Guides

Guides

Start your Ghost of Yotei journey with beginner guides, walkthroughs, 100% completion paths and New Game+ strategies for Sucker Punch's PS5 open-world adventure.

9
Categories
27
Duels
22
Challenge Sites

Introduction

The Guides hub is the first stop for anyone stepping into 1603 Ezo as Atsu. Ghost of Yotei is a non-linear open-world adventure, so rather than a single critical path the game hands you a hunt: track down the Yotei Six, the renegade samurai who destroyed your family, in whatever order you choose. That freedom is wonderful, but it also means new players need orientation — which weapon to learn first, how the weapon counter system works, how to explore the map efficiently and what to prioritise before the harder fights. Every guide in this category is built around that reality: a clear beginner path, focused breakdowns of core mechanics like the counter system and New Game+, and practical answers to the questions players actually search for, from how long the game takes to how the platinum trophy works. Whether you are opening the game for the first time or coming back for the Complete Edition, start here.

Beginner Topic Quick Reference

TopicBest ForKey Information
Beginner GuideFirst sessionCombat basics, exploration, weapon counters and your first hours as Atsu
Weapon Counter SystemLearning combatWhich weapon beats which enemy type, disarms and thrown weapons
Yotei Six Boss OrderMain storyBest hunt order plus a strategy for every confrontation
Legends Co-Op GuideMultiplayerUnlock Legends, classes and the Six Blades of Yotei missions
New Game+ GuidePost-creditsSoul Flowers, exclusive armor and how NG+ changes the game
100% CompletionPlatinum huntersEvery collectible type and the full road to the platinum trophy

Core Guide Paths

S

Beginner Guide

The complete first-day walkthrough — combat basics, exploration and your opening hours as Atsu in 1603 Ezo.

CoversMovement, combat fundamentals, weapon counters and the first hunt targets
Best ForBrand-new players who want orientation before the Yotei Six fights begin
When to ReadRead this before the opening mission so the guiding wind, weapon counters and the hunt structure all make sense from the first hour.
A

Weapon Counter System

How the new counter system replaces stances — which weapon beats which enemy type and how to chain disarms.

CoversAll eight weapon types, counter matchups, disarms and thrown weapons
Best ForPlayers stuck on specific enemy types or building a versatile loadout
When to ReadReturn to this one whenever a new enemy type feels unkillable — the matchup notes save you from switching weapons blindly.
A

Yotei Six Boss Order

The smartest order to hunt the Yotei Six, with a strategy summary for every boss and the final duel.

CoversRecommended hunt order, boss moves and the Lord Nariaki Saito finale
Best ForPlayers who want to avoid the hardest fights before upgrading their gear
When to ReadPlan your hunt order here before each region opens up, so you always know which boss to prepare for next.
A

Legends Co-Op Guide

Unlock Legends, pick a class and survive the Six Blades of Yotei co-op missions with up to four players.

CoversUnlock requirements, classes, matchmaking and the Most Wanted survival mode
Best ForPlayers moving into multiplayer after finishing the main hunt
When to ReadRead before inviting friends — the unlock requirements and class roles are the difference between a smooth first co-op night and a confusing one.
A

New Game+ Guide

Soul Flowers, exclusive armor and everything the post-credits run changes about your gear and difficulty.

CoversWhat carries over, Soul Flower farming and the NG+ exclusive sets
Best ForPlayers chasing the strongest endgame builds and exclusive cosmetics
When to ReadConsult before the credits roll so you know which gear is worth upgrading now and which Soul Flower set to save toward.
B

100% Completion Route

Every collectible type and the full road to the platinum trophy — a complete checklist for completionists.

CoversSumi-e paintings, fox dens, onsen, banners and all other collectible types
Best ForPlatinum hunters who want an efficient, spoiler-light route
When to ReadUse as a live checklist while you play, ticking off each region's collectibles as you sweep through with the maps category.

Core Mechanics

The Guides category is organised around the player journey rather than a single walkthrough. The beginner guide establishes the core loop — follow the guiding wind to objectives, hunt the Yotei Six in the order you choose, and use the weapon counter system to win fights. Combat guides then drill into the details: perfect parries open windows, disarming attacks strip enemy weapons, and thrown weapons turn the battlefield against your foes. Exploration guides cover the grappling hook, the wolf companion and horse travel, which together define how you cross the open world of Ezo. The 100% completion route ties everything together by mapping every collectible type — sumi-e painting spots, fox dens, onsen, bamboo cutting and more — onto a single checklist. Because the game is non-linear, the guides avoid prescribing a single order; instead they explain the systems and let you build a path that suits your playstyle.

Advantages

The Guides category gives players a clear, ordered path through an intentionally non-linear game. Every article is grounded in the actual game systems, so the weapon counter matchups, parry timing and New Game+ mechanics match what you see on screen rather than generic advice. The category also covers the practical questions players search for, such as how long the game takes, how the platinum trophy works and whether to play the base game or wait for the Complete Edition. Because Ghost of Yotei rewards preparation — knowing a boss's moves or which charm to equip before a duel — a well-organised guides hub genuinely changes how smoothly your playthrough goes. It is the reliable first stop for brand-new players and returning players alike.

Challenges

The main challenge with a guide category for Ghost of Yotei is that the game keeps evolving. The free Legends co-op update arrived in March 2026, and the Complete Edition with the Echoes of Sekigahara expansion follows on October 1 2026, so any guide written for an earlier version can quickly become out of date. New players can also be overwhelmed by the sheer number of guides, and the non-linear structure means the best order for one player may not suit another. Finally, guides can only describe the systems — the fastest way to learn a boss's rhythm is still to face the fight yourself. Read the relevant guide before a duel, then practise the timing in a live encounter.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do first in Ghost of Yotei?+
Start by following the guiding wind through the opening missions until you have the grappling hook, your horse and access to the weapon counter system, then take on The Snake — the recommended opening target among the Yotei Six. Before your first boss duel, read the beginner guide and the weapon counter guide so you understand which weapons beat which enemy types and how perfect parries open punish windows. After the first region is unlocked, explore lookouts to reveal the map and gather a couple of armour sets before pushing deeper into the hunt.
Is there a Ghost of Yotei walkthrough?+
Yes — the Guides category covers a full walkthrough-style path, but with a twist: the game is non-linear, so the main story has no single fixed route. Instead, the guides walk you through every main objective, the recommended hunt order for the Yotei Six and Lord Nariaki Saito, and all the side content worth doing along the way. For a complete tour, combine the beginner guide, the boss order guide and the 100% completion route, which together cover every region of Ezo and every major fight in the game.
What does New Game+ change in Ghost of Yotei?+
New Game+ unlocks after the credits and lets you restart the story while keeping all your equipment, upgrades and cosmetics. The new system it introduces is Soul Flowers — a currency you earn during the playthrough and spend at the New Game+ merchant on exclusive armor sets and new upgradeable gear. Enemies scale higher, so a refined build matters more than on the first run. Your charm loadout and difficulty carry over, which makes a New Game+ run the perfect place to test the strongest builds from our armor category.

Quick Tips

💡

Read the beginner guide before your first boss duel — knowing how the weapon counter system and perfect parries work saves you from losing the opening fights of the Yotei Six hunt. Five minutes of reading beats twenty minutes of retrying a duel with the wrong weapon equipped. Five minutes of reading beats twenty minutes of retrying a duel with the wrong weapon equipped.

💡

Prioritise the grappling hook and lookouts early. Grappling onto vantage points reveals the map faster than riding everywhere, and a revealed map makes every other guide in this category — collectibles, bosses, locations — much easier to follow. A revealed map makes every other guide in this category much easier to follow.

💡

Do not rush the Yotei Six fights. The game is non-linear, so the best approach is to hunt a couple of bounties and duels first to earn gear, then take on The Snake with a properly upgraded loadout. Preparation is the difference between a clean duel and a long death screen. Preparation is the difference between a clean duel and a long death screen.

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