Amazon’s new Big Deal Days sale, commonly referred to as October Prime Day, is offering a host of epic discounts, but the best gaming deal of the entire event won’t cost you a penny so long as you have an Amazon Prime subscription.
Through November 2, Amazon is giving away a free copy of Ghostwire: Tokyo on PC via Prime Gaming. Released in May 2022, this open-world action-adventure game comes from developer Tango Gameworks (The Evil Within, Hi-Fi Rush) and is published by Bethesda, the same company responsible for the best-selling Elder Scrolls and Fallout franchises.
This isn’t the only video game freebie that you can pick up over Prime Day, Football Manager 2023 and a sizeable selection of indie games are also available to all Prime accounts thanks to Prime Gaming, which we rank as one of Amazon Prime’s most underrated member benefits.
If you’re a Prime subscriber, you already have access to Prime Gaming so be sure to claim these free games over the Prime Day period from the "Weekly game" tab. And remember that once claimed they're yours to keep. So, even if a particular game doesn’t appeal to you right now, you should still grab it for a later date.
Why you should play Ghostwire: Tokyo
Set within a meticulously crafted digital recreation of the iconic Japanese capital city, Ghostwire: Tokyo casts you as Akito, a man who has been possessed by the spirit of a former police officer known as KK. Forced to share your body with your new companion, you set out to discover why the citizens of Tokyo have mysteriously vanished and what is causing the streets to be overrun with paranormal entities.
Your main weapon against the many aggressive spirits you’ll encounter are not guns or swords, but instead your hands. At your disposal is a range of elemental spells that allows you to shoot wind, fire and ice from your fingertips. The developers describe the combat as “karate meets magic” and fighting off hordes of unfriendly specters is as flashy as that description would suggest. However, the moment-to-moment is a little repetitious as you unlock all your powers very early on.
The central narrative is similarly unambitious with Akito and KK’s buddy-copy dynamic playing out exactly as you’d expect. Not to mention their supposedly playful banter being uncomfortably stiff. The main story also concludes right as it finally threatens to get interesting, leading to an ending that is rather anti-climactic.
However, the real magic of Ghostwire: Tokyo, is not found in its story or gameplay but rather its setting. Exploring the game’s scaled-back depiction of Tokyo is an absolute joy. Taking in the many sites of the city as a digital tourist had me hooked for several hours. And it’s the quieter moments as you wander the densely-detailed back streets or visually stunning inner-city parks that will stay with you much more than the flashy boss battles or dramatic story beats.
If you’re the type of person who enjoys clearing a map of mission markers, then Ghostwire: Tokyo will surely delight you as the open world offers plenty of distractions. While some of the optional objections are pretty generic, the Lost Souls side missions offer bite-sized adventures that are surprisingly engaging. The best of these mini-missions tasks you with becoming a paranormal investigator and combing the environment for clues to solve a mystery.
Ghostwire: Tokyo also looks truly incredible. Originally released as a timed exclusive on PS5 and PC, but now available on Xbox Series X, it’s a game that takes full advantage of next-gen hardware. The streets of Tokyo look almost photorealistic under certain lighting, and your enjoyment of combat will be greatly boosted by all the impressive effects such as enemies exploding into a shower of sparks once defeated.
At launch, Ghostwire: Tokyo flew under the radar, and while it does have its flaws, namely the bland story and basic combat, now that you can play it for free via Prime Gaming it’s the perfect time to give this underrated Bethesda game a chance.
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