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Subscribe from just £3 Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love Try a single issue or save on a subscription Issues delivered straight to your door or device From£9.99View Prime Day Deals Donkey Kong Bananza Switch 2 stock Recommended reading Open World Games Ghost of Yotei "isn't going to rush you through anything" and "focuses on player freedom more than any game Sucker Punch has ever made," with clues and activities for all play styles Open World Games Sucker Punch says "the best way to play" Ghost of Yotei is to "find something interesting on the horizon and enjoy the ride," and thankfully since Breath of the Wild that's the only way I play open-world games PlayStation Gorgeous limited edition Ghost of Yotei PS5 consoles and controllers draw inspiration from traditional Japanese art and "one of the core aspects within the game" Open World Games Ghost of Yotei devs know "how ignorant we were about Japanese culture," but as with Ghost of Tsushima they've had "cultural advisors" to help "deliver a respectful representation" of Japan Action RPGs Ghost of Yotei leads say "the katana is still the most valuable weapon" even 300 years after Ghost of Tsushima, but "more opportunities to blow things up is never a bad addition for a video game" Action Games After playing Ghost of Yotei "at several stages of its development," former Sony exec Shuhei Yoshida swears it's "even better" than Ghost of Tsushima Open World Games Reducing the "burden" of open-world games, Ghost of Yotei replaces Ghost of Tsushima’s journal menu with a "wolf pack" of important characters that meet you under the stars: "The game comes to you" Open World Games Ghost of Yotei Ghost of Yotei collaborates with Cowboy Bebop director for a mode that makes exploring Japan extra chill, while another cranks up the bloodshed even further Kaan Serin 11 July 2025 Shinichiro Watanabe directed original tracks to stab and chill to, and they might just serve as an ode to a lo-fi pioneer When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Sucker Punch) Ghost of Yotei's revenge story and violent action look cool enough, but what really made me leap outta my chair in last night's State of Play was a new lo-fi mode created hand-in-hand with anime legend Shinichiro Watanabe. The Watanabe Mode is a little different from the first game's Kurosawa Mode - instead of swapping out the game's visual palette, this new one adds sweet lo-fi tunes to the game while you explore, ride around, take a trip to the hot springs, and brutally murder foes. Don't let gory bloodshed stop you from chilling out, man. Ghost of Yotei has partnered with Samurai Champloo Director Shinichiro Watanabe for a “Watanabe Mode” #GhostofYoteiThe mode plays original Lo-fi beats during exploration and combat directed by Watanabe himself! pic.twitter.com/I6LgoNG3ZcJuly 10, 2025 As you can probably tell by the name, all of the original tracks are led by Watanabe, the anime icon who's directed everything from Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo to the more recent Lazarus. Developer Sucker Punch says the new tracks are "directed by Watanabe himself," though it's not totally clear if he produced or simply oversaw them. You may like Ghost of Yotei "isn't going to rush you through anything" and "focuses on player freedom more than any game Sucker Punch has ever made," with clues and activities for all play styles Sucker Punch says "the best way to play" Ghost of Yotei is to "find something interesting on the horizon and enjoy the ride," and thankfully since Breath of the Wild that's the only way I play open-world games Gorgeous limited edition Ghost of Yotei PS5 consoles and controllers draw inspiration from traditional Japanese art and "one of the core aspects within the game" Either way, it's a fantastic ode to Samurai Champloo, which was filled with these kind of tranquil beats, and the show's composer Jun 'Nujabes' Seba, who essentially pioneered and popularized the entire subgenre. Seba might have began as an underground lo-fi hip hop producer, but his legacy was cemented with Samurai Champloo and the inescapable boom of lo-fi over the last two decades. (Lo-fi Girl didn't just fall out of a coconut tree.) As if that wasn't enough, Ghost of Yotei is still paying homage to samurai film legend Akira Kurosawa with a black and white mode that adds film grain, an old-school audio filter, and even more intense winds. Plus, there's also another mode dedicated to Takashi Miike, the sometimes controversial Japanese filmmaker, that dramatically ups the bloodshed, offering a rather different vibe to the chilled-out lo-fi mode. Gorgeous limited edition Ghost of Yotei PS5 consoles and controllers draw inspiration from traditional Japanese art and "one of the core aspects within the game" Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. See more PS5 News PlayStation Freelance contributor Kaan freelances for various websites including Rock Paper Shotgun, Eurogamer, and this one, Gamesradar. He particularly enjoys writing about spooky indies, throwback RPGs, and anything that's vaguely silly. Also has an English Literature and Film Studies degree that he'll soon forget. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. Ghost of Yotei "isn't going to rush you through anything" and "focuses on player freedom more than any game Sucker Punch has ever made," with clues and activities for all play styles Sucker Punch says "the best way to play" Ghost of Yotei is to "find something interesting on the horizon and enjoy the ride," and thankfully since Breath of the Wild that's the only way I play open-world games Gorgeous limited edition Ghost of Yotei PS5 consoles and controllers draw inspiration from traditional Japanese art and "one of the core aspects within the game" Ghost of Yotei devs know "how ignorant we were about Japanese culture," but as with Ghost of Tsushima they've had "cultural advisors" to help "deliver a respectful representation" of Japan Ghost of Yotei leads say "the katana is still the most valuable weapon" even 300 years after Ghost of Tsushima, but "more opportunities to blow things up is never a bad addition for a video game" After playing Ghost of Yotei "at several stages of its development," former Sony exec Shuhei Yoshida swears it's "even better" than Ghost of Tsushima Latest in Open World Games I thought Kojima filmed Death Stranding 2's opening sequence in my Arizona backyard, and now that people are confusing pictures of a real-life desert for screenshots, I know I haven't lost my marbles Reducing the "burden" of open-world games, Ghost of Yotei replaces Ghost of Tsushima’s journal menu with a "wolf pack" of important characters that meet you under the stars: "The game comes to you" Sucker Punch says "the best way to play" Ghost of Yotei is to "find something interesting on the horizon and enjoy the ride," and thankfully since Breath of the Wild that's the only way I play open-world games Ghost of Yotei "isn't going to rush you through anything" and "focuses on player freedom more than any game Sucker Punch has ever made," with clues and activities for all play styles "Some open-world games can make it feel like you're not really exploring, you're just traveling": A Short Hike creator says finding "unique" ways of rewarding players is key, which Dark Souls and Breath of the Wild nailed Assassin's Creed and Far Cry veteran didn't want the "feeling Kojima's going for in Death Stranding" in his new open-world game: "We want dense, joy-filled nuggets" Latest in News Prominent Nintendo Switch piracy site reportedly seized by the FBI "as part of a law enforcement operation" As Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 sparks love for turn-based RPGs, Final Fantasy 14's Yoshi-P says there's no "clear-cut answer" on if Square Enix will use the format in Final Fantasy 17 or 18 Superman hasn't been out for a full day yet, and James Gunn is already considering spin-offs for Mr. Terrific and Jimmy Olsen OG Subnautica director is suing parent company Krafton after leadership changes: "Subnautica has been my life's work and I would never willingly abandon it" James Gunn's DCU is building towards a new Justice League movie, with three films and multiple TV shows planned per year I thought Kojima filmed Death Stranding 2's opening sequence in my Arizona backyard, and now that people are confusing pictures of a real-life desert for screenshots, I know I haven't lost my marbles GAME REVIEWS MOVIE REVIEWS Mecha Break review: "This mech battler makes up for lacking customization with a varied roster that lets me live out my Evangelion fantasy" Death Stranding 2: On the Beach review: "This tarpunk delivery epic is more Metal Gear Solid than ever, for better and worse" Rematch review: "As with Rocket League, the just-one-more-game pull is magnetic" Tron: Catalyst review: "Disc slinging is a thrill in this gorgeous rendition of the series, but I'm let down by a time-loop story that falls flat" FBC: Firebreak review: "A disappointingly bland multiplayer FPS that's missing far too much of what made Control special" Superman review: "A triumphant reinvention and a promising start for the DCU" Jurassic World Rebirth Review: "An unscary sequel that needed a little more time in amber" M3GAN 2.0 review: "A bold sequel with a slightly underwhelming conclusion" 28 Years Later Review: "Enough terror, splatter and suspense to satisfy” Predator: Killer of Killers review: "Great characters, thrilling action, and gorgeous Arcane-esque animation" Squid Game season 3 review: "A staggeringly excellent final season wraps up one of the greatest Netflix shows ever" Ironheart review: "A relic of Marvel's content-at-all-costs era" Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 review: "The show's most assured run of episodes to date" Doctor Who season 2, episode 8 spoiler review: 'The Reality War' is "a mix of the good, the bad, and the truly baffling" Doctor Who season 2, episode 7 spoiler review: 'Wish World' is "an exciting and ambitious" start to the season finale, with hints of WandaVision GamesRadar+ is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 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