13 Essential Tips for Surviving in Ghost of Yotei

These tips and tricks for Ghost of Yotei come from over 60 hours of gameplay, diving deep into the world and uncovering everything it has to offer. As you journey through Atsu’s quest for vengeance against the deadly Yotei Six, you’ll find plenty to do, discover, and understand. A little guidance can go a long way in helping you avoid common pitfalls and speed up your progress.

Secrets are scattered throughout the land of Ezo in Ghost of Yotei. To maximize your experience, these tips will help streamline your adventure, getting you to your goals faster and with less confusion.

The story will eventually guide you to unlock all the weapons in Ghost of Yotei, but you can also choose to bypass the narrative and grab them right away. Given the rock-paper-scissors dynamic of weapon interactions, this can be a smart move, as having a full arsenal gives you more strategic options. Once you unlock a region, you can seek out the various weapon masters at your leisure. The only weapons that require some waiting are guns, which don’t offer much that other weapons can’t do better. The gun parts you might hear about are actually general upgrade materials, not just for firearms.

The Golden Bird serves as one of many ways to highlight important nearby items. When you approach one, it will chirp and guide you to useful locations like hot springs, Altars of Reflection, or Bamboo Strikes, all of which can enhance your gameplay by providing skill points, boosting your health, or unlocking Spirit for special moves. Following a golden bird is always a smart choice. While chasing these extras might divert you from the main path, it ultimately saves time and helps you tackle tougher challenges with better gear and levels.

Combat in Ghost of Yotei is challenging, so take every advantage you can find. When you earn skill points, prioritize abilities that increase damage or allow for stealthy takedowns. Stealth assassinations are particularly effective, and certain skills and armor can enhance your proficiency in this area. You can also unlock additional moves and counters to maximize damage with minimal effort.

Standoffs can be upgraded to let you take down groups of tough enemies with just a few quick-time events, and you can even increase the chances of your wolf companion joining the fray. There are numerous ways to boost your kill count and damage output, making battles more manageable.

The game features a rock-paper-scissors mechanic for its core weapons, where the right weapon can give you a significant edge against others. It can be tricky to switch weapons mid-fight, but following this pairing strategy can help you stagger enemies and break their guard more quickly, which is crucial for avoiding being overwhelmed.

Combat is filled with visual and audio cues that help you anticipate threats. Ranged attackers will shout before firing, giving you a chance to dodge. In melee, different flashes indicate incoming attacks: a blue glint signals a parryable attack, red means you should dodge, and yellow indicates a disarming move that requires a counter. Mastering these cues will enhance your survival and allow you to outsmart your foes.

You can easily adjust the difficulty settings in the gameplay menu without being locked into a choice for the entire game. Some duels and boss fights may present a sudden spike in difficulty, especially given the freedom to explore and unlock skills and weapons. Remember, gaming is about enjoyment, so if you find yourself stuck, don’t hesitate to lower the difficulty to get past a tough spot and then switch back later.

The armor and charms you equip can provide various gameplay advantages. These can differ significantly, so while one set may excel in stealth, another might be better suited for direct combat or ranged attacks. Ghost of Yotei allows you to swap these out at will, even offering saved outfit options for quick loadout changes. It’s wise to prepare specific outfits for different objectives, enabling you to adapt on the fly. You can also upgrade charms by completing challenges and enhance armor with resources and currency, so if you find gear you like, you can make it even better.

While riding your horse in Ghost of Yotei, keep an eye out for landmarks that can provide clues from a distance. Look for smoke, steam, or bursts of color in the trees. Anything that stands out likely has significance. You can also spot ambushes from Saito’s forces or set up your own ambush. Additionally, you can disable the black bars while riding to get a better view of your surroundings.

Utilize high ground like watchtowers and mountains to take advantage of your spyglass. This will reveal new points of interest on your map. If you hover over a spot that rumbles or changes color, it will eventually be named and added to your map. You can also track locations you see through the spyglass to help with exploration.

While there are various combat options, the katana is central to most encounters, especially boss fights. Some bosses may use different weapons, requiring the appropriate counter, but generally, you’ll be dueling with katanas. It’s essential to keep your sword skills sharp, as leaning too heavily on another weapon may make the inevitable swordplay challenges more difficult.

Engage with every NPC you encounter during your exploration, as they often have quests, map-marking information, or other useful insights. They might point you to a nearby hot spring or mention a Saito encampment that isn’t marked on your map. You’ll rarely walk away empty-handed from these conversations.

Mythic Tales in Ghost of Yotei are legendary quests that delve into the intriguing stories of Ezo, featuring elements like immortal generals or enigmatic assassins. Completing these quests rewards you with powerful armor, charms, or abilities, making them well worth pursuing. Each region typically has at least one Mythic Tale, and starting with the Ishikari Plains is a solid choice.

Hidden throughout Ezo are shrines that grant you Major Charms and a vantage point to survey the area. These challenges usually involve climbing to the top via a straightforward, albeit sometimes winding, path.

The Major Charms vary in usefulness depending on your playstyle, but combined with the ability to mark locations on your map using the spyglass, shrines can significantly enhance your gameplay experience.