Ghost of Yotei 10 Hidden Tips Every New Player Should Know

Introduction

Ghost of Yotei drops players into a sprawling open world brimming with secrets, hidden mechanics, and a wealth of customization options. While the game offers a generous amount of guidance, several essential details are left for players to discover on their own. The following ten tips cover the most useful, yet often overlooked, aspects of the game—perfect for newcomers who want to get a solid foothold without sacrificing the sense of exploration.

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1. Choose Your Early Skills Wisely

The skill trees in Ghost of Yotei are extensive, covering combat styles, weapon types, horseback riding, and even a dedicated wolf ability tree. Unlocking the right early abilities can dramatically smooth the learning curve.

• Chain Assassination (Assassination tree) – lets you quickly chain kills on adjacent enemies, preventing them from raising the alarm.
• Disarm Counter – counters the yellow glowing enemy attack that would normally disarm you; press and release the attack button just before the animation finishes.
• Roll – double‑tap the dodge button to perform a roll, giving you a reliable evasive maneuver.
• Perfect Dodge – essential for conserving stamina and positioning during fights.
• Avoid Enreo’s Will early on – the spirit‑meter revive is rarely needed in the opening areas and points are better spent on combat upgrades.

2. Seek Out the Local Sensei Before Hunting Yotay 6

Each region hosts a sensei who teaches a unique weapon type. These weapons act like stances from Ghost of Tsushima and dramatically expand your combat toolkit.

• Complete the sensei’s side quests to unlock the new weapon.
• Prioritize acquiring several weapons before engaging a Yotay 6 member or challenging a Ronin duel.

The Oni member is a solid early target due to its interesting fire abilities and storyline relevance, but any region’s sensei will provide a valuable boost.

3. Locate Wolf Dens to Unlock the Wolf Skill Tree

Your companion wolf appears at key moments and gains its own skill tree. Finding wolf dens early unlocks powerful abilities.

• Look for twisted, older trees with a rock at the base—these mark a den.
• Interacting with the den triggers a wolf sequence and grants a point in the wolf skill tree.

The wolf becomes an indispensable ally for both stealth and open‑combat encounters.

4. Use the Periscope (Binoculars) for Exploration

Press up on the D‑pad to activate the periscope. It functions as a scouting tool that highlights points of interest even in dense foliage.

• Scan the horizon before committing to a path.
• Mark locations you want to investigate later.

The periscope’s tactile feedback and visual cues make it easier to spot hidden items, altars, or enemy camps that aren’t immediately obvious on the map.

5. Throw Anything You Find

Combat can be overwhelming, but the game supplies a simple crowd‑control mechanic:

• Pick up any weapon or object (spears, extra swords, sake jars, etc.) with the right trigger.
• Press square to throw it at the nearest enemy.

Thrown objects instantly stagger or distract foes, making low‑level enemies trivial to dispatch. Don’t hesitate to use the abundant sake jars for both distraction and damage.

6. Wander Off the Main Path

Sticking strictly to the story missions limits the experience. Side activities are densely packed and often rewarding.

• Approach every NPC you see; many have optional dialogue that triggers side quests.
• Explore towns, villages, and hidden groves—you’ll frequently discover valuable loot, lore, or unique challenges.

Taking breaks between main missions feels natural in the narrative and prevents burnout.

7. Master the Map and Card System

The map interface is more nuanced than it first appears.

• Card categories are navigated with up/down on the D‑pad; left/right cycles through items within a category (bounties, Yotay 6 targets, myths, sensei quests, etc.).
• Traveler’s Maps (accessed with square on the map screen) are small, puzzle‑like maps you acquire from merchants or find in the world. Align faint river lines and borders to lock them onto your map, then they become permanent markers.

Pay close attention to subtle terrain features; the low‑detail art style can make alignment tricky.

8. Customize Armor Visual Ranking

When you upgrade armor to its maximum level, you can still choose a lower‑profile visual style without losing the statistical benefits.

1. Open the armor screen and select the upgraded set.
2. Press square to change its dye color.
3. Use R1/L1 to toggle between the high‑rank visual and the lower‑rank alternative.

This lets you maintain a sleek look while enjoying the full power of your gear.

9. Cash In Bounties Promptly

Bounty boards appear in most towns. After eliminating a target, you might forget to collect the reward.

• Return to the board’s attendant and turn in the bounty.
• Frequent turn‑ins can unlock special bounty missions and provide a steady cash flow.

Missing this step can leave you with unclaimed gold and wasted opportunities.

10. Level Up the Starter (Enreal) Armor Correctly

The game’s starter armor—often referred to as Enreal—requires progression through the main storyline to upgrade.

• The cryptic “follow the GKO tree leaves” hint actually means complete main mission objectives and hunt Yotay 6 members.
• Once you finish enough primary quests, the armor’s rank and visual upgrades become available.

Revisiting your homestead periodically is also beneficial; it serves as a hub for gear upgrades and story checkpoints.

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Conclusion

Ghost of Yotei rewards curiosity and strategic planning. By focusing on essential early skills, unlocking weapon varieties through sensei quests, leveraging the wolf companion, and mastering the game’s subtle UI cues, players can avoid common stumbling blocks and enjoy a richer experience. Implement these ten tips, and you’ll navigate the world with confidence—leaving more time to uncover the secrets that the developers purposely left for you to discover.

Happy hunting!