Support NeoGAF

[Draugoth]

- Genre: RPG, Open-World, First-Person, Horror

- Platforms:

• PlayStation 5
• PC, Microsoft Windows

- Media:

• Ghostwire: Tokyo - February 2022 Official Showcase | PS5
• GhostWire: Tokyo – Gameplay Reveal Trailer | PS5

- Developer: Tango Game Works
- Publisher: Bethesda Softworks, Microsoft
- Price: $59.99 USD / £49.99 GBP / 59,99€ EUR / $79.99 CAD
- Release Date: March 25, , 2022
- More Info: | Official Page



Review Aggregator (Opencritic): 73/100 - 48 critics

Review Aggregator (Metacritic): 73/100

Critic Reviews:

AusGamers - Kosta Andreadis - 7 / 10

Ghostwire: Tokyo is an experience where immersion and originality is born from the technical and artistic brilliance on display, and the care and attention to detail Tango has put into every building and alley-way you discover.

---

Bazimag - Sina Golabzade - Persian - 8.5 / 10

It’s not every day that we get to experience a Japanese ghost story of this caliber in the world of video games but Ghostwire: Tokyo utilizes its setting in the best way possible and uses the audio-visual presentation to heighten the whole atmosphere even. Although at the beginning the aiming has an imprecise feel to it, the combat is designed in a way that is quite fun and also leaves a room for experimentation but the open world’s structure feels a little outdated while the design of the city is great.

---

But Why Tho? - Mick Abrahamson - 7 / 10

Ghostwire: Tokyo offers a lot of good but it’s hidden behind even more tedium. I'm left wishing that the team had more time to polish their ideas. It's hard for me to recommend Ghostwire: Tokyo. That isn’t to say I didn’t have fun with what's made well. What doesn’t, though, feels like it patches and ultimately bogged down my experience.

---

Cubed3 - Renan Fontes - 7 / 10

Level design is perhaps too restrained when it comes to eclectic set pieces, but the open world packs itself full of secrets while pacing its main content out appropriately. Ghostwire: Tokyo is a worthy entry in Tango Gameworks' catalogue.

---

EGM - Mollie L Patterson - 8 / 10

Ghostwire: Tokyo offered Japanese developer Tango Gameworks a chance to mix things up after the first two The Evil Within games, and the result is an open-world action adventure that definitely has its moments. Unfortunately, those moments come together with some missed potential and a lack of truly fleshing out all of the ideas presented. In the end, Ghostwire: Tokyo is a good game-but one that could have been something more.

---

FingerGuns - Miles Thompson - 9 / 10

A smaller, more condensed open world hides the ethereal reality of a game which has a touching narrative, beautifully conceptualised neon Tokyo to explore and a wealth of folklore tales to weave your way through. Ghostwire: Tokyo stays true to the well-worn formula of open-world games, but the genuineness of its ideals make it a compelling and at times, other-worldly experience. Find the time for this next 2022 gem. It deserves it.

---

Game Informer - Blake Hester - 8 / 10

The things I like about GhostWire, I really like. I'd go so far as to say that some elements – its world, enemy design, etc. – are among my favorites in a game in years. That said, there are plenty of elements, such as story and gameplay, where GhostWire is hardly up to snuff.

---

Game Rant - Joshua Duckworth - 3.5 / 5

Tango Gameworks' Ghostwire: Tokyo builds a paranormal mystery in a grounded setting but loses some of its shine in its pacing and combat.

---

Gameblog - French - 7 / 10

Ghostwire Tokyo is a pretty good game, entertaining, but it shouldn't be unforgettable. Artistically, it is very beautiful, the city of Tokyo is pleasant to explore but gameplay mechanics do not follow and are a bit outdated.

---

Gamerheadquarters - Jason Stettner - 8.7 / 10

Ghostwire Tokyo is a great supernatural finger blasting psychological thriller filled with wild action and the odd dog petting.

---

GamesHub - Edmond Tran - 3 / 5

Ghostwire: Tokyo’s open world city is beautiful, and its world-building, environment and creature designs are also excellent. But even with a sensible runtime and a brisk plot, the game spends too much time engaging you in repeating, unchanging, and unexciting activities. It’s the terrible and taxing curse of open world monotony, plaguing a piece of work that otherwise has so many unique and original ideas.

---

Gaming Nexus - Henry Yu - 8 / 10

I didn't know what to expect with Ghostwire: Tokyo at first. It uniquely meshes aspects of horror and action with the deep mythos of Japanese folklore. The game absolutely crushes it in terms of visual and technical performance, utilizing every feature of next-gen on the PlayStation 5. However, its disappointing narrative and repetitive open world features hold it back from being truly amazing.

---

GamingTrend - Richard Allen - 80 / 100

Ghostwire: Tokyo is a unique blend of FPS, RPG, and horror with a creative twist on how we approach fighting in an FPS. Despite a few grievances about the length and ambition of the project, it is still a good game, but unfortunately it merely toes the line between good and great, never quite finding its footing. Still, Ghostwire: Tokyo is well worth picking up.

---

Geek Culture - Jake Su - 8.5 / 10

Ghostwire: Tokyo invites players on an unearthly walk through a wonderfully realised city, and captures our imagination at almost every turn when it comes to humans, relationships, loss, and the paranormal, even if there are stumbles along the way.

---

Hardcore Gamer - Jordan Helm - 3.5 / 5

A common criticism you've no doubt identified throughout this assessment is that certain aspects don't offer enough - not least when the foundation is clearly there - to give Tango's latest that critical edge over its peers.

---

IGN - Cam Shea - 7 / 10

With superb visual design and an incredibly well-realised rendition of Tokyo, Ghostwire gets a lot right, but just doesn't quite have the gameplay chops to push it over the top.

---

INVEN - Hongman Yoon - Korean - 8 / 10

'Ghostwire: Tokyo' is an exciting action game with unique depiction of scary urban legends and an exorcism. The combination of creepy ambience and stylish exorcism-action give us a good reason to love this game. However, sloppy boss fight and lack of variety on monsters can be a bit of demerit for those who wish to deep dive into this neon-covered streets of Tokyo.

---

Infinite Start - Grant E. Gaines - 7.5 / 10

Overall, I would say I enjoyed playing through Ghostwire: Tokyo. Some of this might just be my love of the setting and overall culture, though it’s unique and often fascinating. It’s just a shame a wide variety of choices hold it back. Turning an open-world game into a long series of checkboxes is rarely good, with combat following an odd curve. It starts fun, then feels unsatisfying, followed by it slowly building back to being fun. Given it eventually becomes a satisfying experience I would say it’s worth considering, though it is absolutely not an experience I’d say is for everyone.

---

Inverse - George Yang - 7 / 10

'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.

---

Kakuchopurei - Alleef Ashaari - 60 / 100

In a world that's already saturated with open-world games, it's disappointing that Ghostwire Tokyo doesn't do much to distinguish itself and instead relies on tired tropes. Add simplistic combat and annoying mechanics to that mix, and the game doesn't have much to stand on. The only saving graces are the flashy visuals and aesthetics, as well as attention to detail in other areas such as environments and creepy monster designs.

---

Metro GameCentral - GameCentral - 4 / 10

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.

---

New Game Network - Alex Varankou - 62 / 100

Ghostwire: Tokyo has an interesting setting, but a lackluster story, monotonous combat, and disappointing visuals make for a forgettable adventure that doesn't justify its next-gen-only status, or the full asking price.

---

Next Gen Base - Ben Ward - 8 / 10

A fun, supernatural romp in a wonderfully recreated depiction of one of the most recognisable cities on the planet, Ghostwire: Tokyo is let down somewhat by combat that feels simplistic in places, and borderline clunky at worst. The location, unsettling atmosphere and story are by far the stars here, with a really fun plotline that will do more than enough to convince most people to see it through. A true example of next-gen visual flair, Ghostwire: Tokyo is a curiosity that will allow you to pet, rather than kill, the cat.

---

One More Game - Vincent Ternida - Buy

Overall, Ghostwire: Tokyo is a decent game that provides a surprisingly fun time with its open world and intriguing side quests, but it may not be a game for everybody as the action and open-world mechanics will expect some effort from its audience. Despite that, the game deserves a playthrough for its unique immersion and thematic elements, and I hope Tango Gameworks takes this groundwork and improves on it for future titles.

---

PCGamesN - Nic Reuben - 7 / 10

The main story soon falls into repetition, and its side content is bloated with busywork, but exploring and fighting your way through Tango’s eerie, detailed rendition of Shibuya is where Ghostwire: Tokyo shines.

---

Polygon - Justin McElroy - Unscored

Ghostwire: Tokyo’s charm can’t make up for its frustrations

---

PowerUp! - James Wood - 7 / 10

There’s a great game just beneath the surface in Ghostwire: Tokyo obscured and pained by the pretty good one layered on top. Not too dissimilar to the men that lead it, the game is flawed and prone to mistakes that drive away affection it rightfully deserves. But it’s trying and in the end, that’s all that really matters.

---

Press Start - James Mitchell - 7.5 / 10

A compelling concept and a beautifully realised world, Ghostwire: Tokyo leverages Japanese folklore and a unique combat system to provide a unique open-world experience. While some aspects of the combat feel underdeveloped and the game structure has been done-to-death, Ghostwire: Tokyo's uniqueness helps it stand well above where you'd expect it to.

---

Prima Games - Lucas White - 6.5 / 10

If being screamed at by giant crows appeals to you, then boy howdy here’s a videogame for you specifically.

---

Push Square - Liam Croft - 6 / 10

Ghostwire: Tokyo feels like a step back from what Tango Gameworks has produced in the past. While its combat system is fun in bursts, it becomes repetitive far too quickly. The open world is jam-packed with busywork, and the story doesn't go anywhere interesting either. Excellent PS5 DualSense controller support, haunting elements, and nice visuals aside, Ghostwire: Tokyo will have to go down as a miss.

---

Rock, Paper, Shotgun - Matthew Castle - Unscored

Open world Tokyo hosts ghost-fighting, soul-collecting and a little too much flimsy busywork in between.

---

SECTOR.sk - Peter Dragula - Slovak - 7.5 / 10

Japanese take on demons in open world of Tokyo is something new and comes with good story and deep combat, but also with repetitivity.

---

Shacknews - TJ Denzer - 9 / 10

Quote not yet available

---

Sirus Gaming - Casey David Muir-Taylor - 7.5 / 10

Ghostwire Tokyo is not a bad game, but it never reaches the greatness I’d seen Tango Gameworks do previously. If you’re a fan of open-world games, collecting things, and love side content, it might be something you enjoy, but be wary of the game’s narrative and battles. With those, you’re in for a bit of corporeal punishment.

---

TheSixthAxis - Nick Petrasiti - 8 / 10

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.

---

Twinfinite - Andrew McMahon - 4.5 / 5

Ghostwire: Tokyo is a must-play for anyone who loves action-adventure, even with some less than inventive design choices for its structure.

---

UnGeek - Nicolo Manaloto - 7 / 10

Ghostwire: Tokyo is a game with an excellent atmosphere and great visuals but is let down by average gameplay and a forgettable story.

---

VG247 - Hirun Cryer - 4 / 5

While its leading pair and open world design stumble at times, Ghostwire’s wonderfully weird side stories and engrossing combat, more than pick up any slack and work in harmony with the game's more zany and offbeat elements to create a world that hasn't just got looks, but one hell of a spirit, too.

---

WayTooManyGames - Kyle Nicol - 9 / 10

Ghostwire: Tokyo is a delightfully intriguing and unique gaming experience that blends a wonderfully weird world with a great story and fast-paced combat. Despite some repetition in its open world activities, the pros more than outweight the cons. Tango Gameworks’ spooky adventure was worth the wait, and it is a game I can highly recommend.

---

Wccftech - Alessio Palumbo - 8 / 10

Ghostwire: Tokyo may be the best game yet from developer Tango Gameworks. It's a great and meaty action/adventure game featuring an enticing universe, solid combat, and excellent exploration of the wonderfully designed Tokyo.

---

We Got This Covered - David Morgan - 3 / 5

Ghostwire: Tokyo is, heartbreakingly, not spooky. It's also not particularly interesting, and I certainly didn't find it very fun to play. I'm sure genre-fanatics will find something to latch on to, but nothing ever quite hooked me enough to make the journey feel compelling.

---

WellPlayed - Kieron Verbrugge - 7.5 / 10

Despite its awkward pacing, one-note combat and tedious open world collectible hunting, Ghostwire: Tokyo is as unique and atmospheric as they come. Side-stepping its horror roots, Tango Gameworks delves into the depths of Japanese folklore and urban myth through the lens of the modern world and the results are as refreshingly charming as they are routinely unnerving.

---

Windows Central - Jez Corden - Unscored

Despite all of the quirks I've come to experience, I absolutely want to play more.

---

Worth Playing - Redmond Carolipio - 7.5 / 10

Despite my perceived flaws of Ghostwire: Tokyo, I'd still recommend it as something to experience to players of all levels, simply for the fact that I did enjoy playing it and learning from it. Also, I wanted to give respect to Tango Gameworks for heading in a somewhat different design avenue. It's a ghostbusting romp through Tokyo, and if someone asks if you want to play it, say yes.

---

XGN.nl - Stefan Stuursma - Dutch - 7 / 10

Ghostwire: Tokyo is a thrilling paranormal rollercoaster with ups and downs. Exploring the city of Tokyo is fun and defeating your first few enemies is a blast, its flaws also become apparent very quickly. The game lacks enemy variety and the same goes for Akito's weapon arsenal. Ghostwire gets a little repetitive and sadly doesn't find a way to fix that problem before the credits roll.

 

[OmegaSupreme]

I hope it's good. Low 80's maybe?

 

[Zones]

Another well reviewed Bethesda game, but unfortunately another commercial flop.

Edit: Reviews are okey but not too hot. Game will certainly flop now.

 

[adamsapple]

Another well reviewed Bethesda game, but unfortunately another commercial flop.

We don't know either of those yet lol.

 

[Hendrick's]

Another well reviewed Bethesda game, but unfortunately another commercial flop.

Reviewed well where? I expect this to score in the 70s. Regardless, it will get plenty of hands on it once it hits Game Pass.

 

[fart town usa]

Predicting lots of 7s, a few 8s, and probably lots of 6s as well.

Reading about the investigative/mystery aspect has me really interested.

 

[Haggard]

Expecting a 70s range game with a very short commercial lifespan.

 

[Bartski]

84

 

[worldwithpyramids]

I saw one leaked review (since taken down) that gave it a 10.

GhostWire: Tokyo review: Look, Ma, No Heads!

archived 14 Mar 2022 16:34:10 UTC

archive.ph

"Ghostwire: Tokyo is a beautiful and eerie jaunt through the streets of Japan, coming face to face with lore and legend while fighting for your own quest and purpose. With seamless gameplay and fighting mechanics, 40 hours of exploration will seem like no time has gone by and it will leave you wanting more time running the glistening streets of Shibuya."

 

[Banjo64]

87 mc

 

[Punished Miku]

I'd expect 81-84. Above that exceeds my expectations.

Game looks great, but reviewers aren't usually kind to a first person game trying anything new. The previews don't really answer what kind of game it is also. Not sure if the enemy AI will carry the experience for the whole game, or if the horror / story elements deliver. Curious to see where it ends up. I'll be getting it regardless at a later date; just bought multiple other games.

 

[Draugoth]

I saw one leaked review (since taken down) that gave it a 10.

GhostWire: Tokyo review: Look, Ma, No Heads!

archived 14 Mar 2022 16:34:10 UTC

archive.ph

"Ghostwire: Tokyo is a beautiful and eerie jaunt through the streets of Japan, coming face to face with lore and legend while fighting for your own quest and purpose. With seamless gameplay and fighting mechanics, 40 hours of exploration will seem like no time has gone by and it will leave you wanting more time running the glistening streets of Shibuya."

Thanks

 

[John Bilbo]

69

 

[DenchDeckard]

Swimming in 7s with a few 6s and a few 8s.

 

[Ezekiel_]

Every game gets at least 85 these days unless very problematic

Edit : Was wrong lol

 

[adamsapple]

80~84 MC my prediction.

 

[Punished Miku]

Every game gets at least 85 these days unless very problematic

That's not true. Strangers in Paradise just came out at a 72. It has some issues, but it's actually awesome if you're into action game combat. Talk about shrinking the score range.

 

[Plantoid]

My guess: 8.8/10

Sadly, no PS5 here so I'm gonna wait 1 whole year

 

[Banjo64]

73 OC with 43 reviews in.

Shite.

Ghostwire: Tokyo Reviews

Ghostwire: Tokyo is rated 'Strong' after being reviewed by 202 critics, with an overall average score of 77. It's ranked in the top 33% of games and recommended by 66% of critics.

opencritic.com

 

[DonJorginho]

ShackNews - 9/10

Ghostwire: Tokyo review: A striking city of spirits

Bethesda Softworks and Tango Gameworks present an urban open world full of paranormal adventure, but does this spectral adventure stay sensational?

www.shacknews.com

We Got This Covered - 7.5/10 (LINK NOW DOWN)

Review: 'Ghostwire: Tokyo' takes Ubisoft's formula to Japan

Ghostwire: Tokyo is, heartbreakingly, not spooky. It's also not particularly interesting and I certainly didn't find it very fun to play. I'm sure genre-fanatics will find something to latch on to, but nothing ever quite hooked me enough to make the journey feel compelling.

wegotthiscovered.com

PressStart - 7.5/10

Ghostwire: Tokyo Review - A Dense And Wild Tour

Ghostwire: Tokyo Review - A Dense And Wild Tour

press-start.com.au

 

[GHG]

It's not good.

*goes back to playing Elden Ring*

 

[DonJorginho]

87 mc

73 OC with 13 reviews in.

Shite.

 

[Draugoth]

Thread has been updated

 

[TVexperto]

im already sick of the same takedown animation from the previews

 

[The Cockatrice]

I'll still get it as soon as Im done with stuff I want to replay but it looks like I was spot on from the gameplay videos: gameplay is a bit too easy/limited, it's not scary at all, and it's very short. Makes sense why that chick left(besides dealing with pregnancy) as she is a huge horror fan. Always thought this would end up as a scary surprise but the mroe I saw the less apealling it got. Anyway, still excited to play it when Im done with everything else. Rainy Japan is hard to refuse.

 

[Arun1910]

Guessing 72 or lower

 

[SJRB]

Why is there always one fucking moron with a 10/10 review score? Metacritic should implement a system that does not aggregate outliers.

 

[worldwithpyramids]

It's really disappointing that they went the open world checklist route with this game.

 

[Ulysses 31]

 

[fart town usa]

Oh wow, lots of 9s, and 8s.

Pretty cool. Could be a sleeper gem (even though it does have quite a bit of hype).

 

[AV]

Why is there always one fucking moron with a 10/10 review score? Metacritic should implement a system that does not aggregate outliers.

Censorship is never a good thing, no matter how absurd the content is.

Banning the "dissenting opinion" on a site about aggregating opinions is about as censorship as it gets

 

[Punished Miku]

Sounds like the previews were light because that's all there is really. A graphically nice looking Tokyo setting. Average combat, and western style checklist mission structure.

I'm down for that sometime later after a sale, or on gamepass. I still appreciate the originality shown in the combat, with spells, counters, melee finishers, etc.

 

[IbizaPocholo]

While it falls prey to many trappings of modern open world games, Ghostwire: Tokyo does so much in such a uniquely distinct way that it still stays with you. Though it's formulaic and relies on certain design tropes, the veneer wrapped around all of that still makes it feel like a very unique experience.

In a few months from now, when I think back on Ghostwire: Tokyo, that it has a "clear the map" open world probably won't be the thing that sticks with me- it will be how unique its tone and atmosphere are, how fun its combat it is, how eerie and psychedelic the experience feels, or how strangely affecting its quests could often be. And ultimately, that uniqueness is its biggest asset, even when it is paradoxically at odds with so much of its design being straightforward and mundane.

 

[gow3isben]

Won’t touch this cookie cutter first person open world in a million years

 

[retsof624]

I don’t usually say this but…

…I’ll wait until it’s on gamepass

 

[Tiago Rodrigues]

Deathloop and Ghostwire:Tokyo were such a waste of money for Sony.
These are the type of games no one buys but they could work for Gamepass tbh...

 

[mejin]

 

[Werewolf Jones]

This game does not look good. Not really believing the high scores.

 

[The Cockatrice]

Why is there always one fucking moron with a 10/10 review score? Metacritic should implement a system that does not aggregate outliers.

Same can be said about those with under 5/10. Unless a game is absolutely unplayable or in this 10/10 case flawless, then yeah these reviews should not exist nor be taken seriously.

 

[Karak]

Thanks for posting it.
Game is just absolutely boring and rough in so many ways.

 

[Elios83]

I had it preordered but given the scores and the fact the game right now would go straight into backlog (I'm close to the end of HFW after 70 hours and then there's Elden Ring and GT7 plus Chrono Cross next month), I think I'm waiting for a deal later this year.

 

[SLB1904]

69

Nice

 

[Topher]

I'll wait for Game Pass on this one. Plenty of other games to play.

 

[Tiago Rodrigues]

This game does not look good. Not really believing the high scores.

The game is at 73 of metacritic and it's probably going down more...

 

[Lognor]

I don’t usually say this but…

…I’ll wait until it’s on gamepass

I say it all the time, but this time you said it for me.

But I don't even know if I'll bother with it when it's on Game Pass. The gameplay videos never really did anything for me. I guess if I got nothing else to play I'll give it a go. But pay $60 for it? Nah

 

[SublimeCorruptor]

This is all because umbrellas and yellow raincoats aren't scary.

 

[fart town usa]

This game does not look good. Not really believing the high scores.

I think it's gonna be one of those things where if you're a fan of adventure/exploration, you'll probably take to it. If you want more combat, it's probably gonna be underwhelming.

Probably depends too on how much you enjoy Japanese folklore and if you have any prior history/understanding of it.

I do think it's going to be underwhelming but I'm really interested in the mystery/adventure aspect. Seems like a relatively chill game world to get lost in and explore.

 

[ByWatterson]

Looks like a game that would be fun for 30 minutes in VR.

 

[01011001]

it really is shocking how many people on here actually still care about review scores... I would have hoped only uninformed casuals actually still listen to what these wannabe critics have to say that have at times been exposed in the past to not even finish games they review or that completely ignored vital parts of them.

video game reviews are useless and should be ignored. that is especially true for reviews released on embargo day by mainstream outlets that rush out reviews because they need to be there day 1 with all the other reviews in order to garner clicks

just a reminder than the way better Evil Within 1 had a way lower score than the dogshit sequel... why? because the sequel was a homogenised game that was stripped of everything unique the first game had to offer, and in doing so became more mass compatible, which critics like because they don't have to actually think while playing.

never mind that the sequel had terrible controls with a shitload of input latency and awful aim acceleration, awful enemy design and boring Leveldesign

it was more mainstream compatible, and so it got an 80% average while the way better first game only reached a 73%

 

[Neko Mimi Mode]

The game is at 73 of metacritic and it's probably going down more...

That's the PS5 score. PC is at 79.