Are you looking for Ghost of Yotei tips? This sequel to Ghost of Tsushima takes you on a journey of revenge, as a lone wanderer named Atsu searches for the people who murdered her family. Numerous challenges await, but we offer lots of advice for the long road ahead. So, sit back, grab a katana, and get ready to slice and dice your foes.

15 tips you need to know before playing Ghost of Yotei – Beginner’s guide

Our Ghost of Yotei beginner’s guide tackles several facets of the game. We start off with exploration tips, since you’re bound to roam the wilderness of Ezo. Then, we look at combat-related features, as well as optional activities that further boost your character. Hopefully, the information aids you as you take on the Yotei Six and other nefarious villains.

Discover landmarks, use your horse mount, and activate the Gust Wind

The land of Ezo is vast and you’re going to spend hours as you search every nook and cranny. Thankfully, there are several mechanics that aid you in terms of navigation and traversal:

• Gust Wind – Swipe up on the PS5 controller’s touchpad to create a gust of wind. It will blow in the direction of the quest or destination that you’re tracking.
• Horse mount – You’ve got a horse mount right from the get-go. In fact, galloping through white flower fields triggers a speed boost, too.
• Directions from signposts and NPCs – Throughout your journey, you might encounter NPCs along the road. They give you additional information regarding targets. You could also spot signposts that tell you about nearby landmarks.
• Landmark fast travel – The game also features seamless fast travel back and forth the majority of locations that you’ve already discovered. You’re not just limited to inns or camps, but also landmarks and points-of-interest. Simply open the world map and press the triangle button to go to wherever you want.

Related guide: Which horse to choose in Old Trails

Use the Spyglass to find interesting locations

In relation to the above, one of the most important Ghost of Yotei tips to remember is that your Spyglass tool easily reveals points-of-interest in the wilderness:

• Press up on the d-pad to bring out your Spyglass.
• Pan the camera around and check if the crosshair has a yellow glow.
• Focus on that location so that it gets marked on your map automatically.
• You still need to visit that area/landmark before you can fast travel to it, but knowing that there’s something there definitely helps.

Revisit Atsu’s memories to learn about her past

As you continue onward through the campaign, Atsu will sometimes remark that certain places seem familiar. If you look at the upper-left corner of your screen, you should see a touchpad icon. Press and hold the touchpad to revisit Atsu’s past when she was just a child.

These sequences not only let you learn more about Atsu’s background, but they might also contain clues and hints. For instance, if you see Atsu’s brother Jubei hiding coins underneath a mound, you can dig it up in the present to obtain mon–i.e. the game’s basic currency.

Set up camp to craft, eat, and rest

Sometimes, you might feel tired from all the battles and treks that you’ve undertaken. If so, you could always set up a camp in the wilderness by holding the left button on the d-pad. You can do the following while you’re camping:

• Cook food like mushrooms and fish to gain temporary buffs.
• Craft ammo for ranged weapons.
• Play your Shamisen instrument.
• Rest up to restore your health and spirit.
• Be visited by your Wolf Pack pals. This brings us to…

Meet and recruit friendly NPCs for your Wolf Pack

Atsu’s quest for revenge leads to encounters with other like-minded individuals, all of whom have a score to settle with the Yotei Six. Together, this merry band comprises your “Wolf Pack” and they’ll support you by offering their wares and specialties:

• Some NPCs are part of main quests or side quests.
• Others first appear in settlements, such as the Old Inn.
• There are a select few that are met in specific locations in the countryside.

Master the art of melee combat

It’s imperative that you master the intricacies of melee combat in Ghost of Yotei:

• You can block most basic attacks by pressing and holding L1.
• Attacks with a blue glint cannot be blocked and, as such, you have to parry them. This is done by pressing L1 just as an enemy’s blow is about to land.
• If you see a red glint, then the attack can neither be blocked nor parried. You have to dodge it by pressing the circle button.
• Press the triangle button to do strong attacks, which can break a target’s guard.
• Spirit, represented by yellow pips above your health bar, is a resource used to restore your health and activate abilities. Spirit is gained whenever you kill enemies, parry attacks, or use advanced techniques.

Choose the right weapons depending on the opponent

One more Ghost of Yotei tip to keep in mind is that specific weapons tend to be more effective depending on the armament that your opponent is wielding. The good news is that you can freely switch to other weapon types on the fly:

• Use your katana or odachi if your opponent is using another one-handed weapon.
• Use your dual katanas/dual blades if your foe is wielding slower, two-handed polearms like naginatas.
• You can always take out your enemies from afar by switching to your bow or firearm.

Unleash your abilities and special actions to gain an advantage in battle

If you do end up facing numerous hostiles, then you should consider unleashing more potent abilities. For instance, the Onryo’s Howl–i.e. press L3 and R3 simultaneously–causes Atsu to scream and terrify nearby opponents. This allows you to quickly dispatch your foes while they’re recovering from the shock. However, to use Onryo’s Howl, you have to kill four enemies without getting hit, which means dodging and parrying are integral.

Another option is the Standoff, which can be done if you’re spotted by a group. Press and hold the triangle button as an enemy approaches you. Then, once they’re about to strike, let go of the triangle button to rapidly slash them. This, too, causes their cohorts to panic.

Buy Traveler’s Maps and unlock skills via Altars of Reflection

Another key Ghost of Yotei tip to consider is that many of Atsu’s techniques can only be unlocked by visiting Altars of Reflection. Here’s what you need to know:

• The locations of Altars of Reflection can be revealed by the Spyglass (if you’re patient enough).
• Alternatively, you can buy Traveler’s Maps from Isaburo the Cartographer in the Old Inn.
• Upon reaching an Altar of Reflection, swipe down on the touchpad to pay your respects. Doing so lets you unlock a particular skill.

Related guide: How to get and use Traveler’s Maps

Choose the best skills, such as those from the Assassination tree, to clear out enemies

While we’re on the subject of skills, we might as well discuss unlockable techniques and their respective trees/categories:

• Core – Your core skills are available by default. Think of these as basic actions that you can always use in combat.
• Onryo – Villagers refer to Atsu as an “Onryo”–i.e. a ghost–due to her prowess. This category includes the Assassination skill tree, which lets you eliminate targets without being spotted.
• Melee – These are unlockable perks for the weapons that you obtain in the game.
• Revenge – These perks are predominantly related to parries and counterattacks.
• Wolf – These abilities pertain to those used by your wolf companion, including support attacks and instant revival.

Get upgradable gear pieces early so you can complete challenges

From time to time, you might see items like charms that have a related “upgrade challenge” of sorts. This is denoted by a blue icon next to the item’s symbol.

If an item can be upgraded via a challenge, then you should purchase it early in the game. That way, you can complete the tally in just a few hours as you’re progressing through the campaign.

Tackle bounties to earn more money

Speaking of challenges, it’s also a good idea to undertake bounty quests. These usually come from an NPC named Kojiro, who’s found outside the Old Inn, though you might stumble upon others while exploring.

Bounty targets can be tracked via the world map. Eliminate them and return to Kojiro to receive additional mon. Oh, and NPC’s might have higher-tier targets if you manage to complete more of these tasks.

Increase your maximum health and spirit further

You should definitely improve Atsu’s survivability by increasing her maximum health and spirit:

• Your maximum health is increased by finding Hot Springs. Simply bathe in the pool of water to gain a permanent boost.
• Your maximum spirit, meanwhile, is increased via Bamboo Strikes. The goal is to slice multiple bamboo shoots by pressing the button sequence correctly.

Obtain more rewards by finding optional activities and collectibles

While you’re not out and about seeking revenge, you could look for more goodies in the countryside. Here are a few examples:

• Sumi-e Paintings – Trace the lines using the touchpad to finish a painting. These usually reward you with gear pieces or dyes.
• Shamisen Songs – Swipe slowly on the touchpad to get the right note as you unlock more tunes to play.
• Wolf Dens – Enter these lairs to improve your bond with your wolf companion.

Check out various cinematic options

Of course, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the options that add more cinematic flair while you’re playing:

• Samurai Cinema – Japanese dialogue with English subtitles.
• Kurosawa Mode – Inspired by Akira Kurosawa. This applies a black and white filter.
• Miike Mode – Inspired by Takashi Miike. This adds more mud and blood, as well as uses a tighter cinematic camera.
• Watanabe Mode – Inspired by Shinichiro Watanabe. This changes the default themes and music to that of lo-fi music created under the direction of Watanabe.
• Photo Mode – Press right on the d-pad to enable Photo Mode. This has all sorts of options, including a means of changing Atsu’s expressions, altering the time of day and weather, and enabling animated/moving parts of the backdrop.

That does it for our Ghost of Yotei beginner’s guide. We hope these tips aid you as you venture forth in the lands of Ezo. Revenge might be sweet, but being ready for whatever challenge you face is even sweeter.