Horror is one of the most fascinating genres of video games because of all the different ways you can use it. One game might be in your face with gore and horrific creatures, but another featured a slow creeping dread, a sense of isolation where you’re the only person around. Ghostwire Tokyo is one of the most effective realizations of that latter idea, giving you a photorealistic city to explore —one where the streets lie empty and barren as ad boards still squawk their usual word salad. Ghostwire is an incredible horror game that manages to nail tone better than almost anything else out there and has a fascinating story and strong combat to boot. It’s a must-play now that it’s on PS Plus.
Ghostwire takes place in modern-day Tokyo, right after a catastrophic paranormal event has made every person in the city vanish into thin air — except you. You play as a young man named Akito, who’s possessed by a spirit that inhabits his right hand and gives him supernatural powers. At the urging of the spirit you start investigating the city, and a man in a Hannya mask that seems to be behind everything. You quickly learn that the spirit inhabiting Akito is an investigator named KK, who was trying to stop Hannya’s plan to purge the city, but failed.
It’s a fascinating setup that weaves together existential horror and a slow-burn mystery, making you piece together the supernatural events that have occurred — if you can make sense of everything. It’s a fittingly twisty tale that always keeps you guessing, but the real star of Ghostwire is the city itself.
Developer Tango Gameworks painstakingly recreated real sections of Tokyo, like Shibuya, and Ghostwire’s Tokyo constantly feels like one of the most startlingly realistic-looking settings in all of games. Of course, the catch is that this bustling metropolis is devoid of life, but the suddenness of the event that removed people can still be seen. Clothes that people vanished out of adorn every street and building, half-eaten meals sit on curbs and tables, and cars idle in the middle of the street. It’s such a fascinating experience to wander around this game’s version of Tokyo and soak it all in. That sense of virtual tourism is genuinely one of Ghostwire’s strongest aspects, even as the empty rain-soaked streets can feel as unsettling and eerie as they are awe-inspiring.
But there’s a lot to dig into outside of just wandering around, as Ghostwire is essentially an open world game with first-person shooting. As you wander around Tokyo and complete main missions you’ll collect thousands of spirits that have been left in limbo. You can turn these spirits in at phone booths to “save” them, which in turn gives you resources to spend on upgrading Akito’s skills. Mixed into all that is a robust set of side quests that dig into the personal problems of the people who used to live in the city, letting you learn about their fears, successes, and regrets.
But it’s not all just a holiday in the city, as ghosts and ghouls’ll constantly besiege you. KK gives Akito the ability to use psychic and supernatural powers, using different hand signs and motions to launch energy blasts. You have three different colors of powers to use — green wind magic that acts like a pistol, explosive close-range fire magic, and water magic that can hit wide areas at once. You’ll constantly need to swap between these three types of magic to take advantage of enemy weaknesses, but also manage your ammo for each one. On top of that, you’ll get access to various abilities and weapons, like a bow for stealth, or a spiritual wire attack that lets you tear the cores out of enemy spirits instantly.
Ghostwire’s combat packs in a ton of variation and different enemy types, and once you’ve gotten all your abilities it can be an absolute blast. It gives some extra flare through Akito’s hand motions, which are inspired by Taoist hand gestures called Kuji-kir. It feels just as satisfying as any other shooter out there but with an integrally different flavor. Of course, the ghastly enemies you face do the same thing, as they’re all inspired by various Japanese legends or folk tales — from the terrifying faceless businessmen stalking the streets to the bizarre ghost dolls that float through the air.
Ghostwire Tokyo is just one of those games that feels uniquely visionary through its setting and style alone, even if its open world and combat aren’t necessarily doing anything revolutionary. Both those aspects are good, but the stunning city of Tokyo, and the way its abandoned streets fill you with a creeping sense of dread is unforgettable. It’s a one-of-a-kind game that puts its hooks in early and doesn’t let go until the credits roll.
