Ghost of Yotei – Things to Do First

Ghost of Yotei welcomes players to Ezo, and this great island is filled with secrets, dangers, and an abundance of activities for players to bask in. As Atsu returns home to seek vengeance on the Yotei Six after years away, she might find familiar territory a tad overwhelming. Players new to Ghost of Yotei can find everything that they should do first, right here, so that their journey into Japan isn’t full of confusion and awe. Below, we’ve outlined some important places to start so that you can take advantage of early quests and bonuses for the battle ahead.

Explore Memories of the Past at Your Home

Return Home to Learn About Combat, Secret Stashes, and Bonuses

When Atsu arrives at her home in Ghost of Yotei (the first place players will visit upon the title sequence), she will be flooded with memories. Players can hold the Touch Pad to turn into a younger version of Atsu, where this echo of the past allows her to explore her home and talk with her brother, father, and mother. Players should stay in the homestead for a short while, as they can rebuild the bamboo station to the left of the homestead, which grants Resolve, which can be used to heal Atsu and perform techniques. Furthermore, speaking with Atsu’s brother at the back right of the homestead reveals a secret money stash to help get you started.

Name Your Trusty Stead

Grab a New Horse with a Name

Upon leaving your home, you can head to the west region of Shikotsu Woods to find the Old Stables. At this location, players will find a settler who has lost his horses to Lord Saiko’s men, thus beginning a combat encounter. However, what’s more important is that by killing these men and aiding the settler, players will be able to get themselves a horse. The horse offers no unique abilities or differences, but players can choose between White, Black, or Dappler. Players can also give their horse a name to further seal the bond they share with their beautiful beast, but you can’t switch out horses. Grabbing a loyal horse early on is a great way to bring customization and choice to Atsu and allows you to explore the region of Ezo faster than on foot.

Unlock Dual Wield Katanas

An Easy Technique to Look Cool and Kill Spear Enemies

Head further east of the Old Stables and your home to find Mount Yotei. There are some villainous fiends here, along with some ground traps, so try to remain on the grass instead of on the dirt trail. Upon finding this area, players can begin the quest: The Way of Dual Katana. By following through this quest, players will find an old dual katana master on Mount Yotei and learn his secret techniques. This is a great way to unlock a weapon early in Ghost of Yotei, as completing it will provide players with the Dual Katana technique, which means that they can hold two swords at once! The Dual Katana stance is extremely effective against spearmen, and since most enemy encounters have those with spears, this is definitely worth grabbing, and it looks cool.

Help Taro to Unlock a Youthful Merchant

A Wandering Trader to Purchase Maps and Charms

There will be plenty of NPCs and merchants on the path, but one that requires help is Taro. This youth has a dream for business, and he can be found just before the Old Inn, being harassed by Ronin. Speaking with the Ronin will save Taro from being picked on (and allow him to continue looting corpses). With Taro now saved, players can speak with him to sell their items and make a trade, allowing them to purchase Charms that will enhance their unique abilities and builds, so be sure to help this little fellow out.

Talk to Citizens and Samurai

Speak with NPCs for Loot, Map Markers, and More

Scattered around Ezo, and before the Old Inn, are an abundance of NPCs and civilians that players can interact with. There are plenty of people on Ezo struggling to get by, and Atsu can speak with them in order to gain further insight into the region. Some NPCs will mark specific locations and points of interest on the map, whereas others can begin smaller side quests that reward Atsu with money and other crafting goodies. It’s always worth stopping and talking with NPCs to see what they have to say. Players can also get NPCs to spawn if they set up camp with Up on the D-Pad, and they can talk to these NPCs to get tips and hints.

Visit the Old Inn

Unlock Merchants, Upgrades, and Bounty Hunting

With the previous areas completed and explored, it’s time to begin the actual Main Quest, which starts at the Old Inn. Players will want to visit the Old Inn as part of their central quest to learn more about the Yotei Six, but also to unlock more advancements in the story and its mechanics. By going through the Shadow Inn, players will unlock armorers to upgrade gear, cartographers, merchants to purchase ranged goods, and a bounty board to hunt people for more money. This is definitely something players should do before they decide to explore the wider region of Ezo, as this is the true starting point of the game.

Scavenge Items from Defeated Foes and Nature’s Road

Assemble Materials to Sell at Vendors

Players will find an assortment of items upon defeating enemies, and they will also find themselves collecting all sorts of treasures simply by exploring. Players can use these items to upgrade their armor, weapons, and gear, but they can also sell them to merchants in exchange for coin. The more coins players have, the more things they can purchase. You should focus on buying maps so that you can discover more activities, like Hot Springs, Bamboo Strikes, and Shrines, as Shrines specifically will provide you with skill points. Maps purchased from merchants and cartographers will greatly help with exploration, but you’ll need money and resources, so get scavenging.

Venture to the Ishikari Plain

The first place players should go to after the Old Inn is to the north east, which will take players to the Ishikari Plain in the Golden Foothills. This begins the Main Quest to seek revenge on The Oni, but that’s not even the most important part. The Ishikari Plain is an expansive region, and within this area, players will come across new NPCs with their own adventures and quests. Players can also find rumors to locate Ugetsu the Storyteller, who can give players the Tale of the Undying Samurai quest that will see them earn essential armor for the early game. Completing this side mission rewards players with a cool set of samurai armor with a unique effect to buff Perfect Parry and Perfect Dodge windows, increase stagger damage, and restore health on stagger, thus making it the perfect armor for the early game.

Systems

Released: October 2, 2025
ESRB: Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Language, Partial Nudity, Use of Alcohol
Publisher(s): Sony Interactive Entertainment