12
32-
As our long-term readers will know, Tango Gameworks' next project is particularly interesting to us here at 2Game. We're huge fans of Shinji Mikami's previous output, such as Resident Evil and Evil Within. Now that we have a concrete Ghostwire Tokyo gameplay demo floating about, however, we can finally talk about hard gameplay mechanics and combat systems.
While there was a lot of previous discussion about how Ghostwire Tokyo might play in practice, seeing it in action makes it quite incomparable to most other games. Sure, it technically is "just" a shooter with a different skin, but it's good to see that Tango wasn't afraid of breaking conventions where necessary.
While there's much we already know about Ghostwire Tokyo, there's plenty more that we still don't. And with there being murmur about the game drastically changing a few hours in, it's plenty obvious that Tango and Bethesda have prepared something really special here.
Pre-order Ghostwire Tokyo today and get exclusive cosmetics on day-one!
What You Need to Know About Ghostwire Tokyo
Having originally made its way onto our list of most hotly-anticipated games of 2021, Ghostwire Tokyo is now primed and ready to launch on March 25th following a few months' worth of pushback. This is a horror FPS with roots in traditional Japanese folklore, albeit with a decidedly contemporary slant.
Following an undisclosed catastrophe, the streets of Tokyo are left almost completely devoid of human life. In its stead? Vicious ghosts and spirits, all eager to munch away at the protagonist's bones. The protagonist himself is, however, more capable than it might seem at first. Equipped with Kuji-Kiri magical hand gestures in lieu of firearms, Akito will need to dispatch monsters left and right and uncover the ongoing conspiracy along the way.
Mechanically speaking, this is an FPS game, albeit not a traditional one. Of course, there's plenty of combat, but there's a focus on exploration and detective work, too. According to early previews, the game opens up more as you progress, with even the rooftops eventually becoming a key hotspot of activity.
What we're looking at, then, is a first-person action-adventure game. One that's being built by top-tier talent, enlisting the likes of Shinji Mikami for atmosphere and horror, and the DOOM 2016 combat designer, Shinichirō Hara, to keep the moment-to-moment gameplay exciting. A hell of a premise, isn't it?
What New Information Does This Demo Have?
The main draw is, of course, that of Japanese folklore. While the subject matter does flirt with modern AAA gaming sensibilities every so often, we hadn't seen a fully-fledged high-profile project of this type up until now. Judging by the gameplay that's been shown off, the lore is put to good work.
Of course, there's a twist of some sort present. The story is kept secret still, you see. This makes perfect sense, as the narrative slant seems to be rather important for Ghostwire Tokyo in general. So, we'll leave that aside for the time being and talk about the crux of the matter, instead: gameplay.
We suggest you watch the 20-minute gameplay showcase yourself, but the summary is that it's an exciting system. Of course, we'll need to wait and see if it stays exciting for the game's 30-40 hours of content, but we reckon that this shouldn't be an issue.
Crowd control is a major consideration, basically. Players need to use the few basic spells they have access to in any way they can. The goal? To whittle enemies down and then use Glory Ki- er, sorry, finishing moves to rip out their Cores in a satisfying display of particle effects. Spells combine in various ways, and each fits a different purpose. Instead of a shotgun, for example, Akito can cast water blasts to throw enemies around.
Oh, and here's the interesting part: there are weapons available in the game. So far, we've seen a bow, but it wouldn't be a major stretch to see some other examples later on, too.
Ghostwire Tokyo Gameplay Demo: Watch Here!
Even if you just scrim through the video, it should be easy enough to get a sense of what's what. Exploration takes center stage, and as the open-world Tokyo opens up, players gain access to a greater array of combat and stealth options to choose from.
The combat, we believe, won't be to everyone's taste. It's got an almost dance-like quality to it where players bob and weave through colorful spells and projectiles and, in some instances, even use spell shields to block damage. Finisher moves keep things nice and brutal - more so than we expected it to be.
In some cases, stealth is king. Since Akito does have access to a magical bow, even long-range combat is a viable option. From what's been shown, Akito may even find that his spellcasting abilities aren't quite as reliable as they might seem at first. There's an interesting dynamic present here: one that we can't wait to explore at our own pace.
Is there a playable demo for Ghostwire Tokyo?
Sadly, there's no playable demo currently available for Ghostwire Tokyo. Most of the gameplay featured and discussed in this article was provided via controlled preview builds. While a demo would be amazing, it doesn't seem like one will actually be coming pre-release. Thankfully, there are now hours' worth of gameplay footage available online, so it should be possible to get a sense of whether this is a game for you.
Don't forget about Ghostwire Tokyo - Prelude!
What is available, however, is a visual novel prequel to Ghostwire Tokyo. Available for download via Steam, Ghostwire Tokyo - Prelude is a pretty great intro to the universe of Ghostwire. It features KK - the detective that comes to possess Akito and grant him spellcasting abilities in the base game - as the main protagonist.
The whole thing is pretty short. Its goal isn't necessarily to keep you busy for hours on end, though. Instead, it's to explain some key narrative points ahead of time. If you've already got Ghostwire on pre-order, then, it's a must-play.
What Comes Next?
Ghostwire Tokyo is finally being shown off in greater detail, and it's hard not to like what's on show. While a playable demo would be amazing, the many gameplay previews currently available should give you a pretty solid idea of what's what in this game.
As we said before, it's already obvious that Ghostwire won't be for everyone. The promise of an explorable open-world Tokyo that's embroiled in spiritual warfare is too awesome to pass upon.
If you're still undecided, be sure to watch the preview featured as part of this article. All of the basic gameplay systems are shown off well enough, and there's still plenty of time to decide if you want to play the game on day one or not. With Shinji Mikami at the helm, though, just be sure to avoid any spoilers.
Pre-order Ghostwire Tokyo today and get exclusive cosmetics on day-one!
Get in the Game ! 
