Ghost of Yotei Echoes of Sekigahara review: A beautiful reason to return to Ezo

As someone who lives and breathes story-mode games, I firmly believe that a good game is very different from a great one. You may game and have a smile on your face once the credits roll, but a great title will leave you wanting for more. And last year, Ghost of Yotei was that game for me. I still remember being completely awestruck by Atsu’s world and feeling like I wanted more despite completing 100% of the game. So naturally, when I got the opportunity to return to Atsu’s world once more thanks to the expansion, Ghost of Yotei: Echoes of Sekigahara, I was beyond elated.

The expansion arrives as part of Ghost of Yotei Complete Edition which is available for all PS5 players from today. Along with the narrative expansion, you also get a new single-player combat survival mode which will keep you hooked for hours. So should you get the complete edition? Read on as I answer in this review.

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The story of Echoes of Sekigahara

Ghost of Yotei already gave us plenty of reasons to care about Atsu, but this expansion takes a slightly different approach by showing us parts of her life that we had not seen before. The story moves between the present and Atsu’s past, including her time during the Battle of Sekigahara, while also introducing Nagato, someone from her past who arrives in Ezo.

Now, the story does take a little time to establish itself but give it around two hours and things start getting much more interesting. I found myself getting super invested in what was happening and simply didn’t want to stop playing. You get to see ‘the Onryo’ before she became the person we know from the main game, and this leads to a better understanding of the woman behind the revenge. If you haven’t played Ghost of Yotei before, I would strongly suggest buying the complete edition and playing this particular storyline on your first playthrough. You can get to Echoes of Sekigahara after spending around 10-11 hours playing the main story of the game. 

Now, talking about the expansion again, Atsu’s softer side is a major focus here. We get to see that beneath all the anger and violence, she is sometimes just a girl who wants love and peace in her life. But I am glad that Sucker Punch does not use this to make her feel weak. At no point did Atsu feel like a damsel in distress. If anything, she continues being the saviour. 

The story of Echoes of Sekigahara took me around five to six hours to complete. And it is worth mentioning that I did get distracted by a few bounties along the way. There is also plenty of side content that you unlock with this expansion and the best part is that it does not feel repetitive. So, even after completing the main story, there are reasons to spend some more time in this part of Ezo.

Now, the story is interesting for sure. But, is it perfect? I would have to say- not really. I found it a little abrupt and would have liked the game to spend more time arriving at the conclusion. I do understand why it had to end the way it did, but after spending several hours getting invested in Atsu and her past, I was left wanting a little more.

Ghost of Yotei is still ridiculously beautiful

If you have played Ghost of Yotei, you already know that the game is gorgeous. But coming back to it after a year and playing Echoes of Sekigahara in Ray Tracing Pro mode on my PS5 Pro was a different feeling altogether. PS: I played on a 55-inch OLED television which enhanced the entire experience even more.

Coming back to the game’s world, there were several moments when I would simply stop playing and look at the environment around me. Even the reflection of villagers in muddy puddles looked remarkably detailed. Then there are the sunsets reflecting on water, light passing through trees and the way the environment reacts to different sources of light. None of these things are particularly important to the story, but they make the world feel so much more believable.

The entire area that you unlock by purchasing the expansion is beautiful and has that natural charm that makes you want to forget about everything and just explore. In fact, there were moments when I really felt like booking a flight to Japan and experiencing its natural hot springs for myself.

That is what I think Sucker Punch does exceptionally well. The world does not feel like something you simply move through to get from one mission to another. It constantly gives you reasons to stop and admire what is going on. Sometimes it is a beautiful sunset, sometimes it is a small detail in the environment and sometimes you simply find yourself staring at the landscape without any real reason.

Even when you are simply travelling through Ezo, the lighting, reflections and environmental details come together to make the world feel almost like a photograph.

And then there is the Sakai Armour. If you pre-order the Complete Edition by September 30, you get an early unlock for Atsu on October 1. It is a throwback to Jin’s family armour from Ghost of Tsushima, and seeing Atsu wear it is every bit as cool as I expected. There are also additional masks and charms, which make the pre-order bonuses a nice addition for existing fans.

The combat gets some welcome additions

I did not expect Echoes of Sekigahara to completely change the combat system, and of course, it does not. Instead, Sucker Punch has added a few things that make an already satisfying combat system even more fun.

There is a new ability that Atsu can use during combat, and while I do not want to spoil exactly how it works, it is one of those additions that feels genuinely useful rather than something that has been added just to make the expansion feel new.

Then there are the heavy weapons. You can pick up heavy weapons dropped by enemies and use them yourself, and there is something incredibly satisfying about turning an enemy’s own weapon against them.

It also gives you another reason to pay attention to what is happening around you during a fight. Instead of simply relying on the weapons you already have, you can make use of what enemies leave behind and adapt your approach accordingly.

The core combat remains as satisfying as ever. The attacks have weight, the animations look fantastic and when you manage to chain everything together, fights still have that cinematic quality that made the original game so enjoyable.

The Complete Edition is more than just a story expansion

 Echoes of Sekigahara is only a part of what you are getting when you buy the Complete Edition. The other addition is Ghost of Yotei: Most Wanted, a new single-player combat survival mode that takes the game’s combat and gives it a roguelike twist. You accept bounties, start a run and take down waves of enemies. As you progress, you can earn perks and unlock additional characters, giving you more ways to approach each run. 

Atsu, for example, is good with the dual katana, while Oyuki uses the kusarigama and Nagato fights with a yari.

For someone like me who enjoys the combat in Ghost of Yotei, this mode is a nice way to keep playing even after finishing the story. It does not have to carry the weight of a narrative campaign and instead lets you focus entirely on fighting, experimenting with different characters and trying to get better at each run.

The Complete Edition also includes Ghost of Yotei Legends, the online co-op experience that supports up to four players and comes with multiple gameplay modes. You also get the content that was previously part of the Digital Deluxe Edition, along with the Charm of Hokkyokusei, new Photo Mode stamps, additional New Game Plus cosmetics and new Trophies for both Echoes of Sekigahara and Most Wanted.

The update also adds new tracks to Watanabe Mode, while another useful addition lets you keep the appearance of one armour set while using the stats of another. There is also a new high contrast accessibility option.

Should you upgrade?

After spending several hours with Ghost of Yotei Complete Edition, I am left with a very familiar feeling. I still want more. Echoes of Sekigahara gave me another look at a character I already loved, while Most Wanted gives the combat a completely different purpose. Add the extra cosmetics, Legends, New Game Plus content and the free quality-of-life additions, and there is quite a lot here for both new and existing players.

The expansion itself is not perfect. I wanted more from the climax and would have liked the story to elaborate on certain things. But those issues did not stop me from enjoying my time in Ezo.

And perhaps that is the biggest compliment I can give Ghost of Yotei Complete Edition. A year after finishing the original game, I returned to Atsu’s world and once again found myself stopping to admire the scenery, getting distracted by side activities and wanting to spend just a little more time in this world.

For a game that I had already completed 100 percent, Ghost of Yotei somehow managed to make me want to pick up the controller and start playing again. And that is no small feat. 

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