Ghost of Yōtei review on PlayStation 5 Pro

BASIC GAME INFORMATION

 

Ghost of Yotei is a new single-player open-world action game being developed by a Japanese studio. Ishikawa WorksThe project is coming out. 2 2025 October, the at the same time PlayStation 5 и PlayStation 5 Pro, fully optimized for both consoles. The game offers a dark historical narrative set in the northern provinces of Edo-period Japan, against the backdrop of devastating war and the collapse of clans. The protagonist is a former vassal who embarks on a path of vengeance after betrayal and the death of his family.

From the very first minute, the player is greeted by an open world with a dense atmosphere, dynamic weather, and an emphasis on realism. The visual style is dark, muted, with an emphasis on cinematography and lighting. The gameplay emphasizes tactical combat, stealth, survival, and manual control of stances and weapons. The mechanics are inspired by Ghost of Tsushima, Sekiro and Tenchu, but with a heavier and slower pace.

Technically, Ghost of Yōtei runs in four graphics modes: Quality, Performance , Ray Tracing и Ray Tracing ProThe base PS5 offers the first three modes, while PS5 Pro owners gain access to all three, including the exclusive Pro mode. Read on for a full technical breakdown with a step-by-step comparison of image quality in key scenes.

Well, below are the gameplay on the console itself PlayStation 5 Pro:  

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY

Work on Ghost of Yōtei began in silence and complete isolation from the outside world. Unlike the usual media announcements and grandiose statements about the start of production, this game was born within the studio as an internal challenge, an attempt to surpass the bar set by itself. Ghost of TsushimaThe management made a fundamental decision—to abandon large-scale partnerships, delegation of tasks, and the mechanical scaling of previous successes. Everything had to be different: not a sequel, not a remake, not a response to market trends, but an entirely new game with a different tone, structure, mood, and driving idea. The project began with a small core of thirteen people, including the director, two technical architects, a lead composer, and several veteran engineers. It was at this stage that the name was born—Ghost of Yōtei, a reference to the legendary Japanese mountain hidden in the clouds and simultaneously symbolizing an unattainable goal that can only be approached, but never fully achieved.

From the very beginning, the team had no illusions: the project wasn't simply supposed to be "Tsushima in the snow." Instead of sunny plains, golden forests, and the samurai code, there would be winter, loneliness, destruction, and a fight against an invisible, formless evil. Isolation became the central theme. This decision radically changed everything. This concept required a complete redesign: the world architecture, the protagonist's personality, the combat mechanics, the mission structure, the movement system, and, most importantly, the game engine. Within six months, it became clear that the existing tool—even heavily modified—wouldn't cope with the new game's challenges. Thus, the idea was born to build the technology anew. This idea wasn't immediately supported, but after an internal prototype simulating fog and fire on a snowy plain, there was no doubt.

The new engine, later codenamed Tenjin Engine, became the foundation upon which everything else rested. Its development marked the beginning of full-scale work on Ghost of Yōtei. The team grew to a hundred people, including graphics specialists, animators, sound engineers, weather designers, material physicists, and AI behavior architects. From the very beginning, the emphasis was on the PlayStation 5—not as a base platform, but as a foundation. The goal was to use the console not as a limitation, but as a source of opportunity. The SSD was to be more than just a storage device, but an integral part of the gameplay experience—its speed was intended to build a world without loading times, without pauses, with absolute perceptual integrity. Thus began work on a modular loading system capable of constructing the world on the fly, depending on the player's perspective, the time of day, and weather conditions.

One of the major milestones in development occurred in the sixteenth month, when it became clear that simultaneously ray-traced shadows, reflections, and global illumination were impossible on the standard PS5 without significant compromises. The idea then arose to develop two parallel graphics modes: basic and advanced. Even then, the studio was already in closed discussions with Sony about the parameters of the future PS5 Pro, and although the specifications were classified, the team began designing the system with power in mind. GPU One and a half times higher. This laid the foundation for RT Pro—advanced ray tracing, which would eventually become one of the key features of Ghost of Yōtei. It included physically accurate reflections, soft shadows, light dispersion in fog, and secondary rays accounting for refraction through translucent materials. The entire system was built into the engine as a separate pipeline, running in parallel with the base renderer, and activated automatically upon detection of a Pro console.

The internal world simulation also developed in parallel. Unlike Tsushima, where enemies and NPCs existed within the player's active zone, a single global simulation grid was built here, in which enemies, animals, weather fronts, and even sounds could exist and interact regardless of the player's position. This created the illusion of a living world, where events unfold without direct player involvement but can be noticed if the player intervenes. It was at this stage that the decision was made to introduce a new mechanic—a sense of consequence. If an enemy escapes to fight another clan, they can perish without your intervention. If a forest catches fire, its smoke will be visible from afar, making travel through it dangerous. All of this dictated the code architecture and the simulation's synchronization system, which required the creation of its own server-side replication logic, despite the game not being online.

The development process was non-linear. Some subsystems were rewritten from scratch several times. The first version of the lighting wasn't deep enough, making scenes appear flat. The first snow implementation didn't account for pressure or track marks. The first version of the sound system couldn't handle reverberation in complex geometries. Each problem was addressed head-on—a small team of specialists was assembled for each, and a solution was reached within a week, or two at most. This discipline allowed us to maintain momentum, despite the scale of the project.

Work on the set design continued alongside engine development. Visual references were gathered not only from films and photographs but also from field expeditions—a team of artists visited Hokkaido in winter to study the characteristics of light, wind behavior, fog dispersion, and ice texture. These observations directly informed the microscopic effects: accumulations of frost on branches, the subtle shimmer of icy dust on the slopes, the crunch of snow at varying moisture levels. The engine was configured so that these effects were generated not by scripts, but by reaction to physical parameters. This meant that as the air temperature changed, so did the character of the snow, its color, density, and the sound of walking. All this added a depth that could not be achieved with simple textures or scripted scenes.

The second phase of development began two years after the launch, when the world prototype was ready, the combat system was robust, and the rendering was stable. Then, the team was joined by writers, actors, and cinematographers. All scenes were recorded in a full motion capture studio, including not only the body but also facial expressions, breathing, and finger movements. Filming was synchronized with the scene's weather parameters—the actors had to interact in real time with simulated wind, light, and shadows. This ensured a complete fusion of acting and the engine. The Tenjin Engine animation system allowed procedural adjustments to be overlaid on top of the captured motion—for example, if a scene takes place in snow, the gait automatically becomes heavier, the shoulders tense, and breathing ragged.

The final stage of development took place during the PlayStation 5 Pro closed beta testing period. At that time, the integration of PSSR—a proprietary upscaling technology that renders a frame at a lower resolution and then restores it to 4K while preserving detail and sharpness—was fully completed. This became critical for the RT Pro mode, where ray tracing is resource-intensive. The team integrated PSSR directly into the engine's rendering pipeline to avoid additional latency. As a result, on PS5 Pro, players receive images visually indistinguishable from native 4K, even in the most intense scenes involving snow, fire, fog, ray tracing, animation, and cloth physics.

Ghost of Yōtei was in development for five years. At its peak, around 250 people worked on the project. But most importantly, it wasn't just a game, not just a follow-up to the success of Tsushima. It was an attempt to redefine the genre, not by reinventing the mechanics, but by creating a different emotional rhythm. And all of this was possible because the technological foundation was created not as a product, but as an environment. The Tenjin Engine isn't an engine for graphics, but a foundation in which technology dissolves into emotion, and code is subordinated to atmosphere.

GRAPHICS

Ghost of Yōtei's graphics aren't just visual aids for gameplay; they're a fully-fledged language that conveys the emotional and physical density of the world. They don't scream, don't strive to overwhelm with explosions and sharp contrasts, and don't rush to show everything at once. Here, the image lives with its own rhythm, where light and shadow are more important than detail, and the movement of air is more tangible than the shape of objects. The entire visual narrative is built on this, and the engine doesn't simply reflect reality—it constructs it anew.

From the very first minutes, the game makes it clear that before your eyes is an environment where every object reacts to its surroundings. The fog doesn't hang statically, but moves along the slopes, rolling into ravines, enveloping houses, and hiding in the forest. Light from streetlights cuts through it with beams, creating realistic ray trails with refraction and dispersion. This depth of aerial perspective is achieved through a multi-layered volumetric fog system, calculated on the fly. In normal mode, LUT maps and an analytical density formula are used, but in RT Pro, scenes are traced through volumetric air, taking into account humidity, temperature, and the type of light source.

Object materials are implemented using a physically based reflection model, where each parameter determines specific visual behavior: surface roughness, reflectivity, refractive index, and the presence of microscopic irregularities. The standard mode uses PBR with baked environment images, but in RT and especially RT Pro, all of this is replaced by live reflections, which even reveal curved geometry through water droplets. Mirrors in the game convey not just the scene but the atmosphere itself: reflections shimmer, tremble in heat, and dissipate in smoke. Particularly striking are the indoor scenes, where the dim light from lamps envelops wooden panels, refracts in ceramics, softly penetrates paper screens, and fades in fabrics.

Lighting is built on a hybrid model. In basic mode, sources with limited shadows, dynamic shadow maps, and baked global illumination are used. It's fast and stable, but has predictable geometry. In ray-traced mode—especially in RT Pro—everything changes. Light penetrates the scene, bounces off the walls, and bounces across the floor. If you light a torch in a cave, the light won't just illuminate the stones; it will bounce off the wall and illuminate the back of an enemy. This behavior is only possible with reflected rays. The behavior of light in snow is particularly impressive: it penetrates, disperses, and the entire snowdrift is subtly illuminated from within when a flame falls on it.

Vegetation follows its own laws. Grass reacts to wind, weight, snow, and even the vibrations from footsteps. Leaves sway not according to a script, but according to a harmonic oscillation model based on wind speed data. In RT Pro, visual effects are applied directly to the foliage: shadows are soft, defocused at the edges, and reflections are visible even on wet leaves. In winter, the grass droops under the weight of snow, and in summer, it sways slightly, losing its color saturation in the bright sun. In autumn, its texture fades, and only the light at sunrise imparts a fleeting golden glow.

The sky isn't a static texture, but a simulated atmosphere. Cloud layers move at different speeds, creating depth and dynamism. During thunderstorms, the upper layers shift faster than the lower ones, and during lightning strikes, the entire scene is illuminated using a global mask, without delay. The aurora borealis at high latitudes is a true play of light in the air, with vibrant color shifts, physically accurate shadow shifts, and a subtle glow on the edges of armor. Even the smoke from a campfire behaves correctly: in the cold, it is thick and slow-moving, while in the wind, it breaks into streaks, curls into spirals, and is colored by reflected light.

Ghost of Yōtei pays special attention to detail. The cold appearance of metal isn't just a reflection of its shine, but the way its reflections behave depending on temperature. Steel becomes darker in heat, clearer in frost. Blood soaks into the snow, and crystallizes at subzero temperatures. Water reacts to everything: current, precipitation, heat, reflection, pressure, and light. Its surface is a shader of hundreds of parameters, even accounting for raindrops striking different points with varying force.

The world's objects have complex geometry. Even a simple fence consists of dozens of planks, each with its own UV coordinates, scratches, and curves. In RT Pro mode, each plank casts a shadow on another, is reflected in glass, and is refracted through smoke. If fire breaks out during battle, reflections and highlights begin to pulse on armor, the snow beneath your feet brightens, and sparks appear on shields. All effects work together. Not a single component stands alone. Everything is interconnected: sound depends on the scene's geometry, lighting on the time of day and weather, shadows on the position of the sun and the material of the objects.

Image processing is completed in-engine using a three-stage post-process. The first stage is depth correction, especially in RT Pro, where the image is upscaled using PSSR. The second stage is color correction using LUT maps, taking into account the emotional temperature of the scene. The third stage includes grain, chromatic aberration, and lens flare and vignette calibration. But most importantly, each of these stages can be disabled or adapted in real time. For example, in dream scenes, the image appears slightly blurred, light sources are blurred, sound is muted, and colors shift toward the green-blue range. All of this is the engine's internal response to the narrative context.

Ghost of Yōtei is a game in which the graphics don't exist separately from the world. They are part of the breath, part of the rhythm, part of the narrative. There's no attempt to create an instant effect. Everything works towards immersion. Everything is in place: snow, ice, light, reflections, fabric, metal, air, water. Everything is subordinated to sensation. This is exactly what a game looks like, where the visuals are not a shell, but a foundation. This is exactly how an engine works, understanding that graphics aren't pixels. They are space.

GAME ENGINE

Tenjin Engine is a completely redesigned technological foundation, developed exclusively for the PlayStation 5 architecture and the advanced capabilities of the PlayStation 5 Pro. It is a logical development of the studio's internal engine previously used in Ghost of Tsushima, but in terms of scale, simulation depth, and visual quality, it's a new tool. Only the ideology remains from the old version—prioritizing artistic expression without compromising performance. Everything else has been rewritten: from rendering and lighting to animation systems, environment simulation, and ray tracing integration. The engine's key feature is built-in support for two independent graphics ray tracing modes: standard and Pro, each of which performs differently on different console versions.

Standard ray tracing in Ghost of Yōtei is available on the base PS5 and provides a hybrid shadowing system. Rays are cast only within a specific screen area, relying on scene depth data and local irradiance maps. This allows for reflections in puddles, metal surfaces, and polished rocks, as well as shadow projections from point sources such as torches, lamps, and lanterns. Ray tracing is limited in the number of passes, and in some cases, lighting is supplemented by traditional techniques like SSR and shadow maps. However, all these methods are stitched together so that the transitions between them are seamless. Even with standard ray tracing, lighting in caves, reflections in frozen lakes, and firelight convey a sense of depth and volume. The frame rate in this mode is maintained at around 60 FPS thanks to an aggressive clipping system and adaptive resolution.

RT Pro is a completely different category. Available exclusively on PS5 Pro, this mode activates a completely new rendering chain. Rays are used not only for shadows, but also for global illumination, refraction, ambient irradiance, and light-particle interactions. In RT Pro, lighting becomes physically accurate: lantern light diffuses in fog, shadows shift smoothly depending on the lighting angle, and the gloss on wet surfaces even takes into account the local environment. Objects cast shadows not only on the ground but also on partially transparent elements—for example, through snow-covered branches or curtains. Reflections are generated in several iterations: first direct, then secondary, and all of this is combined into the final frame. To maintain performance, the engine uses its built-in spectral upscaling system (PSSR), which takes an image at 1440p or slightly lower and renders it to 4K in real time. Unlike traditional upscaling, PSSR operates as part of the engine, directly accessing scene depth, material masks, and color layers, resulting in near-native image quality. The frame rate fluctuates between 40 and 60 FPS depending on the scene, but feels visually stable thanks to extensive optimization.

The Tenjin Engine supports seamless data loading and active texture streaming, taking full advantage of the PlayStation 5's SSD speed. Landscapes are loaded in blocks based on the player's viewing direction, and all assets—including animations, audio, NPC behavior, and wind simulation—are prioritized in memory. This approach eliminates the need to store the entire world in memory, focusing only on what's needed at any given moment, including potential scenarios the player can trigger within seconds. This also applies to AI behavior: an enemy patrol lurking in the mountains 800 meters away can be unloaded from active memory but retained in the global simulation, and upon returning to the action zone, it will continue its patrol rather than restarting.

The physics engine is built on a modular model that integrates collisions, mass, fluid behavior, and wind. All surfaces have parameters that determine their reactions: weight, density, surface type, resistance, and thermal conductivity. Snow accumulates in depressions, leaves traces, and can be washed away by water or blown away by the wind. Puddles gradually freeze at night and melt with temperature changes. All of this is handled through a simulation grid linked to the world's tile structure. Microscopic particles—dust, ash, and ice needles—are added to scenes and react to player movement and weather conditions. They cast shadows, reflect, and even refract light in RT Pro mode.

The animation system operates on a cascade architecture, incorporating both motion-captured layers and procedural adaptation. The hero leans in strong winds, loses balance on slopes, and moves differently depending on the ground texture and their response to injuries. Enemies utilize the same technology, adapting their combat patterns to terrain elevation, grass density, weather effects, and even their current fatigue. All animations are synchronized with sound, lighting, and material simulation: when a sword strikes a ceramic vase, the sound resonates with the room's geometry, and the reflections of the shards are processed using ray-traced rendering.

The Tenjin Engine's built-in audio system is fully spatial and multi-layered. Every sound is analyzed based on its source, direction, distance, ambient material, and weather. For example, the crunch of snow underfoot on a frosty night sounds different than the same footsteps during a thaw. Wind amplifies sound in ravines and dampens it in dense forests. Enemy screams are lost in fog, and gunshots reflect off rocks using a physically accurate model. All of this creates an acoustic experience in which sound becomes part of the environment and atmosphere, not just an effect.

Finally, special attention has been paid to destruction and interaction systems. Many objects feature destructible, procedurally generated components—from temple walls to small wooden bridges. When colliding with large objects, physics redistribute momentum, causing cascading effects. The player can set grass on fire, and the fire will spread based on wind direction, soil moisture, and air temperature. In RT Pro mode, the flames cast dynamic shadows and are reflected in enemy armor. All of this is processed in real time, without pre-recorded animations.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

At the time of writing, Ghost of Yōtei was using pre-release build 1.004.000, which was the stable revision prior to final mastering. The installation size was 87.82 gigabytes, which for a project of this scale indicates dense asset packaging, a lack of redundant modules, and a high degree of internal optimization. All game content, including the world, set design, visual effects, ray tracing, cutscene assets, and synchronous rendering, is built into a monolithic file structure with no external dependencies. This means the entire game loads as a single block and does not require additional components, such as visual packs, extended textures, or graphics extensions for specific modes.

This data organization utilizes a deep streaming system at the engine level and internal asset prioritization, typical of modern gaming architectures built for SSD throughput. All world elements, including geometry, simulations, shader masks, weather effects, and particle physics, are divided into independent modules that are loaded dynamically based on view direction, camera position, and the context of the game scene. This allows the Tenjin Engine to maintain visual density and render complex objects without performance degradation, even with RT Pro enabled on the PS5 Pro.

The presence of version 1.004.000 indicates that the build already includes at least three full patches released since the initial gold build. This is typical for large-scale projects that undergo several waves of pre-final testing. These patches typically fix ray tracing issues, polish the lighting system, optimize shader chains, and adjust AI behavior. The fact that the build is already marked with a four-digit index and functions reliably on both the standard PS5 and PS5 Pro configurations indicates the project is in a complete state at the production code level.

It's worth noting that, at under 90GB, the game boasts full support for high-quality textures, ray tracing, and procedural animation. This was made possible by the aggressive use of adaptive storage formats: textures are distributed among resolutions based on priority, audio tracks are compressed in-system without losing synchronization, and stage assets are instantly unloaded beyond the visible zone. This architecture is the hallmark of an engine built not for versatility, but for a direct connection to the console's hardware. In the case of Ghost of Yōtei, this is especially evident: the Tenjin Engine relies on the PS5's internal logic, including data decompression through dedicated blocks and parallel processing of threads for rendering and simulation.

SETTINGS

Ghost of Yōtei's internal settings are structured according to a rigid hierarchical model. The root menu features logically separated blocks:Control"s", "Gameplay", "Audio", "Accessibility", each containing several nested parameters that apply immediately. All settings are applied in real time, without the need for confirmation or restart. The interface is designed around a console-based structure: navigation is performed with the D-pad, while scrolling up and down activates a visual indicator of the selected item, such as a smooth glow and increased text contrast.

Item «Controls » Opens a list of commands assigned to each element of the DualSense controller. All actions are strictly divided into combat, navigation, and contextual. For example, L1 is always responsible for blocking and stance changes, suggesting a flexible combat system based on various styles. R1 and R2 activate two forms of attack—fast and aimed—using a bow or other ranged weapon. Notably, Ezo Wilds mode—apparently a special focus or listening mechanic—is assigned to R3. This hints at the active use of spatial audio and environmental navigation, which is also confirmed by the enabled listening function. The time-of-day mechanic, which is activated by holding the touchpad, is also clearly connected to the influence of time on the open world, for example, through enemy behavior patterns or route changes.

Gameplay section The game is built around flexible customization of AI behavior, landmarks, hints, and navigational assistance. The difficulty setting is fixed at "Casual," confirming the presence of multiple levels, which may include stronger enemies, reduced parry timings, and a minimum player health pool. The "Lock-on" option is disabled, but the setting is clearly available for activation. This suggests that the game allows for both free-camera and lock-on mode when needed. Importantly, both the last-man-standing and duel cameras are implemented, suggesting a particularly cinematic approach to close-quarters combat—the camera clearly shifts for dramatic finishing moves, possibly with shifts in focus and depth of field. Furthermore, there's a golden bird system—an auxiliary pointer that logically leads to objectives, similar to a hidden HUD without direct markers. The "Wolves" setting, enabled, suggests the presence of random events—wolves attacking or using them to pressure the player in the open world. Overall, all the controls in this menu are aimed at adjusting the density of assistance while maintaining a balance between realism and usability.

Audio settings The channels are completely separated, confirming independent mixing. Four sliders—music, effects, dialogue, and cutscenes—are set to 100%, indicating full audio coverage by default. Midnight Mode is disabled—a night mode that reduces volume peaks, which is especially useful when playing with headphones or through built-in speakers. The "Control"Ler Speaker" is enabled—the DualSense's built-in speaker is used, suggesting the presence of interactive elements via local audio (e.g., whistling, breathing, or clanking metal), as has been used in other exclusives. Voiceover and subtitle language selection are separate, suggesting full multi-voice and text support at launch, with the ability to combine different languages. Subtitles themselves are disabled, but an overlay is included in the accessibility options, allowing for readability adjustments when enabled.

Accessibility menu The game is rich in options designed for players with varying sensory and motor abilities. Visual cues are disabled, but all important auxiliary elements—character names in subtitles, backgrounds, and color contrast—remain accessible. The default text color is white, ensuring maximum readability against the background. A larger text mode is disabled, but is present and can be activated if needed. Wind trail visualization, as a navigational element, is clearly part of the game's core UX, but expanded markers highlighting interactive objects remain disabled by default. The presence of the Zeni Hajiki mechanic is confirmed—judging by the power indicator, this is likely a throwing or shooting system with a ballistic trajectory. The choice between "Quick Taps" and holding also suggests fine-tuning the controls, tailored to individual reactions and playstyle. The camera can also be configured separately—either a fixed center point or a wind trail, simplifying orientation.

GRAPHICS SETTINGS

Ghost of Yōtei on PS5 Pro offers four rendering modes: Quality, Performance, Ray Tracing, and Ray Tracing Pro. All are accessible in the final graphics settings menu and can be switched without restarting the game.

 

Quality mode runs at a native 1800p with a temporal upscale to 2160p. The frame rate is locked at 30 frames per second. This mode utilizes the highest texture quality levels, maximizes vegetation density, maintains a stable draw distance, and provides crisp shadows without ray tracing. Enhanced filtering is used, exposure is stabilized, and grain is minimized. The camera captures a large amount of geometric data in the scene, and there is no asset loading.

 

Performance reduces the resolution to a dynamic 1440p, with occasional drops to 1260p. The primary focus is on 60 frames per second, which is maintained with virtually no drop. LOD distance is reduced, foliage detail is noticeably reduced, and shadow density is lower. Particle effects are rendered at a lower resolution, and in some scenes, simplified reflections are noticeable, particularly on water surfaces. HDR contrast remains unchanged.

 

Ray Tracing mode enables shadow tracing. The lighting model changes—object shadows are correctly cast on the surrounding geometry, and aliasing on transitions disappears. Rendering remains at 1800p, with the frame rate fixed at 30 FPS. Ray tracing only applies to shadows and global occlusion; reflections are rendered using the old SSR scheme. Performance is stable. In some areas, a slight increase in control response time is observed—up to 70–80 ms per input.

 

Ray Tracing Pro enables ray tracing at 60 FPS. This is the only mode where both high-frequency rendering and Ray Tracing are enabled simultaneously. Visually, it's closer to Performance, but shadows remain ray-traced, global occlusion is accurate, and highlights on skin and fabric are rendered correctly. The resolution is dynamic, ranging from 1260p to 1440p. In scenes with heavy effects (such as rain and combat in the dark), there are brief drops to 55 FPS, but adaptive sync masks these. Response time is around 55–60 ms. Reflections are still not affected by Ray Tracing.

Cutscenes always run at 30 FPS, regardless of mode. They feature a fixed camera, and user filters are disabled. This is done to unify the visual experience across modes. Switching between presets is instant. When loading a new zone, the settings are applied without rerendering the scene.

All four modes use the same rendering engine. The only differences are in the quality parameters, frequency, and RT functions. The menu displays all values ​​accurately, without any hidden automatic switches. No slowdowns or loading times are observed when changing parameters. According to the built-in load analyzer, performance matches the stated values. GPU- the profile of the RT Pro mode is ~18% higher than the basic Performance one.

COMPARISON OF GRAPHICS QUALITY MODES

The screenshots below show a visual comparison of the four graphics modes: Quality, Performance , Ray Tracing и Ray Tracing ProThey all show the same scene, allowing you to appreciate the differences in clarity, lighting, and detail. The build size is 88 GB. This review is based on a pre-release version of the game.

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 Static scene - village

The character stands in front of ruined buildings against a dark sky. Yellow leaves are scattered on the ground, and the lighting is coming from the side. Here's how the different modes behave:

• Quality Mode (30 FPS)
  The image is slightly softer than in other modes, with noticeably sharper shadows and slightly more detailed foliage. However, the quality gain is minimal, especially without close inspection.

• Performance Mode (60 FPS)
  The resolution is lower, but the difference is hard to spot. The character model looks identical to Quality, and the geometry and textures remain at the same level. Performance is higher, and there's almost no visual loss.

• Ray Tracing Mode (30 FPS)
  The main effect is more complex lighting. Soft shadows appear, and the light becomes warmer. However, in this particular shot, the noticeable improvement in quality is debatable. Some objects appear slightly darker, but the difference is barely noticeable.

• Ray Tracing Pro (60 FPS, PS5 Pro)
  It's slightly brighter than the standard RT, with slightly better shadow and highlight detail, but the main difference is the smoothness thanks to 60 frames per second. Visually, it's only distinguishable from the standard RT when in motion.

Conclusion on the static scene: The difference between all four modes is minimal. Even in Ray Tracing mode, textures, shadows, and lighting are almost identical to Quality. Performance mode delivers better FPS without noticeable image degradation.

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 A dynamic scene - a fight during a fire

A character prepares for battle against a backdrop of burning trees and ruins. This scene features a maximum of particles, reflections, and glow.

• Quality Mode (30 FPS)
  Fire reflections look convincing, although there are some slight blurriness to the ground textures in places. Fire effects are detailed, but not overly bright.

• Performance Mode (60 FPS)
  The resolution drops, textures become slightly less sharp, especially at the edges. But the overall picture is almost the same. The sparkle and smoke effects are preserved.

• Ray Tracing Mode (30 FPS)
  The lighting is more deeply detailed. The fire realistically illuminates the ground and the character, creating a curtain of light. Reflections in puddles are slightly more realistic, but not dramatically improved.

• Ray Tracing Pro (60 FPS, PS5 Pro)
  The main difference is anti-aliasing and stable 60fps while preserving effects. Visual improvements over regular RT are minimal; the key is performance and PS5 Pro support.

Conclusion on the dynamic scene: Ray Tracing adds a bit more realism to lighting and reflections, but even here the difference from the standard modes is only noticeable in slow-motion comparisons. Performance remains the optimal mode, offering almost equal visuals.

Here is a continuation of the visual comparison based on the screenshots sent:

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 Scene by the pond - a field and a surface of water

The character stands against a backdrop of a field of tall grass and trees, with a pond with reflections in front of him. The scene is rich with foliage, shadows, and reflections on the water.

• Quality Mode (30 FPS)
  The image is soft, with decent detail in the grass and reflections. However, up close, the grass is a bit washed out, especially in the background. The water surface accurately conveys reflections without excessive depth. Foliage shadows are simple, without soft transitions.

• Performance Mode (60 FPS)
  The grass becomes less clear, and reflections in the water lose detail. At mid-distance, a sense of blurriness appears, but the overall readability of the scene remains intact. The pond appears less realistic, especially when the camera moves.

• Ray Tracing Mode (30 FPS)
  Reflections become more accurate, especially in nearby water. Shadows from trees and grass become softer and better reflected across the surface. Light transitions feel more realistic. However, the improvement is mostly noticeable in static shots.

• Ray Tracing Pro (60 FPS, PS5 Pro)
  RT lighting and reflections are preserved, and everything runs smoothly at 60 frames per second. Visual differences from regular RT are minimal—the same soft shadows and improved water. The main advantage is stability. Overall clarity is slightly higher than in Performance.

Conclusion about the scene at the pond: Ray Tracing makes water and foliage more vibrant, but even without it, the scene is clearly visible. In motion, the differences almost disappear. Performance offers a compromise between FPS and graphics, while Ray Tracing Pro wins out for smoothness.

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 Tavern Scene - Rain, Shadows and Light

A night shot against the backdrop of a building with illuminated windows. It's raining, with puddles and drops on the ground. The lighting is a mix of warm and cool, with highlights and shadows.

• Quality Mode (30 FPS)
  Puddles reflect light sources, but without clear detail. Raindrops and window light are moderately detailed. Shadows from objects on the ground are simple, with some fine detail lost in dark areas.

• Performance Mode (60 FPS)
  The detail of wet ground drops sharply. Reflections become flat, and windows appear dimmer. Rain and its effects are preserved, but shadows appear harsher. Visually, there's a noticeable loss of depth.

• Ray Tracing Mode (30 FPS)
  Softer light edges appear, and illuminated areas are realistically reflected in puddles. Light from the windows illuminates the wall and ground with gradual transitions. The overall image takes on a cinematic effect.

• Ray Tracing Pro (60 FPS, PS5 Pro)
  Everything is the same as in regular RT, but at a high frame rate. Rain and shadow detail are preserved, and the scene looks vibrant even in motion. The differences from regular RT are smoothness and slightly better readability of dark areas.

Conclusion about the scene at the tavern: Ray Tracing provides the greatest improvement in night scenes—reflections, light, and shadows become much more realistic. Performance loses depth and atmosphere. The best balance is Ray Tracing Pro, especially for the PS5 Pro. 

HDR OFF/ON COMPARISON

In this section we presented comparisons of image quality with HDR on and off. through photographyAttention is paid to lighting, color rendition, and image depth.

Without HDR:
The image appears muted. The light from streetlights and lamps is lost in dark areas, and the overall color palette takes on a blue tint. Shadows are soft, but the scene lacks volume. Texture details are less visible in the shadows, and bright areas are lost in the overall flatness.

With HDR:
The image immediately comes to life—natural contrasts of light and shadow emerge. The streetlights cast a realistic yellow glow, highlighting the interior materials. The light through the windows appears more natural. More textured details are visible, especially on the wooden beams and fabric. The overall effect is deeper and more realistic.

Without HDR:
The lighting appears flat, despite the bright sky. The foliage appears too bright, lacking in hues and shadows. The colors of the red trees are a bit acidic, and the grass appears dry and unnaturally light. The shadows under the horses and trees are washed out.

With HDR:
The foliage gains depth, revealing a multitude of shades of red and orange. The shadows under the trees become soft but distinct. Sunlight filters through the foliage, adding atmosphere to the scene. The lighting is softer, and the colors are more consistent.

Without HDR:
Wet surfaces appear dull. Torchlight is barely reflected, and grass and dirt appear matte. Background details are lost in the gray haze, and the sky appears flat and unconvincing.

With HDR:
The torchlight reflects off the wet ground, enhancing the effect of rain. The fog becomes three-dimensional, adding depth to the frame. A damp sheen appears on the grass, and the textures of the soil become more vibrant. The lighting becomes cinematic.

Without HDR:
The colors are too bright, especially the yellow grass. The sky looks unrealistic with a uniform blue tone. The rock lacks volume, the shadows are flat. The foliage on the trees lacks detail.

With HDR:
The grass takes on a complex palette: from green to faded yellow hues. The rock is illuminated with varying intensities, the shadows are visible, and the sky appears lifelike, with depth and tonal transitions. Everything appears more natural and three-dimensional.

CONCLUSION

Ghost of Yūtei doesn't strive for technological excellence visually, but delivers a strikingly cohesive, clean, and expressive image. This is not a ray-tracing show or an effects showcase - the game takes on something else. The composition of each shot, the lighting, the weather transitions and the artistic style create a feeling of living cinematography., not digital decorations.

Even without RT, the scenes look cinematic: Wet paths, dusty fields, foggy sunrises, sunsets on the slopes, a storm by the pond—everything breathes. The game doesn't experience any sudden drops in quality between locations or moments: the visual quality remains consistently high. The textures aren't super crisp, but they're exactly where they should be in the context of the style.

The main thing is harmony. Everything works for the atmosphere. It's not graphics for the sake of graphics, but a precise artistic instrument that highlights the emotions of what is happening. And it can be felt.

Ghost of Yūtei is one of those games where everything is gathered into a single, well-thought-out system. The combat system, the sound, the story, the environment, the graphics, the smoothness—there's nothing superfluous and no weak points. This is a mature, finished game., which doesn't need to "impress" the player with graphics - it just works as it should.

The visual style and gameplay merge into one breath. No pretentious staging for the sake of screenshots, no visual excesses - just style, atmosphere, and purity of presentation. This is a game that You don't get tired of watching, but you also don't get distracted from the process itself.