In Ghostwire: Tokyo, you awaken amid the mass disappearance of nearly all of Tokyo’s population, paving the way for Otherworldly Travelers to take over the city. Like real-life superstitions, folklore, yokai, and urban legends, these Travelers will not be stopped by conventional weapons. You’ll need to work alongside an unlikely ally – the spirit of a grizzly detective named KK – to have the strength and skills needed to track down the perpetrators behind the disappearance. of Tokyo and restored reality to the city.
In addition to devices like powerful bows and arrows and mystical techniques like Ethereal Weaving, knowledge is also a useful tool for dealing with the occult threat enveloping Tokyo. These are just a few examples of the creatures – both hostile and potentially friendly – you’ll encounter on the haunted streets of Tokyo, as well as a bit of information to aid you on your ghost hunting adventure mine.
Kuchisake
Based on the urban legend of the kuchisake-onna, AKA “The Woman with the Grooved Mouth”, Ghostwire’s Kuchisake is a Wicked Guest in the form of a masked woman holding a giant pair of scissors. In primitive folklore, the kuchisake-onna asks its victims if they think she is beautiful, only to reveal her distorted smile. She then repeats the question, often leaving the victim the same scars if they displeased that she is beautiful or killing them instantly if they say otherwise.
“At least some parts of the inclusion of the kuchisake-onna have shown the concept popular in Japan as an urban legend,” explains game director Kenji Kimura. “That said, what ultimately led to the inclusion was the fact that at first glance they didn’t look like monsters, just plain women in coats. As such, they complemented one of our goals for the game: to portray the unsettling and the extraordinary in a completely ordinary setting. As they get closer to the player, you’ll be able to hear them squeak and click as they open and close them. It creates a more immersive sound experience when experienced through the PlayStation 5’s 3D audio capabilities.”
A clever misdirection can help prevent you from falling prey to kuchisake-onna, and defeating Ghostwire’s version requires a similar approach. When she gets close, use your Ethereal Weaving to summon the barrier at the right time to stop her attacks but be careful, even more dangerous enemies are lurking along the alleys of Tokyo. “Ghostwire: Tokyo also has a variety of other kuchisake-onna in red. That version was inspired by another urban legend involving a woman in red,” explains Kimura. “In that sense, the kuchisake-onna in Ghostwire is not just taken directly from legend and folklore, but more like a fusion and re-imagining of concepts.”
Tengu
While travelers like the bloodthirsty Kuchisake pose a serious threat to the unprepared, not every supernatural being in Tokyo is an enemy. Some, like the wandering tengu that hover over the city skyline, can serve as vital assets in your mission.
Look close to the tops of buildings (or tap into your Spectral Vision ability) to locate these aerial yokai and use your Grapple ability to lift yourself to the rooftops of Tokyo! In addition to unlocking brand new areas to explore, the city’s skyline offers plenty of vantage points to take down enemies as well as the chance to get a breathtaking snapshot in Photo Mode. Ghostwire.
“The main priority for the yokai designs in Ghostwire: Tokyo was to make sure they were all unique and distinguishable,” said protagonist artist Yoshifumi Hattori. “In the case of tengu, that means they have to wear clothes similar to the yamabushi, a type of spiritual hermit that lives in the mountains. We chose to specifically turn them into tengu birds because we felt that something more animalistic would fit well with the cityscape. After all, Tokyo is full of crows. ”
Kimura adds: “There are many different stories about tengu depending on the region and time period. “The pictures that caught our attention were the drawings depicting people being whipped from place to place by tengu in the blink of an eye, as well as creatures catching strong winds to lift objects. up in the air. These things made us think that it would be fun if they transport players to high places in the game.”
Tanuki
Both playful and lovable, tanukis are a popular staple in traditional Japanese folklore. Often depicted as tricksters, these mythical raccoon dogs are known to have shape-shifting abilities. “We gave them a special way of talking by having them use the regional dialect common in the region known for its tanuki lore,” says Kimura. “In addition, each creature is characterized by a variety of clothing, accessories, and headgear.”
As you wander around Tokyo, you’ll discover a group of these men who have gotten lost in the streets. Equipping them can give you a decent reward, but it will also require some sharp eyes – tanukis are masters of camouflage after all. See a sign or a bowl of ramen a bit out of place? It could be a tanuki!
Shine Dancer
Shine Dancers derive their name and appearance from teru teru bōzu – traditional paper dolls often crafted as lovely amulets asking for good weather. However, Traveler’s flight into the skies of Tokyo is not a harbinger of good luck, but a threat capable of ambushes from the air (or even lurking like a harmless piece of cloth, so keep an eye out). .)
Kimura said: “For Ghostwire: Tokyo, it was important to us that we capture the unsettling and extraordinary in a completely normal setting. “To achieve that vision, we tried to incorporate things that look like the average person on the outside or seem innocuous but can have a weird side to the interpretation.”
“The teru-teru bōzu amulet is one of the prime examples of this. In Japan, these are objects that are hung under the eaves of buildings to keep out rain and invite good luck. However, from a different perspective, they look like hanging dolls. It’s a fascinating combination, which is what makes the Shining Dancers one of my favorite Travelers. ”
Kappa
Like their counterparts in Japanese folklore, the kappa in Ghostwire are amphibian yokai found near water. They possess useful Magatama that can unlock your potential to learn larger skills but are also slippery little creatures to catch. “Kappa is not difficult to incorporate into [Ghostwire: Tokyo],” Kimura said. “If you look at the Tokyo cityscape, you will actually find a surprising number of rivers and ponds, as well as fountains located within commercial premises. These sources of water are familiar sights for anyone living in the city.”
“The kappa in our game is [variety] people easily picture in their mind, including their usual plate and crust,” added Hattori. “When it comes to finer details and whatnot, we’ve added elements commonly found in creature designs made outside of Japan.”
Thankfully, like the myths they’re based on, the kappas in Ghostwire can’t resist their favorite snack as bait. Those familiar with kappa folklore already know what dish we’re talking about, but here’s a hint: it’s a green vegetable known for keeping cool. As for where you can buy one, you might have some luck at a nearby shop or kiosk…
Nekomata
Speaking of shops, convenience stores, and other kiosks around town that might be run by a new breed of shopkeeper: a yokai nekomata that resembles a two-tailed cat.
“The original idea was to make the shops into places where players could wander when they needed to relax exploring the city and fighting the Travelers. We thought it would be great if the stores had something to calm the players down, and that’s how we came up with nekomata running the stores,” Kimura said.
Ghostwire’s Nekomata is happy to provide players with supplies, ammunition and other supplies…for a fee, of course. You will need to obtain a special currency called Meika from completing quests to buy their stuff. Occasionally, you may also be tasked with purchasing some special items for the nekomata. We recommend these to Ghostwire’s feline friends – they may not believe in free lunches but they know how to reward a hard-working ghost hunter.
“There’s a lot of rewards gained by helping them find the items they need, but there’s also a relaxing element to the whole dynamic,” says Kimura. “When you deliver them, the nekomata will actually wear them. These are things like lion masks, wine gourds, hair clips, etc. We hope the players will notice how cute they look wearing these accessories. ”
“As a rule, Yokai are not harmful to humans. Even with a particular breed, you will find stories of them both attacking and helping humans,” Kimura continued. “If anything, they tend to be more neutral towards humanity. This is because, conceptually, yokai were originally intended to personify natural or inexplicable phenomena. ”
“In other words, while you may not see them, they may always be nearby, running their own business. You can contrast this with the type of monster you often see in urban legends. Many of them seem to be born out of the negative emotions that people carry with them, their anxiety, etc. I think that’s why, by comparison, you tend to hear a lot. stories about them harming people more. This is the mindset that informs Ghostwire: Tokyo – a game in which players gain yokai powers and use them to battle monsters of urban lore. ”
Ghostwire: Tokyo launches March 25 on PlayStation 5 – Pre-order today to get premium Biker skin packs and Hannya outfit items! Players with an active PlayStation® Plus membership can also receive a 10% discount on pre-purchase of the digital version of the game at the PlayStation Store. Other terms and conditions apply, offer may not be available in all regions.
