Ghostwire Tokyo review by igamesnews.com

A paranormal investigation

Ghostwire Tokyo plunges us into the heart of a Japanese capital plagued by a strange phenomenon responsible for the disappearance of almost the entire population, except for a young Japanese man. Akito with his name managed to resist the mysterious fog that envelops the city thanks to the intervention of a spiritual being named KK. This merging gives the first an opportunity to save his younger sister, and the second to exact revenge on the master of the occult, Hannya, and the legions of Faceless who caused the tragedy that is sweeping Tokyo.

An open-world action-adventure game risks crumbling its scenario without ever being able to enforce it. After a hard-hitting introduction and a highly-written first act, It has to be acknowledged that the story is taken back to the point where she sometimes becomes a spectator of her own story. The staging, which is mainly there to expose the plot, puts the small dishes in the big ones when the need is the law, and serves us high-end cinematics, certainly few, but perfectly executed. Note that Ghostwire Tokyo has Japanese and English dubbing and French subtitles (VOSTFR or VASTFR).

The screenwriters also rely on gameplay narrative through sequences that lack neither fantasy nor poetry to drive the plot forward. The young hero and his alter ego go through all the emotions, and so do we, during dreamlike sequences that are visually stunning, inspired by both the 7th art, especially terror, and Japanese folklore. From these moments of weightlessness, in which the notions of time and space lose all common sense, a creativity that borders on melancholy emerges. So the main underlying theme of the story, which is sadness, thrives both through the content, the story of Akito and KK, and through the form… the gameplay.

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A cleaning of the city of Tokyo

With Ghostwire Tokyo, Tango Gameworks takes on the challenge of creating a believable open world that replicates the nerve center of Japan’s capital at 1:1 scale. The studios, overseen by Shinji Mikami, promised us life-size Tokyo, and they kept their word. Stretching as far as the eye can see (or almost), the city of Tokyo is filled with iconic locations to be discovered in a new supernatural light. Sure, the city is depopulated, which the scenario fully justifies, but it’s neither empty nor uninteresting. Tokyo wants to be both realistic and exotic, true and paranormal; familiar and enigmatic.

A heavy end-of-the-world atmosphere emerges from this urban labyrinth. Despite environments that end up being repetitive, the joy of discovery remains throughout an adventure that takes about fifteen hours to complete in a straight line (30 hours to complete the game 100%). With its codes, its gimmicks and a story unique to itself, the Japanese city becomes a character in its own right. Tango Gameworks transforms this metropolis into a field full of possibilities with its share of main and side missions that are sometimes superfluous and this desire to break through the walls. Exploration isn’t just about wandering the streets, but plays with the notion of verticality, taking Akito to both the rooftops and the basements of the city.

Technically, the new creation by Tango Gameworks doesn’t have to be ashamed of the competition. On the contrary, the title turns out to be solid, bug-free, which guarantees a smooth process, and offers a total change of scenery with its polished visuals. Ghostwire Tokyo won’t be remembered as a graphics revolution, but that doesn’t matter. Its main strength lies in its unique atmosphere, unparalleled, and its ability to surprise with an artistic direction that blends urban environments and supernatural elements. for a rarely (if ever) seen result. The visual effects deserve special mention, especially those that transfer the hero’s powers to the screen.

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The Art of Exorcism

Here, Tango Gameworks abandons the codes of survival horror and reappropriates those of action-adventure games. Ghostwire Tokyo relies on numerous and intense conflicts, not on survival and careful use of resources. There are many health restoration items and a notion of “ammo”, but this turns out to be secondary or even tertiary. The title focuses with unsettling ease on the use of the powers of the hero he wields, and by extension, on us. Out of combat comes a simple and exhilarating, even intoxicating, pleasure in mastering the elements and our destiny.

The first-person perspective, which may confuse more than one, reinforces this sense of immersion and emphasizes the urgency of the situation. The limited field of vision and blind spots reinforce this ever-present feeling of not being alone. Nonetheless, Akito and KK can rely on their supernatural abilities, Aetherweaving, to overcome a bestiary diverse enough to renew the interest of the clashes, and the same goes for the objectives entrusted to them. Without really revolutionizing the genre, Tango Gameworks is characterized by its esoteric approach to first-person action games.

Exorcists are also lured into hiding, especially when Akito and KK are separated, and using “deadly” weapons, starting with a bow and various multi-property talismans. These infiltration phases, admittedly few, enrich the trip without really changing its tone. The puzzles, bosses, and other gameplay variations that the Japanese studios have come up with serve the same goal, which is to break a certain sense of repetition inherent in the genre. Eventually, Ghostwire Tokyo is not perfect, repetitive at moments but shows originalityAnd that is the main thing.

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spiritual learning

At the beginning of the adventure, Akito and his ethereal alter ego KK are unable to face Hannya. In order to gain power and unlock new abilities, they are invited to free as many souls as possible, cleanse the Japanese city and complete various objectives, including in exchange for a significant gain in experience and a level up. you would have understood Ghostwire Tokyo picks up mechanics from role-playing games without making them predominant. This light RPG dimension, present in many modern games, makes us all the more immersed in the adventure and strengthens our emotional bond with the protagonists, directly influencing their destiny.

Eventually, 100% of the hero’s skills and other abilities will be unlocked. While the path varies from player to player, the goal is definitely the same. Akito and KK are dedicated to mastering the art of exorcism as a whole. However, it is possible to favor certain rosaries with different properties to be endowed according to current objectives, opting for a specific outfit whose interest in the latter is purely aesthetic. Ghostwire Tokyo is primarily an action-adventure game, and as such limits gameplay and cosmetic customization to a few options.

Conclusion