Ghost of Tsushima Review

Ghost of Tsushima Review – A Perfect Blend of Stealth and Action

REVIEWED ON PlayStation 4       

PUBLISHER Sony Interactive Entertainment         

DEVELOPER Sucker Punch Productions     

RELEASE July 17, 2020

Many games seem to get the feel and brutality of war wrong, especially when that war is based in another country. However, in Sucker Punch Productions 2020 release, Ghost of Tsushima, the developers turn this weakness into a strength. Sucker Punch Productions clearly put their time and effort into making this game feel like a war is going on while being surrounded by a beautiful environment on an island of the coast of Japan.

Ghost of Tsushima takes place in Tsushima Japan, which is an island west of mainland Japan. The game also takes place in 1247. It is a open world action/adventure game, that lets you take control of Jin Saikai and fight the way you want to.

The premise of the game surrounds a young samurai lord Jin Sakai who rides into battle when the Mongolian army led by Khotun Khan invade the island of Tsushima. Jin gets knocked unconscious during the initial invasion and awakes to his island infested with Mongols and under the rule of the Khan. Jin realizes it is up to him and anybody he meets along the way to save his island from the Mongol army and the Khan.

That is all I will giveaway as I do not want to spoil the game for those who have not played it, but I will review what I can of the story and how the game plays.

As for the story, the game is a masterpiece. There are many moments that will put you on the edge of your seat, there will moments that will make your jaw drop, there are fun lighthearted moments of humor, and there are heartbreaking moments where you may shed a tear or two. This game made me feel every emotion on the spectrum, and at the end, I only wanted more.

The story takes place through the eyes of Jin Sakai. One of the only survivors of a doomed samurai attack on the Tsushima beach. As Jin, you will face conflict of who you are supposed to be and who you must become to defend your home. You will get to choose if you want to play honorable like a samurai, or if you want to take a different approach and use the shadows and stealth to your advantage. You will have plenty of chances to do both as you ride around the island completing story missions, raiding Mongol camps, or completing side missions.

As for the gameplay, it can be tricky at times, but there are many chances to learn and adapt. There is about 45+ hours of gameplay in Ghost of Tsushima, which gives the player plenty of time to learn the game controls. As Jin, there are many different weapons and stances you can use to fight the enemy.

Each stance works differently when fighting different types of enemies. Switching between these stances is smooth and effective during combat, which can be tense and deadly if the player is not careful. There is also melee combat and ranged combat in which Jin can use a multitude of different weapons to take down his enemies. The switch between Jins’ katana and his bow and arrow is quick and efficient and allows for smooth combat within the game.

Next is the scenery which is beautiful. Sucker Punch Productions did their best to capture 13^th century feudal Japan. The colors are vibrant, the flora and fauna are breathtaking, and some of the views are stunning and make you question if you are looking at a game or a portrait of Japan circa 1247. There were many times I found myself using the photo mode within the game to capture the beauty of a waterfall or a lagoon from the top of a cliff.

The scenery was also devastating to witness as I watched this amazing land be turned into a hellish warzone. I watched authentic style Japanese minka burned down and torn apart. As well as grass burned, and prison camps set up all around the island. The game did a wonderful job blending beauty with terror to create a breathtaking experience that I still have not forgotten.

I would also like to analyze the gameplay when traversing the island. As Jin, you traverse the island with a horse that you select and name early on. You create a bond with this horse as it is your companion in war that follows you wherever you go. This was a low point in the game for me, my only low point. At times, when the horse would move, it would feel stiff and choppy. It felt as if the horse could not freely move or jump over small tree stumps or bumps in the road. This could cause me to jump off my horse or my horse to collapse breaking my immersion from this masterpiece of a game. There were also points when Jin would move or jump that would feel unnatural. For instance, when Jin would parkour up to a building, there would be points where he would miss a ledge or didn’t grab onto a ledge when I was in the correct position. This would then cause me to fall down and lose a lot of progress.

There was also a lot of content in the game. If you ever got tired of the story missions, you could do side missions and recruit more people to aid your fight against the Mongols. Or you could try to increase Jin’s skills or unlock new gear by finding hidden shrines around the island, lighting lighthouses, completing bamboo cutting trails, or relaxing in hot springs. All of this also rewarded experience which could be used to upgrade Jins’ skills which made defeating Mongols easier.

Ghost of Tsushima is a masterpiece which gets so much right like the scenery, music, content, and combat. While only getting small parts of the movement mechanics wrong. I highly recommend this game to anyone who likes action adventure as it will make you feel every emotion imaginable. There is never a dull moment and so much to do and so much to explore. This game is a masterpiece.

9.0

Review System

Concept

Defend your homeland against invaders by conforming to the ways you know or change yourself into something new to take vengeance on those invaders.

Graphics

Stunning view of feudal Japan which will take your breath away and bring tears to your eyes as it is turned into a warzone.

Sound

Sounds like you have traveled back in time to 13^th century Japan with the classic music. Music is also tense during battles and calming when riding through Japan. All the dialogue sounds authentic and the sounds of katanas dueling, and arrows being fired put you in the middle of a warzone.

Playability

Many different controls and mechanics can make the game difficult to pick up and play, but with enough hours and practice anyone can master the controls

Entertainment

With over 45 hours of content and many different side quests, unlockables, and achievements, this game can keep anyone busy for months on end.

Replay

Little to none.