Tango Gameworks’ Ghostwire: Tokyois coming to Microsoft’s Xbox Series X/S and Game Pass on April 12th.
Along with the Xbox console release, the game is getting a new update called Spiders Thread that releases on the same day. The update includes a new game mode, areas, extended story cutscenes and more.
Spiders Thread has players moving through 30 unique stages pulled from 120 levels. You can unlock in-game money, skills and other upgrades through the mode. New map areas include a Middle School that offers new missions, and two new enemies called “the invisible Silent Gaze” and “elusive Retribution.”
Ghostwire: Tokyo was first released on PlayStation 5 and PC in 2022. Microsoft purchased Tango Gameworks last year as part of its acquisition of ZeniMaxMedia (Bethesda’s parent company). Despite the purchase going through, the tech giant still honoured Tango Gameworks’ commitment to release Ghostwire: Tokyo on Sony’s competing PS5.
Fast forward to now, and an updated game version is making its way to Microsoft’s consoles. For more on Ghostwire: Tokyo, check out MobileSyrup’sin-depth look at the game.
As I walk through the hauntingly empty and rain-soaked streets of modern Tokyo, which juxtapose nicely with the catchy jingles in the nearest convenience store, I find myself deeply engrossed in Ghostwire: Tokyo. Developer Tango Gameworks, which is based in Tokyo, has clearly recreated its city with loving reverence.
But it’s a feeling of immersion that doesn’t last. All too often, Ghostwire falls back on dated world design philosophies and repetitive combat. That’s a shame, because there’s quite a lot of potential here, and it’s only somewhat realized by the time the credits roll.
Monotonous magic
All of that is even more disappointing because Ghostwire has an exceptionally intriguing start. One day, the bustling streets of Tokyo are suddenly overrun by paranormal entities known as ‘Visitors,’ reducing the iconic city’s population by a staggering 99 percent. As this happens, a young man named Akito becomes possessed by a spirit detective named ‘KK,’ and together, the two must investigate the strange Visitor threat and save Akito’s sister, Mari. While some of these elements might seem spooky, this is not at all a horror game like Tango’s last two The Evil Within titles.
If anything, Ghostwire first comes off as a wickedly cool power fantasy. Thanks to KK, Akito — who you control in first-person — is granted some ethereal magic powers. These are called Weavings and they’re animated with such lively flair that they quickly become delightfully reminiscent of Aang’s bending skills from Avatar The Last Airbender or Dr. Strange’s spells from the Marvel films. Considering that most first-person action games involve guns, it’s commendable that Tango has taken such a novel, otherwordly approach. The problem, however, is that you quickly see that Ghostwire‘s magic is the epitome of style over substance.
Within the game’s first two hours, you acquire three spells — the single-shot, rapid-fire Wind Weaving, the explosive Fire Weaving and the wider-ranged Water Weaving — and these are the only three spells you’ll have for the 10-15 hour campaign. That wouldn’t be an issue in and of itself, except for the fact that the utility of the Weavings never really changes, and the types of enemies — as appreciably creepy as they can be — aren’t that varied. While the fairly basic XP-based progression system lets you improve the efficiency of these moves, their core “shoot ad nauseum” functionality remains frustratingly the same throughout. You do also have a bow and an instant-kill sneak attack, but the environments simply aren’t set up for stealth, so these don’t really prove to be meaningful additions to your arsenal.
What does somewhat elevate the dull combat is the finishers. Deal enough damage to an enemy and you expose its core, which you can latch onto with your “Ghostwire” to yank out. It’s in these moments where the PS5’s DualSense controller goes wild, delivering visceral vibrations as you pull harder. This, combined with the flashiness of your moves and conceptually unique take on first-person combat, made me lament the fact that fighting Visitors wasn’t anywhere near as fun as it looks.
Rewarding discovery… sometimes
Thankfully, Tango is overall fairly more successful with Ghostwire’s various other aspects, albeit with some key caveats. Interestingly, the game’s narrative has the inverse problem of the combat — it starts weak and picks up as you go along. Initially, Akito is a bland, personality-less hero who only talks about rescuing Mari, and because Ghostwire does nothing at first to develop Mari beyond a token damsel he must save, I found myself not caring at all about his quest. KK, at least, had a slightly more interesting backstory, which I enjoyed uncovering over time. And if nothing else, little bits of banter between Akito and KK, such as the former’s infatuation with dogs and the latter’s constant desire for a cigarette, help create an engaging, if superficial, core character dynamic.
Interestingly, though, Ghostwire becomes significantly more story-driven in the final few hours, bombarding you with flashbacks to Akito and Mari’s childhoods and a deepening of Akito and KK’s bond. On the one hand, these feel like “too little, too late,” but on the other, I appreciated the more methodical pacing for emotional moments. If more time was dedicated to fleshing out all of Ghostwire‘s narrative threads, especially its woefully underdeveloped villain, then more of an impact would have been had.
That said, Ghostwire‘s most well-realized character is named right in the title: Tokyo. Indeed, Ghostwire is at its best when you’re just roaming the stunningly detailed city and absorbing it all in. From towering neon skyscrapers and tranquil shrines to dense underground shopping areas and narrow alleyways, Tango’s fictionalized version of Tokyo feels meticulously crafted. You’ll eventually be able to zip up to buildings using winged creatures named Tengu, which hover in fixed locations and, when used in conjunction with your brief gliding ability, open up a nice degree of verticality to the city.
Some higher areas even require a bit of thought in how to ascend them; in one instance, I had to run through a little plaza to get close enough to jump onto a highway with an abandoned bus, which I could then jump off to reach a gondola to begin scaling my desired building.
Meanwhile, little collectibles that you can find, such as wayward souls speaking about their lives or discarded personal belongings, further help create the feeling that this was a city that was once lived in. Sidequests, too, are quite compelling. In addition to being satisfyingly short and sweet at around 20-30 minutes each, they’re also quite diverse in premise. In one instance, I chased a cackling demon through a multi-story complex to help out a grieving lover, while in another, I gave a moaning ghost some toilet paper. They’re by no means groundbreaking, but the way these quests vary in terms of tone, and the wells of fascinating Japanese folklore from which they draw, often made them more compelling than the main story.
If only Tango left you to your own devices during all of this; unfortunately, the developer has a frustrating tendency to stifle your exploration. The chief example of this is the way in which Ghostwire‘s world is structured. Each district of the map is covered in supernatural fog that you cannot pass, which can only be cleared by purifying sets of Torii Gates strewn about Tokyo. Not only is this an uninspired take on the trite “Ubisoft Towers,” but it’s one that frustratingly just makes you fight more waves enemies at each Gate.
Nowhere is this more egregious than in the late-game, in which you’re required to clear a set of one dozen consecutively to open up the final area. What’s more, you’re forced to watch after purifying Gates as the game automatically opens the map and adds markers for points of interest like sidequests, preventing you from naturally discovering these on your own even if you wanted to.
Given that Tango has created such a beautiful world containing surprisingly solid side content, it’s a shame that you weren’t given more freedom to explore. As mentioned before, Ghostwire is at its best when you’re just wandering the streets and picking up the last remnants of society. It’s an excellent sort of environmental storytelling in the vein of Gone Home or What Remains of Edith Finch, a rewarding and atmospheric way to allow you to piece things together yourself. But sadly, you can never fully do that when the game is constantly bombarding you with mandatory Torii Gates and resulting marker pop-ups.
A solid foundation
If I’ve sounded too harsh on Ghostwire, it’s mostly because I’m just disappointed with how Tango’s questionable design choices often do a disservice to its genuinely clever ones. Rarely have I seen such a unique and detailed open-world setting, nor have I come across sidequests that are well-paced and interwoven with rich and lovely folklore. Hopefully, Tango is able to make a sequel that can double down on all of that while providing a stronger narrative and deeper gameplay loop. For now, though, I wholly appreciate that the developer has taken a chance on a new IP, and it’s one that’s still worth playing, warts and all.
Ghostwire: Tokyo is now available on PlayStation 5 and PC to Deluxe Edition members, and will release for everyone on March 25th.
After a few hours with Ghostwire: Tokyo‘s first two chapters, I’m happy to say the game is off to a pretty good start.
For those unfamiliar, the latest game from Tokyo-based Tango Gameworks (The Evil Within) tells the story of a modern-day Tokyo that sees most of its inhabitants mysteriously disappear as deadly spirits called “Visitors” take over. Amid the chaos, a young man named Akito is bonding with a spirit detective, KK, and together, the two set out to investigate.
So far, the plot itself is unfolding somewhat slowly, with many questions still remaining. All I really know so far is that Akito is looking for his ailing sister, who was kidnapped by the Visitors, while KK himself has a shady past he largely keeps to himself. What this means is that neither character is particularly interesting at the moment, and I don’t find myself yet invested in their personal goals. That said, there’s an admittedly amusing rapport between the two, especially as you explore the city. In one moment, Akito might scold KK for leaving his base messy, leading KK to dryly ask if he’d prefer to clean it instead. In another, KK expresses impatient frustration should Akito enthusiastically stop to pet a dog or shop. (And yes, there’s both English and Japanese audio, the latter of which I’d recommend for the most immersive experience.)
On a broader level, though, Ghostwire‘s setting feels like a character of its own, and its most deeply compelling one, at that. The bright lights of buildings, convenience stores and cars suggesting a lived-in city are brilliantly juxtaposed with the dreary, almost noir-esque rainy aesthetic, creating an engrossing atmosphere, especially in first-person. It’s often creepy, but it’s never outright horror, if you’re someone who gets spooked easily. While the actual graphical fidelity is underwhelming, especially for a PS5- and PC-only title, the universally strong art direction makes up for that. You’ll especially appreciate the views from rooftops, which you’ll eventually be able to access using winged spirits for a nice added layer of verticality.
That said, Tango’s Tokyo manages to be sizeable enough to encourage exploration but not so bloated as to feel overwhelming. Instead, Ghostwire is more so about creating an overall eerie vibe that’s bolstered by a detailed city and delightful collectibles to teach you about Japanese culture. As someone who was fortunate enough to travel to Tokyo for the first time right before the pandemic, I adore how true-to-life Ghostwire‘s rendition feels.
But even removing that, I’m enjoying the game’s approach to sidequests. Periodically, you’ll come across friendly spirits that require assistance, such as cleansing a haunted home or finding out what happened to someone’s sibling. What’s great about these is they’re effectively short stories — 30-minutes-or-less escapades which flesh out both the folklore-inspired supernatural world and Atiko and KK’s personalities. They also net you decent amounts of rewards put towards upgrading your abilities and buying items, which make them fulfilling from a progression standpoint, as well. Chief among these is your collection of displaced innocent souls, which can be converted into XP and money.
Now, if you’re wondering why I’ve spent this long talking about everything but the combat, that’s because it’s Ghostwire‘s weakest element so far. To be clear: it’s by no means bad. In fact, it’s even cool to a degree. Through KK, Akito can use different forms of elemental magic — known here as “Weavings” — to fight off the Visitors. The mix of hand animations and particle effects makes magic look wonderfully flashy, while the DualSense adds a layer of punchiness through satisfying vibrations. From a presentational level, at least, it’s pretty unique.
The problem, though, is that it’s otherwise just serviceable and lacking in depth at present. Sure, it’s neat how each spell so far has its own use case. Wind Weavings are your basic rapid-fire blasts, while Fire Weavings cause powerful concentrated explosions and Water Weavings cover a wider range. Deal enough damage and you’ll expose an enemy’s core, which you can target for instant execution. But as a whole, there hasn’t been much variety in how I actually approach encounters. The enemy types up until this point, while certainly effectively creepy in their demonic, Slender Man-esque appearances, don’t really require any kind of strategy beyond getting blasted with your Weavings. And while there’s a stealth system for quick takedowns when behind an enemy or from afar with a bow, it feels very rudimentary. Hopefully, something expands with the combat soon to give it some substance to go with its ample style.
Because otherwise, Ghostwire is proving quite enjoyable. The core dynamic between the leads is fun, the Tokyo setting is beautifully realized and the sidequests offer gratifying glimpses into a rich culture. Those are the reasons to play for now, rather than the supernatural battles.
I’ll have more on Ghostwire: Tokyo in the coming days ahead of its March 25th on PlayStation 5 and PC on March 25th. In the meantime, there’s a free KK-focused visual novel prequel available on the PlayStation Store.
Bethesda has confirmed that its upcoming PS5 and PC exclusive, Ghostwire: Tokyo, will release on March 25th.
While that date had been leaked by the PlayStation Store earlier this month, the publisher has now corroborated it. What’s more, a special Ghostwire-centric presentation has been set for Thursday, February 3rd at 5pm ET. Bethesda is promising “new gameplay and behind-the-scenes details” in the showcase.
Originally revealed back in June 2019, Ghostwire: Tokyo is a first-person action-adventure game from The Evil Within developer Tango Gameworks, the team overseen by Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami. The game portrays a Tokyo that has been overrun by paranormal Visitors, leaving Akito, one of the last living humans, to join forces with a spirit and save the city.
Ghostwire: Tokyo is one of many high-profile PS5 games this year, including this month’s Horizon Forbidden West, March’s Gran Turismo 7, May’s Forspoken and God of War: Ragnarök (TBA 2022).
It’s worth noting, however, that Ghostwire: Tokyo is expected to come to Xbox at some point down the line. As it stands, PlayStation has a one-year console exclusivity on the game, so it could, in theory, release on Xbox after March 25th, 2023. Interestingly, though, Xbox now owns Bethesda, which makes this the second Xbox Game Studios title to be published first on PlayStation, after last year’s Deathloop.
This will be PlayStation’s second showcase of the week, following February 2nd’s Gran Turismo 7-focused stream.
