Ghostwire: Tokyo Reviews
Ghostwire: Tokyo is one of the most immersive games I've delved into in recent years. It's one of those games you don't expect; of which you start with a raised eyebrow and end them with your mouth open. Tango Gameworks proves with him that moving away from Survival Horror, at least this time, has been the right decision. I will have a hard time forgetting this paranormal dimension of Tokyo.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Still, there are some truly gorgeous dynamic action sequences that were welcome surprises, and a pleasantly playful sense of art direction that kept the more tedious times spent with Akito and KK from sagging. Even if the idea of a modern satire disguised as a horror-style mystery isn’t quite your bag, “Ghostwire” is a creative delight as a sort of alt-universe Tokyo sim, especially if you crave the feeling of hanging out in a FamilyMart (“FujiyaMart”) again.
Ghostwire Tokyo is a peculiar and charismatic open world, with a rewarding combat system and a fascinating location to explore.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Despite these issues, it has a compelling story, and I enjoyed the journey from start to finish.
Solid and definitely have an audience. There could be some hard-to-ignore faults, but the experience is fun.
A unique game, set in modern Tokyo but full of references to japanese folklore, yokai and oni. We love exploration and side missions, designed as small ghost stories, but combat mechanics are too basic because of the limited enemy AI.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Ghostwire: Tokyo dazzles with its supernatural set pieces and folklore-driven storytelling, though its open-world tropes lack the same creative edge.
Ghostwire: Tokyo was not the game I was expecting from Tango Gameworks, but I definitely enjoyed it. Blending magic-filled FPS action with Japanese mythology and an open world Tokyo that reminds me of the Yakuza series, it stands out from the crowd even if it's not truly groundbreaking. Ghostwire has a lot of potential as a new franchise and I'm looking forward to seeing what Tango Gameworks does with it next.
Rarely has such a big budget game been based on such a thin gameplay premise, with this bafflingly dull first person action adventure that begins to run out of steam by the end of the tutorial level.
Ghostwire: Tokyo is, first and foremost, beautiful. Its realistic city elements blended with the ethereal and supernatural create a cornucopia of amazing visuals and sound. Even when the hardware struggles to keep up sometimes, it’s never so much so that the game loses that sense of mystery and awe. Just as well, a big part of that is Tango Gameworks’ creative adaptation of Japanese mythology and lore. Their takes on monsters, demons, ghost stories, and various legends come to life in a massive variety of fascinating ways, whether it’s the situations you encounter, the ways you fight against them, or the elements that aid you.
Ghostwire: Tokyo is the game I think we were all hoping for when it was announced. The eerie streets of an empty Tokyo draw you in and promptly scare you senseless with some fascinating enemies lurking around every corner. The story shines exactly when it needs to and then fades into the backdrop, allowing you to experience this sensational world. From the incredible voice work and writing, to the well-paced combat and city exploration, this is a must-play experience with plenty to do across its 20 hours.
While it still has room to grow, Ghostwire: Tokyo is truly a one-of-a-kind experience thanks to its breathtaking atmosphere, gorgeous open world, impressive stories, and exhilarating combat.
Ghostwire: Tokyo is an atmospheric and somewhat ambitious game, with a vertical semi-open world gameplay arena dotted with ghoulish nasties and side-quests steeped in folklore, atop a supernatural thriller plot. The game's combat is sluggish initially, but it becomes increasingly satisfying as you unlock more powers. Weaving elemental magic sprinkled with some stealth elements for good measure. Sadly, everything new and fresh Ghostwire: Tokyo brings to the table is hamstrung by the game's awful performance on Xbox, which makes the game a true slog.
'Ghostwire: Tokyo’s vision of Shibuya is eccentric and captivating. Exploring every nook and cranny to learn more about the Japanese myths and legends that inspired the game makes for a compelling gameplay hook. It’s a shame that despite some interesting ideas, parts of the story campaign feel like they were left on the cutting room floor.
Survival horror maestros Tango Gameworks return with an altogether more spiritual adventure
If the idea of yet another 50+ hour open-world game sounds exhausting, then Ghostwire: Tokyo might be for you. Even if you aren’t a fan of horror games, then don’t be dissuaded. While it leans heavily into the iconography and some of its enemy designs can be unsettling, it’s firmly rooted in the action genre and rarely deviates beyond the very occasional jump scare.
At times it feels like the game’s incredible art direction, music and visual style deserve a game that’s better mechanically, but when it all comes together, Ghostwire Tokyo is one of the more memorable recent games in the triple-A space, if you can ignore its gameplay stumbles.
Anyone who played and enjoyed Ghostwire: Tokyo the first time, and has Xbox Game Pass, will certainly want to make another run at it and check out the improvements and new content. For those who missed it at release, it’s maybe even easier to recommend Ghostwire: Tokyo now. Be warned that the first few hours ramp up fairly slowly and the supernatural combat is both creative and a little unpolished. Still, the narrative, world-building, lore, and unique approach to the first-person action game help make Ghostwire: Tokyo both successful and a bit different.
Listen, I really liked Ghostwire Tokyo quite a bit; the story of Akito trying to save his sister and KK’s need for revenge made a good pairing. As I said above both men grew over the course of the adventure and ended it differently than they began and that is what I love to see from any story…. growth. The spooky bits here aren’t as intense as Tango is usually known for and that may be due to the FPS nature of the action in the game but nonetheless Ghostwire Tokyo is a game that should be played and since its finally come home to Xbox the barrier of entry is even lower and if you like ghosts and things this one won’t disappoint.