Echoes of Sekigahara is worth approaching as a compact character expansion, not a second campaign. Its roughly five-hour story revisits Atsu’s past and the Battle of Sekigahara, then adds several more hours through side missions and bounties. That backward-looking design can feel slight after a full game, but it also supplies context that makes Atsu—and the combat, atmosphere and presentation of Ghost of Yotei—more compelling.
What Echoes of Sekigahara actually is
Echoes of Sekigahara does not deliver a large, forward-moving chapter in Atsu’s adventure. It returns to her history and the Battle of Sekigahara, using flashbacks and character scenes to fill in the person she was before the events of the main game.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Ghost of Yōtei PS5 | $53.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Ghost of Yotei (PS5) | $52.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Riders Republic PlayStation 5 Standard Edition | $25.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Perp The Persistence Enhanced Amélioré(e) Anglais PlayStation 5 | $18.18 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut | $43.80 | Buy on Amazon |
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That explains the expansion’s unusual shape. The new area is smaller, and the campaign is much more compact than a full sequel-sized continuation. GamesRadar+ critic Rollin Bishop described the expansion as “decidedly obsessed with the past” in an opinion article published October 15, 2026. If you expected a major new act, that focus can make the DLC feel underpowered.
The same structure is also its strongest argument. The flashbacks are not disposable background material: they clarify Atsu’s motivations and relationships. VGC reviewer Jordan Middler wrote that “the highest praise I can give Echoes of Sekigahara is that the main story of Ghost of Yotei is weaker without these sections.”
#1 Best Overall
- Stunning graphics and gameplay, explore the wild and striking lands around Mount Yotei on foot or horseback. Travel picturesque parts of northern Japan through grasslands, snowy ridges, fields of wildflowers, and more.
- Discover renegade combat, engage in lawless katana combat and battles with adversaires. Train with various sensei as you find and learn to use each new weapon.
- An unconventional story and journey, take in the cultural beauty of Japan, bathe in an onsen, visit shrines to pray, try Sumi-e painting, and so much more.
- Choose your weapon, battle Atsu's opponents as you see fit, with levelled-up dual katanas, odachi, kusarigama and other new weapons.
What the expansion adds
A smaller region with new activities
The expansion introduces a separate, smaller region built around its story and activities. It includes bounties, merchants, new enemy types and traps. Those additions give you reasons to explore after the main objectives, even though the map does not aim for the scale of a full open-world sequel.
New weapons and a three-arrow ability
Echoes of Sekigahara adds massive weapons and a three-arrow auto-targeting ability. The ability changes how you handle groups by letting the attack select three targets automatically, while the larger weapons provide a distinct close-combat option. These are meaningful combat changes, but they expand an already excellent system rather than replacing it.
Most Wanted in the Complete Edition
Most Wanted is a separate roguelike mode included with Ghost of Yotei Complete Edition. It uses wave-based encounters, a progression currency and multiple playable characters, including Jin Sakai. Because it is a replayable challenge mode rather than part of the main Echoes story, it should be treated as an additional reason to buy the Complete Edition—not as extra campaign length.
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- Discover a bold, new story of a warrior in Japan who is on her own mission of vengeance.
- Set 300 years after the critically acclaimed Ghost of Tsushima, Ghost of Yōtei is a standalone experience set in 1600s rural Japan. The story follows a haunted, lone mercenary named Atsu. Thirsty for revenge, she travels through the beautiful, rugged landscapes of northern Japan, hunting those who killed her family many years earlier.
- Sixteen years after her family’s death, Atsu’s quest across Ezo brings her to unexplored lands in search of a gang of six outlaws, but she finds much more than vengeance. Throughout her journey, Atsu will discover unlikely allies, and greater bonds than she could have imagined.
How long is Echoes of Sekigahara?
VGC estimates approximately five hours for the main expansion story. Side missions and bounties add several more hours, depending on how thoroughly you explore and whether you pursue optional targets. The estimate is for the expansion campaign itself; Most Wanted is separate and can extend playtime through repeated runs.
| Content | Published estimate or description |
|---|---|
| Main Echoes of Sekigahara story | Approximately five hours, according to VGC’s 2026 review |
| Side missions and bounties | Several additional hours, depending on optional activity |
| Most Wanted | Separate roguelike mode with waves, progression currency and multiple playable characters |
Why the reviews disagree
The case against it: not enough forward momentum
GamesRadar+’s criticism is fundamentally about expansion value. A new region, enemies and weapons are welcome, but a player looking for a substantial continuation may find a story concentrated on earlier events too familiar or too short. The expansion can feel like important supplementary material that was separated from the main game rather than a major new journey.
The case for it: Atsu makes more sense afterward
VGC awarded Ghost of Yotei Complete Edition 4/5 in a review published October 1, 2026. Middler’s view is that the added history changes how the base campaign reads. The flashbacks give emotional weight to Atsu’s choices, while the combat and atmosphere provide a convincing reason to return even when the story is deliberately looking backward.
Rank #3
- Battle against over 50 players simultaneously in a massive multiplayer playground.
- Compete in an all-out mass start race—collide, grind, and fight your way to the finish
- Customize your character to show off your style to your friends or show up the competition.
- Bike, ski, snowboard, or wingsuit through a seamless open world in Career mode or multiplayer events.
- Go wild on the heights of iconic US national parks like Yosemite, Zion, and Bryce Canyon.
GamesRadar+ reached a similar practical conclusion despite its reservations: “Maybe simply being reminded of how cool it is to be Atsu” makes the new content worthwhile. The split is therefore about scale and value, not whether the underlying game is enjoyable.
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Echoes of Sekigahara versus Iki Island
Echoes of Sekigahara is smaller than Iki Island in both story scale and the amount of new map it provides. Its purpose is also narrower: it supplies context for Atsu’s pre-Ghost of Yotei life instead of trying to function as a broad continuation.
| Comparison | Echoes of Sekigahara | Difference from Iki Island |
|---|---|---|
| Story scale | Approximately five-hour main story, with several more hours of optional content | Smaller expansion |
| New map | A smaller region | Less new territory |
| Narrative function | Revisits Atsu’s past and the Battle of Sekigahara | More retrospective and character-focused |
| Combat additions | Massive weapons, new enemies and traps, plus a three-arrow auto-targeting ability | A concentrated set of additions rather than a larger campaign framework |
If your priority is the biggest possible post-launch adventure, Iki Island remains the better scale reference. If your priority is understanding Atsu, Echoes has the more directly relevant story function.
Rank #4
- PS5 Features include raytracing modes and immersive haptic feedback for DualSense
- Use darkness and cover to avoid being overwhelmed by the ship's deadly new inhabitants
- Seek out the weapon fabricators to increase your firepower as you journey deeper, into the dark and terrifying depths, but beware ammo is limited
- Gather materials & schematics for weapon upgrades and suit customizations with buffs
- Harvest DNA material to improve health, toughness and defensive capabilities.Survive an ever changing labyrinth. Each and every expedition into The Persistence will be disorienting and different.Death is just the beginning. Fatal encounters will result in Zimri's consciousness being uploaded into a new cloned body, ready to try again, with any upgraded stats, suits & weapon schematics kept to aid the next attempt to save the ship
Does the DLC improve Atsu’s story?
Yes, according to the strongest positive criticism of the expansion. Echoes explains the history behind Atsu’s identity and decisions, making the main campaign’s emotional stakes clearer. It does not replace the base game’s story or turn into a new ending; it adds missing context around the character you already play.
That is why the DLC can be disappointing as a standalone expansion while still improving the overall experience. Its flashbacks do work that a conventional sequel chapter would not: they deepen the protagonist rather than simply moving the plot to another location.
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Is Ghost of Yotei Complete Edition worth buying?
For a first-time player, the Complete Edition is the most complete package because it combines the main game, Echoes of Sekigahara and the Most Wanted mode. The expansion’s short campaign should not be the sole reason to buy it at any price, but the character material and additional combat options make it more valuable when you already expect to enjoy the base game.
Best Value
- Beyond war, ancient beauty endures: Roam vast countryside and expansive terrain to encounter rich characters, discover ancient landmarks and uncover the hidden beauty of Tsushima.
- The rise of the Ghost: Seek support from old friends and new unlikely allies to reclaim Tsushima.
- Mud, Blood and steel: challenge opponents with your katana for an immersive Samurai combat experience.
- Become legends together: play with friends or via online matchmaking in a series of two-player story missions or four-player wave-based survival missions in the legends online co-op
- A whole new island to explore: Travel to Iki Island to investigate rumors of a Mongol presence in a brand-new story with deeply personal stakes.
For an existing player, the decision depends on what you wanted from DLC:
- Buy or play it if Atsu’s past, character writing and a return to the game’s combat are your priorities.
- Lower your expectations if you want a long new region or a major continuation after the main ending.
- Choose the Complete Edition if the wave-based Most Wanted mode and its additional playable characters, including Jin Sakai, matter to you.
The natural product name to look for is Ghost of Yotei PS5 Complete Edition. The cited coverage does not establish a DLC price, Complete Edition price, sales figures, player counts or regional availability, so those details should be checked for your store and territory before purchasing.
Verdict
Echoes of Sekigahara is not a large enough or forward-moving enough expansion to match the expectations set by a full sequel-sized adventure. It is, however, unusually useful backstory. The roughly five-hour campaign, extra bounties and combat additions give you a reason to return, while the flashbacks explain why Atsu’s journey carries the weight it does. The DLC may not be great on the narrow question of expansion scale, but it is an effective reminder of why the main game is so good.
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