When I reviewed Ghost of Yotei, I praised it for being a worthy successor to Ghost of Tsushima. It had an incredible world, a more engaging combat system, and a protagonist whose journey of revenge made the entire adventure worth pushing through. It was not perfect, though. The story was predictable, stealth was still underwhelming, and enemy AI had some of the same issues I noticed from Sucker Punch’s previous samurai title.
Still, I had a great time with it. Ghost of Yotei was beautiful, violent, and exciting to play. Atsu’s journey across Ezo may have followed familiar beats, but it worked because of its atmosphere, combat, and strong sense of place. You can read my original thoughts on the base game in my Ghost of Yotei review, where I called it a gorgeous, exciting, and relentlessly fun successor despite its flaws. Complete Edition does not change that opinion much. It only reinforces what made Yotei work in the first place.
Now, Ghost of Yotei: Complete Edition gives players a reason to return to Atsu’s story with Echoes of Sekigahara, a new story expansion, and Most Wanted, a single-player roguelike combat mode. For new players, this is easily the best way to experience Ghost of Yotei. For returning players, it is a solid reason to step back into Ezo, even if it does not completely fix the problems I had with the base game.
Echoes of Sekigahara is the main story addition, and it focuses on Atsu’s past before she fully became the Ghost. The expansion introduces Nagato the Handsome, someone connected to Atsu’s earlier life, and brings players to Ashoro Foothills, a new region in Ezo. It is not a massive new island like Iki Island was for Ghost of Tsushima, but it still feels like a meaningful extension of the world.
What surprised me is that Echoes of Sekigahara is not as flashback-heavy as I expected. Sekigahara is important to Atsu’s past, but most of the expansion still takes place in the present. You explore Ashoro Foothills, hunt down enemies, clear side activities, and slowly uncover more of Atsu’s connection to Nagato. The flashbacks are used more sparingly, but they do enough to give Atsu more emotional weight.
That is where Echoes of Sekigahara works best. In the base game, Atsu was mostly driven by revenge. She was angry, determined, and almost hollow because of what happened to her family. That made sense for the kind of story Sucker Punch wanted to tell, but it also made parts of her character feel limited. This expansion shows more of who she was before all of that pain consumed her. It gives her more vulnerability, and it makes her feel more complete as a character.
The story itself is still very much Ghost of Yotei. It has emotional moments, strong performances, and beautiful quiet scenes, but it also follows a familiar structure. If you already played the base game, you will know what to expect. There are bounties, enemy camps, side quests, and scenic spots scattered across the new region. It is polished and enjoyable, but it rarely surprises you.
Ashoro Foothills is a good new area. It has dense forests, foggy paths, and plenty of gorgeous scenery that makes you want to stop and use photo mode. Sucker Punch still knows how to make an open world look stunning. The new region may not be as memorable as the strongest areas from the base game, but it still carries the same visual quality that made Ezo such a beautiful place to explore.
There are also new gameplay additions in Echoes of Sekigahara. The massive weapons are fun to use, especially when you want to smash through groups of enemies with brute force. They hit hard and give combat a heavier feel, but they eventually break after repeated use. Because of that, they feel more like temporary tools than a major new part of Atsu’s arsenal. I enjoyed using them, but I wish they had more staying power.
Another useful addition is Atsu’s new bow ability, which lets her fire multiple arrows at once. It is a simple mechanic, but it works well when you are overwhelmed or need to quickly thin out enemy numbers. Ashoro Foothills also introduces traps and a new enemy type that can interrupt your flow in battle, giving the region a slightly different feel from the rest of the base game.
Combat remains the best part of Ghost of Yotei. Parrying attacks, breaking guards, switching between weapons, and finishing enemies with quick precision still feels incredibly satisfying. I already liked how Yotei moved away from Tsushima’s stance system by giving Atsu more distinct weapons to use, and that strength carries over here. Echoes of Sekigahara gives you more chances to enjoy that combat, even if it does not evolve it in a major way.
The issue is that some of the base game’s weaknesses are still present. Stealth still feels underdeveloped compared to direct combat. Enemy awareness can still be inconsistent. Some encounters also feel familiar, especially if you already spent dozens of hours clearing Ezo. Complete Edition adds more content, but it does not really address the things that held the original game back from being better.
Most Wanted, however, is the more exciting addition in Complete Edition. This is a single-player roguelike combat mode where you take on waves of enemies, earn upgrades, and push through runs until you face one of your targets. It strips the game down to its strongest element: the combat.
That is why Most Wanted works so well. There is no long travel, no slow setup, and no unnecessary open-world distractions. It is just you, your weapons, your abilities, and enemies trying to kill you. Each run gives you upgrades and new ways to approach combat, while its own progression system gives you a reason to keep playing.
The biggest fan-service moment in Most Wanted is the return of Jin Sakai. He is not part of Echoes of Sekigahara’s story, which makes sense since Ghost of Yotei takes place centuries after Ghost of Tsushima, but he is playable in the new survival mode. It is a smart way to bring him back without forcing him into Atsu’s timeline.
Playing as Jin feels like a reward for longtime fans. His inclusion gives Most Wanted more personality, especially because the mode already feels separate from the main narrative. Atsu remains the heart of Ghost of Yotei, but being able to step back into Jin’s role, even in a combat-focused side mode, makes Complete Edition feel like a small celebration of the series as a whole.
Most Wanted also features four playable characters, including Atsu and Jin Sakai, each built around their own abilities and combat style, which helps make the mode feel more replayable than I expected. It is not just a throwaway bonus mode. It has its own progression, perks, and upgrades, and the more you play, the more it starts to show how flexible Yotei’s combat system can be.
Most Wanted is not a replacement for a full multiplayer mode, and it is not trying to be. It is a compact, combat-focused mode built for players who loved Yotei’s swordplay. If you enjoyed the base game mainly for its story and exploration, this may not keep you hooked for very long. But if you loved the combat, this is easily the best reason to return after finishing the main campaign.
What I appreciate about Most Wanted is that it understands what Ghost of Yotei does best. It does not try to add unnecessary layers or force the open-world formula into another mode. It simply gives players more combat, more progression, and more reasons to master the game’s systems. It can be challenging, and the early grind for upgrades can feel slow, but once it gets going, it becomes a fun time sink.
Visually, Ghost of Yotei: Complete Edition is still outstanding. Ezo remains one of the most beautiful open worlds on PS5, and Ashoro Foothills continues that standard. The lighting, wind, forests, and landscapes still create moments that feel painterly and cinematic. Sucker Punch’s art direction remains one of the game’s strongest qualities.
The soundtrack and sound design also continue to impress. Riding through the new region, hearing the wind move through the trees, and entering combat with the music rising in the background still gives the game a strong sense of atmosphere. Ghost of Yotei was already excellent in presentation, and Complete Edition does not lose any of that.
As a full package, Ghost of Yotei: Complete Edition is strong. New players get the base game, Echoes of Sekigahara, Most Wanted, and the rest of the added content in one version. Returning players get a good story expansion and a surprisingly addictive combat mode. It is not a huge reinvention, but it is a meaningful addition to an already great game.
Echoes of Sekigahara gives Atsu more emotional depth, even if it feels more like an extra chapter than a must-play expansion. Most Wanted is the real standout because it focuses on the best part of Ghost of Yotei and gives players a good reason to keep fighting long after the story ends.
Ghost of Yotei: Complete Edition does not completely fix the base game’s flaws. The stealth is still not as strong as the combat, enemy AI still has issues, and some of the new content can feel familiar. But what it adds is still worthwhile. It gives Atsu more story, gives players a strong combat mode, and makes the overall package feel more complete.
For those who have not played Ghost of Yotei yet, this is the version to get. For those who already finished Atsu’s journey, Complete Edition is worth returning to if you want more story and more combat. It may not be essential for everyone, but it is still a strong return to one of PlayStation’s best-looking and most satisfying action adventures.
Ghost of Yotei: Complete Edition (PS5)
Ghost of Yotei: Complete Edition adds enough meaningful content to make Atsu’s journey feel more complete. Echoes of Sekigahara gives her more emotional depth, while Most Wanted successfully turns the game’s excellent combat into a replayable survival mode. Some of the base game’s issues remain, especially with stealth and enemy AI, but this is still the best version of Ghost of Yotei and a worthwhile return to Ezo.
The Good
- Echoes of Sekigahara gives Atsu more emotional depth
- Ashoro Foothills is a beautiful new region
- Most Wanted is a fun and replayable combat-focused mode
- Jin Sakai’s playable return is a great bonus for longtime fans
- Combat remains sharp, satisfying, and exciting
- The new mechanics add some welcome variety
The Bad
- Echoes of Sekigahara feels more like an extra chapter than a major expansion
- Enemy AI issues still remain
- Some activities feel familiar if you already cleared the base game
