You know, I sort of hate this game in a way. After somewhat underwhelming TEW and then fantastic, way more self-aware and less in-your-face TEW2, Tango Gameworks went to abandon the entire horror setting, creating a game that ultimately plays just like another open-world game (coming very close to Far Cry), and yet - lacking some cool mechanics that would mix things up like those games.

On one hand - with a western world seemingly hell-bent on burning most of its cultural inheritance in a vague attempt to create a world that lacks elements that could start internal conflicts - Ghostwire: Tokyo just says f*** it and leans fully into Japanese mythologies and sporadically brings small elements of Japanese history. For Westerner - the result is highly surreal and unique as far as aesthetics, characters and - in part - world go. It is the single, strongest element of the game that elevates it from the crowd.

But on other hand - unfortunately - the game does not do enough in terms of its gameplay and side quest variety, to prevent dreadful thoughts of it feeling "like another open-world game", where instead of guns, you shoot magic (which lacks the impact that the guns usually in games have), where enemies constantly respawn in old areas and where the world - even more condensed - still feels empty and still is filled with way to many collectables to make sure the maximum possible playtime is stretched way beyond any reasonable limit that its content provides.

So ultimately I don't know what to do with this game - I admire it a lot for having the balls to submerge itself in the Japanese mythology, setting and history. But I also hate it for how little does to differentiate itself from - what now is - a generic first-person open-world template. I sure as hell don't regret buying the game, its main story - even though at moments being stretched - isn't stretched beyond the reasonable limits (like for example Far Cry 5 did). But for the full price, I would probably not buy it. Not with its technical issues and underwhelming side-quests. The sense of dread that previous Tango Gameworks' game used to have now missing also doesn't help. But with as more than 50% off its AAA price - definitely worth a check regardless of its issues.

You know, I sort of hate this game in a way. After somewhat underwhelming TEW and then fantastic, way more self-aware and less in-your-face TEW2, Tango Gameworks went to abandon the entire horror setting, creating a game that ultimately plays just like another open-world game (coming very close to Far Cry), and yet - lacking some cool mechanics that would mix things up like those games. On one hand - with a western world seemingly hell-bent on burning most of its cultural inheritance in a vague attempt to create a world that lacks elements that could start internal conflicts - Ghostwire: Tokyo just says f*** it and leans fully into Japanese mythologies and sporadically brings small elements of Japanese history. For Westerner - the result is highly surreal and unique as far as aesthetics, characters and - in part - world go. It is the single, strongest element of the game that elevates it from the crowd. But on other hand - unfortunately - the game does not do enough in terms of its gameplay and side quest variety, to prevent dreadful thoughts of it feeling "like another open-world game", where instead of guns, you shoot magic (which lacks the impact that the guns usually in games have), where enemies constantly respawn in old areas and where the world - even more condensed - still feels empty and still is filled with way to many collectables to make sure the maximum possible playtime is stretched way beyond any reasonable limit that its content provides. So ultimately I don't know what to do with this game - I admire it a lot for having the balls to submerge itself in the Japanese mythology, setting and history. But I also hate it for how little does to differentiate itself from - what now is - a generic first-person open-world template. I sure as hell don't regret buying the game, its main story - even though at moments being stretched - isn't stretched beyond the reasonable limits (like for example Far Cry 5 did). But for the full price, I would probably not buy it. Not with its technical issues and underwhelming side-quests. The sense of dread that previous Tango Gameworks' game used to have now missing also doesn't help. But with as more than 50% off its AAA price - definitely worth a check regardless of its issues.