However, Ghostwire: Tokyo does actually include an English dub, it’s just that the game doesn’t go out of its way to let you know that it’s there. Read on for information on how to switch audio languages in Ghostwire: Tokyo.
How to switch audio languages in Ghostwire: Tokyo
You can switch audio languages in Ghostwire: Tokyo at any point by going to Options > Game in the main menu and scrolling through the available Audio Languages. You can also switch Languages from this menu (which, in this context, means the language the subtitles and other on-screen text display in). Ghostwire: Tokyo is fully dubbed in the following languages:
Japanese English French Italian German Spanish (Spain) Spanish (Latin American) Polish Portuguese (Brazilian) Russian
One thing to note is that you can’t change audio languages in-game; you have to exit to the main menu and fiddle about with language settings there. I don’t know if this is a quirk of the preview build I was playing or a permanent feature, but it’s something to be aware of if you’re struggling to reset the audio language from within a save.
Should you switch Ghostwire: Tokyo over to English audio?
I’ve been playing Ghostwire: Tokyo with the Japanese audio, but I’m a big fan of dubs and reject utterly the idea that there’s something wrong with using them. Dubs are an important accessibility feature, for one thing, and for that reason alone I’m happy that this game includes alternate language voice tracks, even if its trick of never mentioning them feels meant to subtly discourage you from using them unless you really need to. However, I suspect that many players will find themselves wanting to switch Ghostwire: Tokyo over to English for a mundane reason. KK’s commentary can provide important story information and clues on how to proceed in the game — including, for example, tips on how to beat boss fights while they’re happening — and, especially while you’re in the middle of combat, it can be easy to miss key info that would help you out. Thanks for the support KK, but I can’t really keep an eye on the boss and my health bar and your subtitles, I’m afraid. For most people, of course, this becomes much easier if you can hear what KK’s saying in a language you understand. Like most products of the British education system, I’m only fluent in the one language; and I definitely considered switching over to the English dub at some points when the action became particularly frantic. Of course, since you have to exit to the main menu to change to another dub, it’s not necessarily practical to switch just for one boss fight. (I opted to suck it up and power through, helped in large part by the fact that I was recording my gameplay and could review KK’s hints at my leisure.) But if you’re not a big fan of reading subtitles for 12 to 20 hours, then I can definitely recommend changing audio tracks from the main menu and just enjoying the ride in the way that suits you best. In my opinion, leaving on the default Japanese audio track adds something to the atmosphere of the game, but is far from essential if you’re struggling to follow the story because of it. Now that you’ve overcome the language barrier, why not check out our guides to finding collectable relics and KK’s investigation notes in Ghostwire: Tokyo?.
