Ghostwire: Tokyo: PS5 Review

Developed by Tango Gameworks

Released by Bethesda

Platform: PS5

Tango Gameworks is more known for its somewhat dark and sinister Evil Within series.

But in truth, it should receive some acclaim for Ghostwire: Tokyo, a sort of throwaway game that makes great fist of its fantastical premise, and clever use of its mythology and the PS5 hardware.

You play Akito, a seemingly dead man in the middle of Tokyo's Shibuya district, who is possessed by a dead spirit after a mysterious fog transports everyone in the hustle and bustle of the area away. As the supernatural forces rise up and begin to stalk the streets, it's up to Akito and his possessor pal to save the day from the mastermind of it all - a menace in a Hannya mask.

But while Akito is just an everyman, whose sister seems to be connected to events, the possessor spirit, who goes by the name of KK, soon reveals he knows more about what is going on - and gifts Akito some of his beyond the grave powers to fight off the interlopers, rescue the spirits in Shibuya's skies and save the day.

There's a lot going for Ghostwire: Tokyo - from its neon-soaked aesthetics, to its slightly oddball side-quests and characters, there's a lot to engage with - and surprisingly, either in a short playing session or a longhaul game.

Side quests are relatively disposable and fun, from petting and feeding dogs, buying food from shop-owning floating cats to freeing spirits of missing family members, there's plenty to do around Shibuya and plenty to put down and do later, if you're so inclined. And there's a surprising depth to each individual story, even if graphically, they're just misshapen blue floating orbs of light and former life.

But that is also Ghostwire: Tokyo's curse - its ease-of-entry playing means that it never quite fully feels essential or reaches dramatic heights, but is content to settle for being just playable enough. Yet, that's no bad thing for Tango Gameworks' latest, which feels like moments of Detroit: Becoming Human has been mixed with a supernatural cocktail.

From foes that look like Buffy The Vampire Slayer's infamous Gentlemen to flying creatures that you can grapple onto to get around the city, Ghostwire: Tokyo makes great use of its open world (and brings to mind elements of the WatchDogs series)- even if sometimes, it starts to feel a little repetitive in tone and missions as it deals with after-effects of a mass rapture style event.

Graphically, the game's palette of supernatural neons and spooky colours serve it well, ensuring Shibuya is a place that while deserted, feels vibrant and alive in ways you'd never expect. Atmospherics work well, with the controller rumbling when foes are near, and the voice of your possessor coming from within the controller - it's little touches like the use of this 3D surround sound which helps Ghostwire: Tokyo achieve a sense of purpose and a clarity of vision that's worth engaging with.

Ghostwire: Tokyo may not seize the mainstream as perhaps other games have, but thanks to a real feeling of doing the basics right, it may be a cult title that endures long after the Game of the Year titles have come and gone.

A review code was provided by the publisher for the purposes of this review.