Tech specs
Whether it’s blasting ghosts back where they came from or just exploring the streets of Shibuya, this game’s attention to detail makes it the perfect post-pandemic distraction
Display 12.6in 2560x1600 OLED touchscreen Processor Intel Core i3/i5/i7
RAM 8/16GB
OS Windows 11 Storage 128/ 256/512GB SSD Cameras 8MP front, 13MP rear Battery 42Wh Connectivity Wi-fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, USB-C, Thunderbolt 4, 3.5mm headset Dimensions 306x 215x8mm, 709g
The sight of Shibuya’s famously busy Scramble Crossing completely deserted would be eerie if it hadn’t happened a couple years ago in real life. Of course, in Ghostwire: Tokyo, the people aren’t absent because of a virus – a strange fog has spirited everyone away.
The only survivor here is your protagonist, Akito, a seemingly ordinary guy who’s been fused with a mysterious spirit. Calling itself KK, it’s not only keeping him alive but also giving him powers that can help him to rescue his sister and figure out what the hell is going on.
Instead of normal weapons, having KK inside your head gives you the power of wind, fire and water to purge your supernatural foes. Sounds like fun… although, beneath the flourishes, Akito’s powers aren’t that different from a first-person shooter: wind is basically your pistol and water’s wide arc is your shotgun, while fire’s high damage is equivalent to a rocket launcher. Things do improve as you level up your skill tree but it’s additional elements that elevate the combat, such as a shield that allows you to parry attacks or ‘ethereal weaving’ to grab an opponent’s core.
As far as the open world goes, Ghostwire: Tokyo starts off fairly linear – you’re limited as to where you can move because of the toxic fog that’s enveloped the city – but you gradually get more freedom to explore as you clear it.
The side missions are often more engaging than the main story, with the most interesting ones coming when you get to venture indoors. While these are separate environments rather than part of a seamless open world, it allows licence for the architecture to get weird, a bit like the hallucinatory interiors of The Evil Within 2 or Control.
The campaign itself is quite brief, but it offers that rarity: an open world that you’ll still want to explore afterwards, but at a size that won’t take over your life. Alan Wen