Review: Ghost of Yōtei™ Complete Edition
Vengeance Is Now Complete
One year after the release of Ghost of Yōtei, Sony brings us a Complete Edition that combines the original experience with a new narrative expansion and a range of additional content. The main campaign remains exactly as we remember it, following Atsu on her quest for vengeance against the Six of Yōtei, but now we have a new opportunity to learn more about the protagonist and explore other moments from her past.
The Complete Edition is primarily aimed at players who have not yet experienced the game or those who wish to return to Atsu's journey with all the available content. In addition to the new expansion, Echoes of Sekigahara, this edition brings together previously released content and introduces new items, cosmetics, and trophies, creating a more comprehensive package for anyone looking to experience everything the game has to offer.
COMPLETE EDITION
Beyond Echoes of Sekigahara, the Complete Edition brings together a range of content that has been added to Ghost of Yōtei since its release. This includes the content from the Digital Deluxe Edition, which is now part of the package, featuring the Mask, the Snake Armor, the Digital Deluxe Armor Dye, the Digital Deluxe Horse and Saddle, the Sword Set, Traveler's Maps, the Amaterasu Charm, and the Hokkyokusei Charm.
New content related to New Game+ has also been added, including cosmetics exclusive to the Complete Edition, as well as new photo mode designs. For players who enjoy completing everything, there are also new trophies tied to the expansion and the edition's additional content, expanding the list of achievements beyond those available in the base game.
It is important, however, to distinguish what is truly exclusive to the Complete Edition from the free updates that have arrived in the original game. Features such as Yōtei Beauty, new music tracks for Watanabe Mode, accessibility improvements, and the ability to retain one armor set's appearance while using another set's attributes were also made available for free to players who already owned Ghost of Yōtei. Therefore, these improvements should not be treated as exclusive advantages of the Complete Edition.
Ultimately, this edition serves as the most comprehensive way to experience Ghost of Yōtei, bringing together the original game, its additional content, and the new expansion in a single package. For those who have yet to play it, the Complete Edition includes virtually everything released since launch, while for existing owners, the main reasons to return are Echoes of Sekigahara and the new content added to the experience.
Expansion:Echoes of Sekigahara
Echoes of Sekigahara introduces a new part of the campaign directly connected to Atsu's past and, in my opinion, is one of the most interesting additions in this edition. The story manages to fill in some of the gaps hinted at in the base game, deepening important events in the protagonist's life and, above all, her relationship with Nagato. The narrative uses flashbacks to depict moments from Atsu's past during the Battle of Sekigahara, revealing more about what happened between them and helping contextualize events mentioned throughout the main campaign.
The main drawback lies in how we access this content. It would have been interesting to have the option to play through Atsu's past independently, but we must progress several hours into the main campaign before embarking on the expansion.
Players must complete The Old Inn, The Dual Katana Path, The Tale of the Oni, and The Fate of the Kitsune. Depending on the path chosen and how much the player explores, this can amount to approximately 20 hours of gameplay or even more. Fortunately, completing the entire main story is not necessary. After these missions, when we find the letters related to Nagato the Handsome, we are led to the Foothills of Ashoro, a new region of Ezo.
The new region is not merely a backdrop for the story. Echoes of Sekigahara introduces new enemies, heavy weapons, abilities, armor sets, dyes, and other equipment, along with new Mythic Tales. This allows the expansion to enhance the gameplay as well, rather than functioning solely as a sequence of narrative missions.
Even so, the story remains the main highlight. Ghost of Yōtei already has a fairly self-contained main campaign centered on Atsu's quest for vengeance against the Six of Yōtei, and the expansion manages to add meaningful information without simply repeating what we have already seen. Learning more about the protagonist's past and her relationship with Nagato provides new context for some of the things Atsu mentions throughout the campaign, making her story feel even more complete.
New Mode: Most Wanted
The new game mode is essentially a roguelike experience within Ghost of Yōtei. With each run, we gain new advantages and can choose different bonuses that alter our progression and make it easier to advance through the hunt. The structure feels like a natural fit for the franchise, as each attempt allows us to experiment with different combinations and become progressively stronger.
One of the most interesting aspects is the hunter unlock system. Instead of having to save coins specifically to unlock each character, progression feels more organic. By spending coins in shops to purchase techniques and other resources, we also make progress toward unlocking hunters. As a result, practically everything we do during a run contributes to our development, without forcing players to save resources for a single purpose.
The mode also features its own player progression system, allowing us to improve attributes such as attack, defense, and survivability. We can unlock upgrades ranging from improved parrying to increased health, as well as specific enhancements for each hunter.
It is precisely this combination of general progression and individual abilities that makes the runs interesting. Each character has unique traits and abilities that significantly change how they play.
Atsu, for example, can use Wolf Pack Call to summon a wolf during combat, while Jin Sakai returns with Dance of Wrath, which allows him to unleash a devastating series of attacks. Jin also has the Ghost Gambler ability, which allows him to enter Ghost Stance after completing a series of eliminations.
The different hunters also specialize in different weapons, meaning that character selection directly affects combat style. Switching characters is therefore not simply a matter of using a different model, but of adopting a different approach to overcoming challenges.
During hunts, we can also encounter merchants offering resources that can change our experience, including meals with bonuses, new weapons, armor dyes, and charms. These elements add another layer of strategy to progression, as we must decide which upgrades are most useful for a particular run.
Hunter Offerings follow the same logic, providing bonuses that help with progression during a run or contribute to overall advancement. This means progression is not limited to what we unlock permanently, but also directly influences how each run unfolds.
Ultimately, the mode's greatest strength lies in transforming Ghost of Yōtei into a more dynamic and replayable experience. The combination of different characters, abilities, weapons, and upgrades ensures that each attempt has its own rhythm, while constant progression provides an incentive to keep playing and experiment with new combinations.
TROPHIES
The Ghost of Yōtei Complete Edition expands the experience with two additional trophy sets, Echoes of Sekigahara and Most Wanted Mode, adding 23 new objectives for players seeking to complete everything the game has to offer. The first set combines narrative progression, exploration, side activities, and challenges involving recipes, customization, minigames, and new combat opportunities. The second is more straightforward, focusing on hunts, battles against powerful enemies, the use of specific abilities, and objectives that require players to meet certain conditions during combat.
For those who enjoy earning every trophy, the main thing to keep in mind is the specific requirements of each challenge, especially those involving particular abilities or conditions that must be fulfilled during a single activity.
TRAILER OFFICIAL
FINAL THOUGHTS
Ghost of Yōtei is undoubtedly one of the most visually impressive games of its generation, and the Complete Edition arrives to cap off an experience that was already remarkably complete. The Echoes of Sekigahara expansion deserves particular recognition for exploring Atsu's past and her relationship with Nagato, adding new layers to the narrative without relying solely on the events of the main campaign. Although having to progress several hours into the story before accessing this content is a drawback, the expansion justifies its existence by filling in important gaps and providing new reasons to return to Ezo.
The Most Wanted mode is also a very welcome addition, particularly because it transforms combat into a more dynamic and replayable experience. The ability to experiment with different hunters, skill combinations, and upgrades makes each run interesting, but its greatest strength lies in encouraging players to better understand the combat mechanics. It almost serves as a training ground for anyone looking to improve their skills, experiment with new strategies, and prepare for higher difficulties, including a new journey through New Game+.
The inclusion of Digital Deluxe Edition content and new New Game+ items also makes this edition more appealing, bringing together much of what has been developed for the game since its release in a single package. It is important to remember that some improvements were made available for free to all players, but the combination of the narrative expansion, Most Wanted mode, and additional content makes the Complete Edition the most comprehensive option for anyone looking to experience everything Ghost of Yōtei has to offer.
Ultimately, Atsu's journey feels more complete than ever. The new expansion adds depth to her story, while Most Wanted broadens the possibilities of combat and provides a compelling reason to keep playing even after completing the campaign. For those who have yet to experience the game, this is the ideal opportunity to embark on the adventure with virtually all the available content. For those who have followed the journey since launch, returning will largely depend on their interest in discovering the new chapters of the story and exploring the possibilities offered by the additional mode. The Complete Edition does not reinvent what already worked, but rather builds on its strengths and delivers a more complete experience, reinforcing Ghost of Yōtei as an adventure worth experiencing to the very end.
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