Ghostwire: Tokyo
Ghostwire: Tokyo
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this game.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Ghostwire: Tokyo is a supernatural-themed action-adventure game available for the PlayStation 5 and Windows PC. The game deals heavily with death, ghosts, and other aspects of spiritualism. The story sees the entire population of Tokyo wiped out, with only its citizens' empty clothing and personal belongings left behind. Players use spell-like abilities to fight unsettling, sometimes scary ghosts and demons in encounters that, while not bloody or gory, are violent and visceral. Ripping heart-like "cores" from enemies triggers a graphically intense (but not gory) animation. Foul language includes infrequent use of "hell," "s--t," a--hole," and "pr--k." The male protagonist, as well as most of the supporting cast, is of Asian descent. The main hero is also strong and brave, and often helps those in need.
Community Reviews
13 but mild
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good role models, little bit creepy and very fun.
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What’s It About?
GHOSTWIRE: TOKYO is an open-world action adventure that puts players in the shoes of Akito, a man who's nearly killed in an accident just before a choking fog consumes Tokyo, stealing the souls of its people. Akito -- who's also trying to save his hospitalized sister from an evil entity -- is possessed by a spirit named KK, who grants him spell-like powers to combat the benevolent ghosts and demons that have taken over the now-abandoned city. Together, the pair slay specters, help troubled spirits, and attempt to unravel the story's central, supernatural mystery.
Is It Any Good?
At its core, this fright-filled offering is a familiar open-world action-adventure, complete with first-person combat and an objective-cluttered map. But Ghostwire: Tokyo's detailed urban setting, specter-slaying encounters, and supernatural-themed storytelling help separate it from genre contemporaries. Trading the typical guns, grenades, and melee weapons for an arsenal of elemental-based abilities feels great, as does upgrading these various paranormal powers via a sprawling skill tree. There's a bit of a learning curve, as the game introduces and teaches several of its systems and mechanics at a pretty rapid pace. The basics of combat and exploration are easy to pick up, but secondary features, such as praying at statues to increase SP, performing hand gestures to breach obstacles, and freeing spirits -- which can seem confusingly similar to protecting souls -- can get jumbled together. Seasoned gamers should clear these hurdles with little effort, but newcomers could become a bit overwhelmed.
When not taking on the game's imaginative line-up of nightmare-conjuring ghouls and ghosts, you're free to explore its sprawling city -- an intricately crafted, highly atmospheric take on modern day Tokyo -- and engage in spooky side quests and activities. Saving lost souls, helping troubled spirits, and interacting with plenty of cute cats and dogs are all on the agenda. As much fun as this ghost story can be, especially once you get a handle on all it has to offer, it does suffer from some repetition and pacing issues. Because it front loads most of its gameplay features and enemy types at the start of the adventure, its back half just doesn't pack as many surprises or fresh threats. Still, if you're craving an open-world romp that trades the usual tropes for an inspired setting, story, and characters, Ghostwire: Tokyo is worth getting goosebumps over.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence in video games. Is the impact of the violence in Ghostwire: Tokyo affected by the use of spells instead of firearms? How does this game's violence differ from the violence in other shooters? Would the impact be intensified if you were fighting people instead of ghosts?
How does this game approach horror and scary content versus other horror games? Does the lack of blood and gore make it less scary? Are the spectral enemies more frightening than the zombies and monsters of other horror titles?
How does the game depict its real-world location? Does it seem accurate? Do you prefer games set in the real world or would you rather play in a fictional universe?
Game Details
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, Windows
- Pricing structure: Paid ($59.99)
- Available online?: Not available online
- Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
- Release date: March 25, 2022
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Adventures, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- ESRB rating: T for Violence, Language
- Last updated: March 24, 2022
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