Much like with its predecessor, Ghost of Tsushima, Sucker Punch has done it again with Ghost of Yotei. They offer six optional difficulty settings for the game. I’m going to walk you through all of them to see what the fuss is all about. Feel free to visit our other Ghost of Yotei guides as well. With that out of the way, let’s sheathe our katana for the time being and do a little digging.
What you will read here:
All Difficulty Settings in Ghost of Yotei
Here are all six difficulty settings in the game:
| Difficulty | Damage Taken/Received | Parry/Dodge Window | Stealth | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casual | Minimal/High dealt | Extremely forgiving | Very easy | Just story & exploration |
| Easy | Low/High dealt | Wide & generous | Easy | Beginners learning basics |
| Medium | Balanced | Standard timing | Normal | Well-rounded first run |
| Hard | High/Normal dealt | Tight & precise | Punishing | Veteran action players |
| Lethal | One/Two-hit kills | Perfect timing | Nightmare | Hardcore |
| Custom | You can tailor the difficulty to your preference. | |||
What each difficulty setting does is alter core elements of the game:
- It alters how much damage you deal to the enemies and vice versa.
- Parry and dodge timing windows are different on each difficulty.
- Fewer enemies attack you on the lower difficulties compared to the higher ones.
- Stealth detection is a lot more punishing on higher difficulties.
- Enemies get staggered far too easily and for a longer time when playing on lower difficulties.
Casual
Casual difficulty is perfect for newcomers. Those players who are here just for the ride. Enemies can barely scratch you, while you deal massive damage to them. It’s like Lethal difficulty but for your enemies!
When fighting groups of them, they attack you one by one. They almost never block or parry your attacks. You can stagger them in a hit or two. Not to mention stealth is easy peasy lemon squeezy!
Easy
This is what I would call a light introduction to the game mechanics. This is definitely a step up from the previous difficulty, although it’s still very forgiving.
Enemies use a mix of red and blue glint attacks. Timings are still very manageable and forgiving. The damage you take is light, but you still inflict devastating damage on the enemies with each strike. You can use your wolf companion to make things even easier.
Medium
This is the default normal experience. All the enemy movesets are active. You should be more careful when parrying, but it’s not brutal.
I can confidently say that Normal difficulty is the sweet spot for most players. It teaches you the mechanics of the game while also keeping the tension of the gameplay high.
Hard
That’s where you enter veteran player territory. Enemies hit you hard on this difficulty. When they do, if you don’t block their attacks, a good chunk of your health will be gone.
They also swarm in small groups instead of going at you one by one or two at a time. When you try to do things stealthily, it can quickly backfire because you can get spotted super easily.
Lethal
Just like Ghost of Tsushima, the previous entry, this one, Ghost of Yotei, includes the Lethal difficulty. This difficulty turns every confrontation into a high-stakes duel. One solid sword strike can kill you.
On the other hand, you can kill your enemies very fast too. If you perfect your parries, you can end a lot of fights in seconds. For the boss fights on this difficulty, you should memorize the boss movements in order to be able to take them down.
It’s paramount to use Hot Springs to boost your overall health to survive the fights a bit longer.
Custom
For the Custom difficulty setting, you can adjust the following gameplay elements to your liking:
- Enemy Aggression: Set how many enemies attack simultaneously.
- Timing Windows: Set parry and dodge timings.
- Enemy Damage: Scale incoming damage.
- Stealth: Adjust detection.
- Hero Bonus Perks: Modify your damage output and spirit recovery. Extras like faster resolve can be modified too.
You can set any of them from Easy to Lethal. If you want the Tsushima vibe, set the Timing Windows to Medium and everything else to Lethal.
How to Change the Difficulty in Ghost of Yotei
Remember that you can change the difficulty at any time you want outside of combat. Pause, go to Settings > Gameplay > Difficulty. Pick any preset or Custom. That applies instantly.
That covers all the six difficulties in Ghost of Yotei. Remember that you’re not locked into your choice. You can change the difficulty at any time you want as long as you’re outside of combat.
