My Favourite Thing About Ghostwire: Tokyo

Ghostwire: Tokyo is a phenomenal game, and a lot of its systems are very enjoyable to play with. The combat system in the game is extremely fun, as you'll have to make split-second decisions and perfect blocks, something I'm still quite terrible at. Switching between the elements on the fly is exhilarating and unmatched by any other first-person shooter I've played thus far.

Outside of combat, the open-world exploration is easily some of the best I've experienced; it feels like while running around Tokyo you're progressing the game one way or another. Finding tanukis, Jizo shrines, and even gathering some of the hundreds of spirits present in the game are some of the many things you can do while running rampant through the streets.

If it were up to me, I'd choose everything as my favourite thing about Ghostwire: Tokyo, as everything about the gameplay is delightful, but nothing stands out nearly as much as the game's sidequests.

I'm not complicated when it comes to sidequests in gaming. Although I am not immune to hating the occasional fetch or escort quest present in games, I have a pretty high tolerance for them. That said, one of the things that stands out to me about Ghostwire: Tokyo's sidequests is that they are all so unique in their own way.

Now, when I say unique, I’m not implying that Ghostwire: Tokyo implements new gameplay mechanics with each sidequest that has never been seen before — that would be a lie. What I mean is that every story feels pretty fresh and unique, as each one introduces a new yōkai as well as new lore to uncover. Furthermore, they introduce fun and charming dialogue between Akito and KK.

I like quests that are mundane tasks; if you ask me to do something that feels almost strange to have in a videogame, I'm all in for it. Something is charming about straying from an all-important task to fetch some mundane items that feel almost worthless, because I barely get to experience that in games. Sure, I wouldn't say Ghostwire: Tokyo's sidequests are "mundane tasks" that you can do in real life (unless we're all capturing a kappa and stealing its power), but I am saying that — to the characters in the game — these are mundane tasks.

I don't like it when every single quest has some major Armageddon event occurring because it feels almost fake (as if hurling fireballs with your fingertips wasn't, but I digress). Yet, Ghostwire: Tokyo has allowed me to feel what it would be like to be a supernatural hunter set in Japanese culture and folklore, teaching me how these creatures interact and how to deal with them. 

Although sidequests don't offer unique gameplay mechanics for each one, I don't want that either; they already offer me exactly what I want: more Ghostwire: Tokyo, more gameplay, and more lore. They may not be the biggest nor the most unique sidequests in gaming, but I love them for what they are.