Ghost of Yotei Reviews – Sucker Punch’s Sequel Scores 87 Metacritic, But Skill Up Questions If More Is Enough

A Worthy Sequel That Plays It Safe

Ghost of Yotei, Sucker Punch’s highly anticipated sequel to 2020’s Ghost of Tsushima, launched October 2, 2025, to overwhelmingly positive reviews. The game holds an 87 Metacritic score from 102 critics and 89 on OpenCritic from 66 reviews, placing it 4 points above the original Tsushima’s 83 Metacritic average. Critics praised the game’s refined combat, gorgeous visuals, new protagonist Atsu, and emotional storytelling set 300 years after Jin Sakai’s tale in the northern region of Ezo (modern-day Hokkaido).

However, prominent reviewer Skill Up delivered a notably critical take that questions whether Sucker Punch’s decision to essentially create “more of the same” was the right approach. While acknowledging the game’s technical excellence and refined systems, his review argues that Yotei lacks the memorable set pieces and story beats that made Tsushima special, feeling like a safe sequel that doesn’t take creative risks. This dissenting opinion highlights an interesting divide – Yotei is objectively a better game than Tsushima mechanically, but whether that’s enough when it doesn’t meaningfully evolve the formula remains contentious.

The Metacritic Breakdown

With 102 critic reviews logged, Ghost of Yotei’s 87 Metacritic score places it in rarified air for 2025 releases, though not quite at the tippy-top of the year’s elite titles. Nine outlets awarded perfect 10/10 scores, including IGN India, Reimaru Files, GamesRadar+, and several others. The majority of scores cluster in the 8-9/10 range, indicating broad consensus that Sucker Punch delivered a quality sequel even if opinions vary on how much it innovates.

Interestingly, despite the strong critical reception, Yotei ranks just barely in the top 20 games of 2025 – a testament to how exceptional this year has been for gaming. Titles like Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Metaphor: ReFantazio, Astro Bot, and others have set impossibly high bars. An 87 Metacritic in most years would dominate GOTY conversations; in 2025, it’s merely “very good” rather than transcendent.

Skill Up’s Critical Perspective

YouTube reviewer Skill Up, known for in-depth critical analysis, delivered one of the more skeptical takes on Ghost of Yotei. His review acknowledges the game’s technical polish and refined mechanics but questions whether creating a very similar experience to Tsushima was creatively ambitious enough. The core criticism centers on lack of memorable set pieces and story beats that feel like natural outgrowths of the plot.

According to Skill Up, Yotei’s narrative structure doesn’t build toward climactic moments the way Tsushima did. The revenge story following Atsu’s quest against the Yotei Six – the outlaw group that murdered her family 16 years ago – lacks the dramatic crescendos and emotional payoffs that made Jin Sakai’s sacrifice of honor so impactful. The game delivers consistent quality throughout but rarely surprises or elevates beyond competent execution.

This criticism sparked debate in gaming communities. Some viewers agreed that Yotei plays it too safe, essentially functioning as “Tsushima 2.0” with different characters rather than genuinely evolving the franchise. Others argued Skill Up missed the point – sometimes you don’t need to reinvent the wheel, and delivering more of a beloved experience with mechanical refinements is exactly what fans wanted. The divide mirrors broader gaming discourse about whether sequels should innovate dramatically or perfect existing formulas.

What Most Critics Loved

The critical consensus overwhelmingly praises Ghost of Yotei’s core strengths. IGN India’s review called it a game where “Sucker Punch Strikes Again,” emphasizing how refined the combat feels compared to the already excellent Tsushima. The addition of multiple weapon types beyond the katana – including yari spears, nodachi greatswords, dual-wielding, and more – provides tactical variety that the original lacked with its stance system.

Eurogamer’s review highlighted the combat as “wonderfully honed to the character at hand – a sad and furious Atsu, a wounded animal – who’s animated with glorious brutality and poise.” The tactile satisfaction of parrying, countering, and dispatching enemies remains one of gaming’s premier sword-fighting systems, now enhanced with disarming mechanics where both Atsu and enemies can lose weapons mid-combat, forcing adaptive strategies.

The world’s presentation earned universal acclaim. Multiple reviews described Yotei’s Hokkaido landscapes as among the most gorgeous environments ever rendered in gaming, with snow-covered mountains, autumn forests, and volcanic plains creating breathtaking vistas. The guiding wind system returns, helping players navigate organically without intrusive HUD markers breaking immersion.

Common Praise Points

• Refined, satisfying combat with new weapons and mechanics
• Stunning visuals showcasing Hokkaido’s diverse landscapes
• Atsu as a compelling protagonist with emotional depth
• Revenge story that’s more personal than Tsushima’s political tale
• Quality-of-life improvements over the original
• Expanded stealth options and assassination mechanics
• Exceptional presentation and atmosphere
• Respects player time with focused pacing

The Open World Debate

Interestingly, several reviews suggested Ghost of Yotei might work better as a linear action game rather than an open-world title. Eurogamer’s review specifically stated the game “would be better served as a linear action game, freed of its poor sidequests and dated open world.” This criticism echoes concerns that open-world design has become formulaic, with Yotei’s optional content falling into repetitive patterns.

Noisy Pixel’s review called exploration “a bit of a mixed bag,” praising the stunning landscapes while criticizing “identically feeling enemy camps, bland bounties, and routine discoveries” that come across as a “dry checklist.” The combat encounters, while satisfying moment-to-moment, sometimes devolve into “quantity over quality” that dilutes memorable battles.

However, other critics disagreed with this assessment. The Week’s review emphasized how 20+ hours of “intense Katana sparring, dual-wielding, Yari charging, and Odachi slashing” kept them engaged throughout. Reimaru Files awarded a perfect 5/5, stating “all they need to do is remind everyone why Ghost of Tsushima captivated everyone’s attention in the first place, and why Yotei will build upon that foundation.”

Atsu vs. Jin – A Different Kind of Ghost

New protagonist Atsu received widespread praise for being a distinctly different character than Jin Sakai while maintaining thematic continuity. Where Jin was a noble samurai forced to abandon his code, Atsu is a wounded mercenary seeking revenge – “a sad and furious… wounded animal” as Eurogamer described. Her animations reflect this rage and pain, creating a more brutal, aggressive combat style compared to Jin’s disciplined precision.

GameSpot’s Richard Wakeling emphasized how “every alteration is in service of Atsu and her profound differences, making for a game that manages to feel distinct even when what you’re doing is so recognizable. The Ghost is just a mask; what matters is who’s behind it.” This thematic approach allows Yotei to tell a revenge story focused on personal trauma rather than political warfare, providing emotional stakes that feel more intimate despite smaller scope.

The timeline shift – 300 years after Tsushima’s events – means no returning characters from the original, allowing Yotei to stand independently while existing in the same universe. Set in 1685 in Ezo (Hokkaido), the story explores a different period of Japanese history with distinct cultural and political circumstances. This creative decision avoids the sequel trap of relying on nostalgia cameos while building franchise continuity.

Combat Evolution – Multiple Weapons Change Everything

Where Tsushima featured stance-switching with a single katana, Yotei introduces multiple weapon types that players discover by finding masters scattered across the world. Each weapon excels against specific enemy types – nodachi greatswords break through brute defenses, yari spears counter agile foes, dual-wielding provides speed, and the traditional katana remains versatile.

The Gamer’s preview noted this approach avoids the repetition that dragged down Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, where mechanical similarity to its predecessors caused staleness. Yotei’s weapon variety provides “more ways to play, more ways to kill,” keeping combat encounters fresh across the 30+ hour campaign. The disarming mechanic adds another layer – losing your weapon mid-fight forces improvisational tactics like stealing enemy arms or relying on ranged tools.

New tools like fire bombs provide absurdly powerful options when properly deployed. Stealth systems received expansion with extended assassination streaks that allow players to chain kills and throw kunai at the end. Coupled with smoke bombs for quick escapes, these mechanics enable full shinobi playstyles for players preferring stealth over direct confrontation.

Technical Performance and Presentation

As a PlayStation 5 exclusive, Ghost of Yotei leverages the hardware to deliver one of the generation’s most visually impressive titles. The use of Sucker Punch’s refined engine (not Unreal Engine 5 as some initially speculated) produces photorealistic environments with exceptional lighting, weather effects, and draw distances. Snow deformation, dynamic foliage movement, and particle effects create living, breathing landscapes.

Frame rate targets vary by mode – Performance mode runs at 60fps with slightly reduced resolution, while Fidelity mode locks at 30fps with maximum visual fidelity. Multiple reviews noted smooth performance across both modes with minimal technical issues at launch, a rarity for major releases in 2025. The game supports DualSense features including adaptive triggers and haptic feedback that enhance combat feel.

The 2025 Competition Factor

Forbes’ Paul Tassi highlighted an important context – Ghost of Yotei’s 87 Metacritic is excellent, but 2025 has been so exceptional for gaming that it barely cracks the top 20 games of the year. This isn’t a criticism of Yotei but rather acknowledgment of unprecedented competition. When multiple games achieve 90+ Metacritic scores and GOTY discussions include 5-10 legitimate contenders, an 87 feels less dominant than it would in typical years.

Games Radar echoed this sentiment: “Ghost of Yotei looks like another open-world triumph for Sucker Punch” while noting the score “is barely enough to earn it a seat at the top 20 table in the white-hot year of 2025.” This positioning doesn’t diminish Yotei’s quality but reflects how stacked 2025’s release calendar became with blockbusters across genres.

User Reception – Early Consensus Forming

While critic reviews provide professional perspective, user reception on Reddit and social media shows enthusiastic player response. The r/Games discussion thread features overwhelmingly positive sentiment from early players, with many describing Yotei as exactly what they wanted from a Tsushima sequel. The refined combat and expanded weapon variety receive particular praise from community voices.

However, Skill Up’s critical review sparked debate about whether “more of the same” suffices for modern AAA sequels. Some players agreed that Sucker Punch played it safe, delivering a polished experience that doesn’t take creative risks. Others countered that not every sequel needs dramatic reinvention – sometimes perfecting existing formulas provides more value than risky experimentation that might fail.

Sales Expectations and Commercial Performance

As a PlayStation 5 exclusive launching early October, Ghost of Yotei is positioned for strong commercial performance. The original Tsushima sold over 10 million copies, becoming one of PS4’s biggest late-generation successes and PS5’s top-selling launch-window title when the Director’s Cut released. Yotei targets a smaller install base of PS5-only players but benefits from higher attach rates on the newer console.

Sony’s decision to keep Yotei exclusive rather than pursuing multi-platform revenue indicates confidence in the franchise as a system seller. The timing – launching just before holiday shopping season – maximizes potential sales, with October through December historically representing gaming’s most lucrative quarter. Early UK physical charts showed strong debut numbers, though digital sales (which increasingly dominate) haven’t been disclosed.

FAQs

What is Ghost of Yotei’s Metacritic score?

Ghost of Yotei holds an 87 Metacritic average from 102 critic reviews and 89 on OpenCritic from 66 reviews, scoring 4 points higher than the original Ghost of Tsushima.

Is Ghost of Yotei better than Ghost of Tsushima?

Critically yes, with refined combat, better visuals, and improved mechanics. However, some reviewers like Skill Up argue it lacks the memorable story beats of the original despite being mechanically superior.

Who is the main character in Ghost of Yotei?

Atsu, a female mercenary seeking revenge against the Yotei Six outlaw group that murdered her family 16 years earlier. The story takes place 300 years after Jin Sakai’s tale in the northern region of Ezo (Hokkaido).

What platforms is Ghost of Yotei available on?

Ghost of Yotei is a PlayStation 5 exclusive, launching October 2, 2025. No other platforms have been announced.

What did Skill Up say about Ghost of Yotei?

Skill Up’s review criticized the game for playing it safe, lacking memorable set pieces and story beats despite technical polish and refined mechanics. He questioned whether creating “more of the same” was creatively ambitious enough.

How many weapons are in Ghost of Yotei?

Players can wield multiple weapon types including katana, nodachi (greatsword), yari (spear), and dual-wielding options. Each weapon type excels against specific enemy types, unlike Tsushima’s single-weapon stance system.

Is Ghost of Yotei open world?

Yes, though some critics like Eurogamer suggested it would work better as a linear action game due to repetitive side content and dated open-world design.

What’s different between Yotei and Tsushima?

New protagonist Atsu, multiple weapon types replacing stance system, expanded stealth mechanics, disarming system, different time period (300 years later), new setting in Hokkaido, refined combat, and improved graphics.

Conclusion

Ghost of Yotei succeeds as a refined, polished sequel that improves upon Ghost of Tsushima’s mechanical foundations while delivering a distinct emotional story through new protagonist Atsu. The 87 Metacritic score reflects broad critical consensus that Sucker Punch delivered a quality follow-up, even if it doesn’t revolutionize the formula. Skill Up’s more critical perspective raises valid questions about whether safe sequel design suffices in an era of increasingly ambitious game development, but the majority of critics and players appear satisfied with “more Tsushima, but better” as a creative direction. The combat refinements, weapon variety, and gorgeous Hokkaido setting provide enough fresh content to justify the sequel’s existence, even if it doesn’t rank among 2025’s absolute elite releases in an exceptionally competitive year. Whether that’s enough depends entirely on individual expectations – for fans craving another samurai adventure in Sucker Punch’s world, Yotei delivers exactly what was promised, while those hoping for dramatic evolution may find it disappointingly familiar. At its core, Ghost of Yotei represents polished AAA game development at its most competent – not groundbreaking, not revolutionary, but undeniably well-crafted and enjoyable for what it is.