn't..."
7. Critiques and Repetitive Design
- Side Activities: Can feel repetitive; not all moments make use of the world’s potential (e.g., underwhelming puzzles, “menu of things to do").
- Puzzles: Only one type, reused frequently and very simple. Some puzzles have the protagonist instantly give away the solution, lessening satisfaction.
[54:19] Roger:
"There's like one puzzle in this game and it sucks. And we continue to bring back…there is no variety in it. It is complete…bizarre, honestly."
8. Platinum Trophy
- Trophy List: More demanding than recent PlayStation sequels (e.g., Spider-Man 2); expects players to do “everything.” Might not be a quick or easy platinum for all.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
Greg Miller on RPG Immersion:
"I was so adamant about my armor in this one...Atsu is so dead to Ezo...I was like, put the mask on, dark clothes. I'm going to be the shinobi." [24:05] -
Blessing on Open World Structure:
"I felt like I saw the Matrix the entire time as I'm playing this game...it never felt like the natural feeling of I am really Atsu in this world." [25:49] -
Roger on Pacing:
"As soon as I had that little inkling of maybe this is getting a little repetitive, boom. Something different happens." [12:22] -
Greg on Mini-games:
"I've never been a Gwent or Machine Strike or any of the mini games...I fucking love Zeni Hojiki." [18:29]
Audience Q&A Highlights
- Yote 6 design: First half great, latter half thins out (34:22)
- Assassin’s Creed Shadows vs. Ghost of Yotei: Shadows less engaging, Yotei focuses more on character roleplay and narrative immediacy (22:33)
- Comparisons to Ragnarok/Horizon/Spider-Man: Yotei is an iteration, not a reinvention; improvements add up, more like Ragnarok jump than Spider-Man 2’s iteration (36:35, 38:17)
- Platinum/Trophy Difficulty: Closer to Ghost of Tsushima; requires full completion, not a quick “checklist” platinum (52:50)
- Localization: Japanese voice performance “amazing” (53:43)
Final Thoughts & Closing Remarks
- Roger:
"I am devouring it in a way that as you were alluding to of like, oh, it's like 11pm...I am obsessed with this game… and I cannot wait to see what Sucker Punch does next." [57:57] - Greg:
"If what we've said sounds good, definitely try...I would say take your time...really get out there and enjoy it." [58:30] - Blessing:
"...I echo that. And also can't wait for legends." [58:42]
The group agrees: Ghost of Yotei is an excellent open-world samurai/ronin fantasy that expertly builds on its predecessor, especially in narrative and pacing, even as it leans heavily on familiar genre structures. Some activities and design decisions remain divisive, but for fans of the original and lovers of PlayStation open-world polish, it is highly recommended.
Quick Timestamp Guide
- 05:00 — Game synopsis, reviews
- 07:33 — Hosts’ playthrough status
- 09:01 — Blessing’s Review & Score
- 12:22 — Roger’s Review & Score
- 14:28 — Greg’s Review & Score
- 19:46 — Audience Q: Assassin’s Creed comparison
- 25:49 — Blessing: Open world structure vs. immersion
- 34:22 — Audience Q: Yote 6 villain design
- 39:28 — Tsushima vs. Yotei: Iteration or innovation?
- 43:14 — Weapon preferences & combat depth
- 45:33 — Accessibility & visual modes
- 47:23 — Accessibility options critique
- 54:19 — Repetitive, underdeveloped puzzle critique
- 52:50 — Platinum trophy difficulty
- 57:57 — Final thoughts
Tone & Language
The conversation is enthusiastic, candid, and occasionally irreverent, with personal anecdotes and friendly ribbing throughout. The panel is passionate about both meaningful critique and celebrating what the game does well, making this episode a lively must-listen for anyone considering Ghost of Yotei.