Formed in 2010 by survival horror legend Shinji Mikami,
Tango Gameworks embraced that legacy with their debut title The Evil Within and its sequel.
Now five years since their last release, Ghostwire: Tokyo shifts perspectives
for an action-oriented take on Japanese folklore and the supernatural.
Set in modern day Tokyo, a mysterious fog has enveloped the metropolis,
causing its citizens to vanish.
As the game’s main character Akito rides his motorcycle through the city to find his sister,
all hell breaks loose, and before he knows it, he’s been possessed by a former detective named KK.
Thankfully KK isn’t hostile, but
he has his own motivations for uncovering the source of the vanishing.
The two quickly realize they need each other and form an uneasy alliance
to save the lost souls of Tokyo.
The characters leave a lasting impression, but sadly
the story only scratches the surface of emotionally significant themes
like love and death.
While Tokyo’s population has disappeared,
supernatural visitors have started appearing in their place.
Headless school kids born from anxiety and uncertain futures,
tall faceless rain walkers pushed to the point of exhaustion by their work,
and other ghostly spirits roam the forsaken streets looking to end you.
Each visitor’s strength varies, but
hitting them enough times reveals a spirit core,
which can then be crushed with your bare hands or wire.
Staggering multiple enemies and crushing their cores
simultaneously looks, sounds, and feels immensely satisfying.
There are three ethereal weaving powers to use against the visitors.
Wind is a rapid fire attack, useful for picking off targets from a distance.
Water produces a close-quarters blast
capable of quickly dispatching and knocking back groups of encroaching foes,
while fire is incredibly powerful but has limited ammunition.
Each element can be charged up to launch an alternate attack
like a devastating explosive fireball.
Using the three powers in harmony is distinctly fulfilling,
pushing you to tactically prioritize targets while adapting to the mayhem.
There are also times when your bow and arrow may be the best option,
giving you pinpoint accuracy on distant targets.
Then, to round out the arsenal, a variety of talismans
can be used to great effect, allowing you to stun enemies or create decoys
to distract them for easier stealth takedowns.
Talismans are very powerful but also expensive to use,
so you have to think carefully about when to rely on them.
There are a ton of different upgrades and skill points to unlock
as you make your way through Tokyo,
and you can get cash by smashing certain objects and completing quests.
The economy is well balanced,
as ammo and healing items are relatively cheap,
but outfits, music, and other high priced items
will keep you desperately hunting for coin until the credits roll.
Hidden Jizo statues are also particularly important
as each one increases elemental ammo capacity.
Early on, running out of ammo mid-fight can be an issue,
so discovering these precious shrines is nearly as valuable as leveling up.
The most efficient way to gain XP is by gathering the lost souls of the city.
Throughout Tokyo you come across spirits trapped in limbo
that can be absorbed into paper katashiro.
Then you can use a special system installed in the phone lines
to transfer them safely out of the city.
Each zone tracks how many lost spirits have been saved,
and saving more unlocks additional bits of narrative
which can be even more precious than the XP.
All of the ways to upgrade your character flow together expertly,
making exploration and completing every task a rewarding proposition.
Tokyo is full of places from back alleys and eerily empty homes to rooftops
and the underground subway system.
Initially, the deadly fog acts as a barrier
that prevents you from reaching certain sections of the city,
but by sealing torii gates, the map slowly expands.
The process avoids feeling like a simple checklist, and side objectives
are slowly revealed throughout the adventure, so the amount of things to do
doesn’t become overwhelming or negatively distracting.
However, there are diminishing returns the longer Ghostwire: Tokyo lingers.
In the initial hours, unlocking skills and gaining power is felt dramatically,
but much too soon, combat encounters begin to feel similar,
in part due to limited enemy types.
The simple combat is a blessing and a curse, as it constantly feels good to engage with,
but the battle tactics never evolve past picking off targets in an efficient order.
Additionally, lesser side objectives like hunting yokai for rare resources
share the same basic structure,
cheapening encounters with notable creatures like the kappa.
Thankfully side quests offer great narrative opportunities
and combat scenarios that highlight Japanese folklore and the lost souls of Tokyo.
A hoarder’s house pulls in anything and everything within its reach until you can find the source,
while another scenario involves bloodthirsty cherry blossoms that hide a disturbing secret.
They offer compelling rewards like outfits,
and their brief length keeps the momentum from ever stalling.
The reverence for Tokyo and the supernatural is lovingly felt throughout Ghostwire
with lots of additional details to delve into in the database.
Encountering places and characters provides history and lore for yokai,
landmarks, and the enemies you face.
Entries even go into the history of food items you pick up from vendors.
While humans may have vanished, cats and dogs still roam the streets looking for some food and love.
After feeding dogs, they’ll lead you to buried loot.
Cats are more business-oriented
and manage the local convenient stores and specialty shops.
They even task you to look for special items that can be traded
for valuables and unlockables, further encouraging exploration.
Visually, Ghostwire: Tokyo looks striking,
with the neon glow of Tokyo shrouded in the sinister fog.
Traces of the lost are scattered everywhere as piles of clothing, luggage, and abandoned vehicles
shape the context of the sudden disorienting event
that has left you wandering the streets in isolation.
Tango is known for their inspired creature design, and while Ghostwire
doesn’t reach their earlier heights,
a handful of foes and situations are sure to please horror fans.
Ghostwire: Tokyo stands out with distinct elemental combat that feels fun to perform,
and great care has been put into its haunting urban settings.
The story and tactics lack development and variety in later chapters, but
it’s still worth exploring Tango’s spooky rendition of Tokyo.
Final score: 8 out of 10.
All our reviews are made possible by generous viewers just like you.
Check out patreon.com/easyallies to keep Easy Allies going
and get access to exclusive shows like Trash Babies,
where we pass the controller, dumpster diving through low-rated games.