As revealed in the recent State of Play presentation, Ghost of Yōtei is introducing significant changes to its combat system. The game shifts away from the style seen in Ghost of Tsushima, instead arming protagonist Atsu with a far more extensive collection of weapons and gadgets compared to Jin.
The State of Play gameplay deep dive characterizes Atsu not as a samurai or ninja, but as a `lone wolf mercenary,` and her fighting style clearly reflects this description. Unlike Jin, who had a limited set of weapons and primarily engaged enemies in pre-arranged duels or relied on stealth assassinations, Atsu is designed to comfortably handle open combat using a wide array of tools. Her arsenal includes melee weapons like a katana, spear, kusarigama, ōdachi, and dual swords, supplemented by ranged options such as a half bow, longbow, teppo, kunai, bombs, and even blinding powder.
The gameplay demonstration highlighted a rock-paper-scissors dynamic within Atsu`s weapons, indicating that specific tools are highly effective counters against particular enemy types. For instance, the ōdachi proves especially useful against larger adversaries, while dual swords are presented as superior for taking down spear-wielders. Ghost of Tsushima featured a similar counter-based system, but it was centered around Jin`s distinct combat *stances*, not his weapon choices.
It remains uncertain whether Yōtei`s new weapon-based system is intended as a complete replacement for Tsushima`s stance mechanic, but given that they appear to serve similar strategic roles in gameplay, this outcome seems probable.
Beyond her expanded weapon selection, Atsu can also disarm enemies and team up with other characters, notably a mysterious wolf companion accompanying her on her mission of vengeance. While we didn`t see extensive examples of this in action during the presentation, it`s not yet clear precisely how inviting allies along will influence the gameplay experience.
Presumably, a future showcase will offer a deeper look into Atsu`s stealth abilities and provide more details on how gameplay unfolds when allies are present. Regardless, the full game`s release is not far off. Ghost of Yōtei is scheduled to launch for PlayStation 5 on October 2.