From Scenery to Slaughter: Capturing the Gritty Side of Ghost of Yotei

After my PC was stolen, I lost all the screenshots I had lined up to share with the community. Thankfully, I finally managed to hook my hard drive up to my phone and salvage some of my most prized captures from my time with Ghost of Yotei. This game definitely isn't short on breathtaking scenery, but I’d never really felt the urge to jump into photo mode in the heat of the action—until now.

The game's photo mode is incredibly deep and polished. If you’re willing to put in the time, you can create some truly professional-looking pieces. But trying to do that mid-combat is a whole different beast. While the photo editor is just a button press away, getting the timing just right—like catching the exact frame your blade swings or the moment an enemy is about to land a hit—requires way more focus than usual.

In the combat sequence I’m sharing today, Atsu is facing off against Lord Saito’s elite warriors. He’s started sending them to hunt her down as her reputation grows among the islanders. There are four of them: two wielding katanas and yaris (spears), and two with katanas and bows. While you're locked in melee with two of them, the others stay back and rain down arrows, forcing you to be frame-perfect with your parries and dodges.

See what I mean about how challenging it is to find the right moment to snap a shot? Still, I gave it my best effort and managed to get a solid sequence of images. You’ll also notice a ton of blood and mud; that’s all thanks to Miike Mode. It was developed in collaboration with Japanese director Takashi Miike to crank up the violence, blood, and grime, while the camera pulls in tight to make the combat feel even more visceral.

When I go up against these warriors (which happens pretty often), I usually call in my wolf to help even the odds. As you can see in the shots, she’s right there in the thick of it, completely covered in blood. I really wanted to show off this side of the game. So far, everything I’ve shared has been about pretty landscapes and flowery mountains, but this game definitely has a dark, gore-filled side to it.

_{Images taken by ©danielcarrerag with the PS5 capture option, copyright reserved. These images may not be reproduced, distributed or used without the express permission of the author.}