Akito isn't fully sane yet.

He has just barely survived a traffic accident when he is mugged.

Something flows into him and takes possession of a part of him.

"Listen, this is my body, and I decide about it!", Akito says protesting - not knowing how much he will still appreciate his new companion.

Because at Tokyo's once busy Shibuya intersection - the symbol of urban crowds - thousands suddenly disappear, leaving only their clothes.

A mysterious mist has swallowed her up.

Behind it is Hannya, a character wearing a mask with two horns.

Shortly thereafter, Akito is also surrounded by fog, but nothing happens to him.

This is ensured by the second main character "KK", the ghost of a man who uses Akito's body for his revenge plans against Hannya.

Philipp Johannssen

Editor on duty at FAZ.NET.

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Ghostwire: Tokyo is all about curses, mythical creatures and unfriendly visitors from the afterlife.

Shinji Mikami, creator of the Evil Within series, and Tango Gameworks use the rich fundus of Japanese mythology hands-free for this purpose.

The amount of information and impressions initially seem as overwhelming and at the same time ephemeral as the sea of ​​lights and colors of the neon signs at the Shibuya crossing.

The initial fear of not being able to follow the story with many characters and even more ghostly characters disappears as soon as you discover the entries in the game's own database.

However, the game requires a certain affinity for and knowledge of Japanese culture.

Anyone who is not interested in this will lose a crucial part of the fun of the game.

Akito quickly realizes that he is not alone on the deserted streets.

He encounters various visitors from another world: faceless suits with umbrellas, headless schoolgirls and other "Yokai", as these beings are called, all of whom do not mean well with the young student.

Thanks to KK, however, Akito is not at the mercy of the dark forces.

He can wield the elemental powers of wind, water, and fire, which can be used to deal with demons.

The combat system in Ghostwire: Tokyo is simple, but not particularly original: there is a fast attack and a strong attack, a bow and arrow for silent attacks from a distance, and a kind of protective shield to ward off enemy attacks.

Akito finds it difficult to dodge, there is no such function.

And so the fights often follow the same pattern, no matter how strong the opponents are.

After the initial enthusiasm about the successful effects of the attacks, the fun in the confrontation quickly wears off and becomes a necessary evil.

But what is there to do in Tokyo anyway?

Dozens of shrines are hidden in the metropolis, which visitors from the afterlife are particularly interested in.

Akito must rid them of demons and then cleanse their archways, torii, so that the fog of horror gradually recedes and more areas can be opened up.

This has to be done about thirty times.

At least the beautifully animated streets almost invite you to take a stroll through the city.

The level designers impressively play with the contrasts between highly modern and old buildings.

But after a short time it becomes apparent that the supposedly open game world is not accessible as intended.

On the one hand, only a few buildings can be entered, on the other hand, the player is artificially limited by the fog.

The potential that Tokyo has to offer as a setting is hardly used.

However, Ghostwire: Tokyo is convincing in other respects.

The graphics already mentioned leave little to be desired, and the Playstation 5 version adds a sensory experience: the controller's vibration feedback is used with virtuosity.

A very slight twitch when it rains over Tokyo again, to violent shaking in the hands during the fights.

This ensures immersion and adds another level to the game.

The main story offers around 12 to fifteen hours of play time, there are also other time-consuming tasks and side missions that offer deeper insights into Japanese mythology.

In terms of gameplay, Ghostwire: Tokyo remains repetitive and doesn't manage to keep the suspense and motivation of the player high over the total of six chapters.

Ghostwire: Tokyo

is approved for ages 16 and over, is available for PC and Playstation 5 and costs around 60 euros.