Ghostwire: Tokyo - Supernatural adventure through the streets of Shibuya – Gameplay No Commentary
0From the creators of The Evil Within, Ghostwire Tokyo brings us an open-world action adventure filled with spectral beings and Japanese folklore and culture.
The Bethesda production is one of the most original blockbusters to hit the market lately. This is because of the excellent setting, the dense and detailed recreation of Shibuya which changes the way we move along the area, and the dissemination of the culture and folklore of Japan. However, there is nothing groundbreaking either in its game mechanics, story, or in the structure of its open world.
Tango Gameworks, Shinji Mikami's studio, is moving from survival horror to one of the most popular genres: open-world action adventure. We may not be frightened, but the disturbing supernatural atmosphere of Tokyo, the grotesque spectral beings we face, and the sections that embrace surrealism make it clear that behind this, is one of the supervisory creators of Resident Evil.
The plot focuses on the population of Tokyo that we explore in the game, Shibuya and its surroundings, which vanished due to a mysterious fog that has surrounded the area. We will play Akito in the first person, a young man who is saved from the purge and is possessed by KK, a detective of paranormal events with whom Akito will have to share the same body. The investigator was already after Hannya (the bad guy responsible for the situation) and he convinced the protagonist to help him hunt down the villain in exchange for allowing him to use his spectral powers, for his own survival and to rescue others. The investigator is also eager to rescue his sick sister, who is somehow involved in this situation.
The plot constantly plays with mystery. Who is Hannya and why is he doing all this? Who are KK and the rest of the characters that were part of that spectral investigation agency? What are the Visitors or the spectral creatures that roam the city? What has Akito done and why does he care so much about his sister? Therefore, topics such as spiritualism, the assumption of loss and family responsibility are addressed.
As for the combat system, it must be said that it is quite original. It is a mixture of an FPS with mechanics typical of a melee action game. We have three different elemental magical powers that we can charge to make them even more powerful: "Water," used to attack several nearby enemies at the same time; "Wind," intended for quick attacks; and "Fire", which will be reserved for the most resistant enemies. We'll be constantly switching between them because they're limited since you have to gather resources to recharge, either by breaking ethereal elements on the stage or by ripping out enemies’ cores, similar to executions in Doom.
In combat it is very important to position ourselves well and move continuously, preventing enemies from stationing behind us and from getting too close, unless we want to block an attack at the right moment by unbalancing and opening their defenses. Opponents are generally very tough and the optimal thing is not to crush them one by one, but to weaken several enough so that they expose their core and then execute them simultaneously in a small window of time before they recover.
Of course, it is easier said than done, because there are some enemies that constantly protect themselves with their umbrellas, others that launch a multitude of projectiles that we must dodge, some that quickly pounce on us, and others that are so fast and forceful that they pose a threat by themselves.
In short, Ghostwire Tokyo is a game that is worth playing, especially if you like the themes of Japanese folklore and culture and want to walk the streets of Shibuya enjoying the challenges that the game brings.