Ghost of Yōtei

[Aragorn]

Beat it last night. Overall still a great improvement over the original, even if the story doesn't entirely stick the landing with the third act. There is some missed potential there - but overall Yotei has taken a franchise i'v been lukewarm on to one i'm actively on the lookout for.

Spoiler:

The story is by the books and well told, so i'm cognizant that this criticism is more preference than objective per se - but I think I would have liked the game to end up being a Shakespearean tragedy which Atsu outlines at the very start: kill the Yotei Six, and join her family in the afterlife. I think it would have been refreshing to see a protagonist actively reject their chances at redemption to chase a single minded, blood thirsty goal - but there is nothing inherently strong with the story of healing and moving forward that we have now.

Act 3 was a little half baked and we could have spent more time with the dragon/spider respectively.

Where I do strongly think the game missed the mark is with Saito. He is a vast improvement on the cartoonish Khan of the first game; but what made him interesting to me is if you take the time to read the scrolls and hear what he says - he is kind of a progressive leader. He actively rejects the strict caste system of Feudal Japan, he lets anyone join up (peasants and women) and gives them rank. I would have liked if the game turned him into a Colonel Kurtz like figure - a charismatic leader who's a net good for Ezo and maybe even more benevolent than the Matsumae; so the player will have to balance their personal grievances with him and Atsu's desire for vengeance against his impact as a leader.