Ghostwire: Tokyo is that rare occurrence: a first-person shooter from Japan. Though calling it a shooter feels like a bit of a stretch, or maybe even a tad reductive considering the complete lack of firearms--unless you count finger guns. This does mean Tango Gameworks' latest title is unique from the get-go, especially when compared to the more predominant Western shooters. Whether its anomalous combat is engaging enough to sustain an entire game remains to be seen, but after playing through Ghostwire: Tokyo's first two chapters, the early promise is certainly there.

In Ghostwire: Tokyo, you play as a young student named Atiko Izuki, who just so happens to be dead. The game begins with its protagonist lying face down in the middle of the road, succumbing to his injuries after a fatal car accident on Tokyo's famous Shibuya Scramble Crossing. He's then saved when a shadowy spirit known as KK merges with his body, restoring him to life. The unnatural union between the two gives Atiko supernatural powers that pulsate from his fingertips, which is ideal considering the rest of Tokyo's residents have been consumed by a malicious fog engulfing the entire city. Evil spirits now roam Shibuya's streets in their place, summoned here by an enigmatic man wearing a Hannya mask.

KK wants revenge on this concealed antagonist, but the question of "Why?" isn't answered in the game's first two chapters. Atiko's motivations are more generic, as his younger sister has been kidnapped by the villain for nefarious purposes. It's not clear if she's going to be anything more than an archaic damsel in distress at this point, but either way, the narrative hasn't grabbed me just yet. That said, there's potential in KK's backstory and the mysteries surrounding it, and I'm eager to uncover more. The banter between the two protagonists has been a highlight so far, too, with their natural dialogue and budding relationship adding some levity to the sometimes-bleak subject matter.