A fairly robust re-release that features an upgrade path for existing owners, Ghost of Yotei: Complete Edition offers both an additional chapter in Atsu’s quest for revenge, titled Echoes of Sekigahara, and the introduction of an entirely new game mode.
For the purposes of this article, I’ll be focusing almost exclusively on these two new additions – so if you’re looking for an overview of Yotei’s core experience, be sure to check out Liam’s original. Yotei’s Ghost PS5 review.
We’ll start with the new story campaign, in which our bloodthirsty protagonist tracks down a previously anonymous acquaintance, Nagato the Beautiful.
After coming across a wanted poster for the man himself, Atsu travels to the Ashoro Foothills, a newly added and fully explorable region separate from the main game’s map.
There, she hopes to find out why her former friend is thinking about northern Japan – but she’s also eager to reopen old wounds.
As the expansion progresses, we learn a lot more about Atsu and Nagato’s relationship and ultimately how it all fell apart. The story offers a new perspective on Atsu’s personality and partly explains why she is so unbalanced during the opening hours of the base game.
However, Echoes of Sekigahara isn’t as heavy on flashback sequences as I thought it would be. The DLC’s marketing made it seem like the adventure would be split equally between the past and present, but that’s far from the case.
In reality, we only get a few glimpses of Atsu’s time during the crucial Battle of Sekigahara; 95% of the expansion is spent traversing and shedding blood through the foothills of Asoro, in very typical Ghost of Yotei fashion.
That’s not necessarily a complaint, though. The use of Sekigahara as a storytelling device is really well done, and the flashbacks add surprising weight to the tension between Atsu and Nagato.
However, it’s worth mentioning that the expansion is specifically set before the main game ends. So if you’re like me and returning to Yotei after finishing it I don’t know how many months ago, the narrative framing will definitely catch you off guard.
It takes around 8-10 hours to complete the campaign, so in terms of scale the whole thing is roughly comparable to one of Yotei’s existing regions. It features all your usual activities, like bounty hunting, side quests, and climbing a particularly impressive mountain shrine.
In terms of action, there isn’t much that differentiates the DLC from the base version. There are several minor additions, such as the inclusion of “massive” weapons – super-powerful clubs and hammers that fall apart after a certain number of heavy hits – but enemy types and encounter design remain largely static.
Even the boss fights feel a little familiar, though they certainly don’t lack intensity. It may not be an endgame expansion per se, but it provides a suitable challenge at times, even for a fully equipped Atsu.
Overall then, I would say that Echoes of Sekigahara is a solid addition to Atsu’s story, especially in terms of bringing even more emotional depth to his character. But I’d have a hard time calling it must-have DLC, and it’s probably a pretty tough sell if you’re already sick of Yotei.
HoweverComplete Edition’s new Most Wanted mode is all killer, no filler, and it gives the whole thing some serious value.
It’s a single-player roguelike offering that you can select from the main menu, and it essentially exists as a standalone experience, much like Legends multiplayer.
In it, you go through a series of (somewhat random) fights, culminating in a boss battle against one of the Yotei Six. Along the way, you can choose between ability-enhancing perks that can have a huge impact on your playstyle.
Most Wanted is exactly what you’d expect, but there’s plenty to unlock, and the game’s already slick and satisfying combat system can really shine. For fans of Yotei’s existing action, it’s a fiendishly addictive waste of time.
There’s just enough depth for you to invest in, too. The mode has its own skill trees and other means of progression, while its four playable characters – including Ghost of Tsushima’s Jin Sakai – bring their own strengths, weaknesses and abilities to the party.
In short, it’s actually a lot of fun – and if you’re worried that a combat-focused mode will require mastery of Yotei’s action, don’t be. Just like in the main game, you are free to adjust the difficulty as you see fit.
Conclusion
Echoes of Sekigahara isn’t the endgame expansion you’d expect – but it’s another enjoyable and emotionally charged chapter in Atsu’s story. But what really sells this reissue is Most Wanted; The new combat-focused roguelike mode is an absolute treat for anyone who loves to cross swords in Sucker Punch’s samurai epic.
Ghost of Yotei: Complete Edition deserves an easy recommendation if you haven’t yet dove into the base game, but even if you come back for more, there’s enough reason here to join Atsu on his bloody journey.
Gn tech
