Ghostwire: Tokyo is the kind of exclusive Xbox Series X desperately needs

Date:
Mon, 21 Mar 2022 13:38:14 +0000

Description:
Ghostwire: Tokyo is a timed PS5 console exclusive that encapsulates
everything that great Japanese studios can bring to the table.

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After spending over 15 hours ripping out the ethereal hearts of demonic spirits, gliding across the rain-soaked rooftops of Shibuya, and hand-feeding countless yappy Shiba Inus, Im absolutely smitten with Ghostwire: Tokyo.

Developer Tango Gameworks' latest title may be about as easy to understand as a wall of hastily scribbled hieroglyphics, but it's essentially an open-world FPS with carefully-choreographed linear sections that help ramp up the games moments of more disturbing, psychological horror.

Ghostwire never reaches the fear-inducing levels of The Evil Within 2 which some may consider a blessing but nor does it ever let you feel at ease. Theres an unsettling feeling that keeps you on your toes when youre exploring the games desolate and stunningly accurate recreation of Shibuya. Off-limits (Image credit: Bethesda)

And yet, much like Deathloop before it, Ghostwire: Tokyo is another timed PS5 console exclusive that Xbox Series X gamers wont be able to play until sometime after March 2023.

Thats quite the wait considering both Arkane Studios and Tango Gameworks are now owned by Microsoft, and its a painful one to take when you consider the current state of Xboxs lack of first-party releases.

Xboxs first-party release schedule has been barren this year a stark
contrast to PS5, which has seen the release of Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection , Horizon Forbidden West , and Gran Turismo 7 in the first three months alone. The next big release on the cards for Xbox Series X is
Starfield , which is penciled in for November 11.

Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has acknowledged the companys mini-drought, telling the Xbox Era podcast : We don't have a big game this quarter - [we] want to get to that point where we have a great on-ramp for our platform and games that people can get excited about on a regular basis.

"We do have a lot of great games in development...We want to get to this
point where there's a steady flow of great games that are coming, that our customers can predict," said Spencer. Standby mode (Image credit: Microsoft)

Youd be forgiven for thinking weve heard this all before. Xbox fans are still waiting to hear more about Forza Motorsport , Fable , Perfect Dark , Everwild , Hellbalde 2: Senuas Saga , Redfall , State of Decay 3 , Avowed , The Elder Scrolls 6 , The Outer Worlds 2 , and Contraband , which we still know next to nothing about outside of the odd CGI trailer or brief teaser. The games are coming, but what is there to play in the meantime?

Microsoft has snapped up scores of developers and studios in recent years Tango Gameworks included but the Xbox still lags behind Sony when it comes
to the number of high-profile games released on PS5, particularly those developed by Japanese studios.

Considering Sonys legacy in the Japanese market, that situation may never change, but theres no doubt that Ghostwire: Tokyo would have been a fantastic addition to the Xboxs lineup. Instead, its quickly become one of my favorite PS5 games, partly because it feels like it was designed with Sonys console solely in mind the development team actually played a hand in improving the DualSense controller after strong feedback from Tango Gameworks founder and legendary designer, Shinji Mikami.

Its hard not to feel like both the Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo timed PS5 exclusivity deals have taken some of the bites out of Microsofts Bethesda acquisition , at least in the short term. Not only would both games have brought critical acclaim to the Xbox Series X, but a great variety to the
type of games on the console - both Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo are wonderfully unique. City slicker (Image credit: Sony)

So what makes Ghostwire: Tokyo so special, then? Despite having familiar foundations to countless other open-world titles, Ghostwire: Tokyo manages to fend off any fatigue Ive grown accustomed to from the genre. Yes, the games map quickly becomes infested with more icons and side-missions than is necessary, but I found myself scampering around for hours at a time, ticking things off as I went.

Thats due in no small part to how alive Ghostwire: Tokyo feels, despite
having a living human population of one. Jolly jingles ring out from the convenience stores that house all sorts of recognizable Japanese treats, and chiptune music blares out of empty arcades that were once teeming with customers.

Abandoned vehicles are strewn across the roads, and discarded clothes on the pavements serve as a poignant reminder that the citys population has up and vanished. In their place are twisted creatures known as The Visitors, one of the most striking enemy types Ive encountered in a video game for some time and theyre incredibly satisfying to fight.

Faceless salarymen of all shapes and sizes; headless high school children; shuffling grandmas youll need to send these visitors packing using a mix of searingly-colorful elemental attacks, all of which are fired out of your hands, and then literally pull on the evil spirits' heartstrings until theyre phased out of existence.

Ghostwire: Tokyos combat starts off rather slow, and can even feel rather rudimentary at times. But as you upgrade your skills and encounter new frightening foes to contend with, every encounter is surprisingly
mesmerizing. Big in Japan (Image credit: Tango Gameworks)

Its worth noting that if you have even the slightest affinity for Japan and Japanese culture, Ghostwire: Tokyo provides a stunning recreation of one of the citys most popular districts. Youll discover recognizable landmarks, like Shibuya Scramble Crossing, albeit completely bereft of people.

The game is also littered with countless references to the countrys fascinating mythology and folklore. From Tsukumogami household items that have become vengeful towards people to the more commonly known Tanuki, a cheeky shape-shifting raccoon, Ghostwire: Tokyo wisely embraces its inspiration from Japans supernatural beings.

And yet all of this, for now at least, is out of reach for Xbox owners. Ghostwire: Tokyo is only bound to make a lot of gamers feel even more impatient.

Ghostwire: Tokyo releases on PS5 and PC on March 25. PS5 vs Xbox Series X : which is right for you?



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/news/ghostwire-tokyo-is-the-kind-of-exclusive-xbox-s eries-x-desperately-needs/


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