“What does honor mean to you?”

“I guess… protecting people.”

“The ones who can’t fight for themselves.”

Act I - The Tale of Samurai

These lines resonated deeply with me in the first 25 minutes. As someone who always tries to role-play a good guy in RPGs. And sure, Ghost of Tsushima(GoT) isn’t an RPG, and yet it embodies beliefs and morals I find in parallel with what I like to do in role-playing games(RPG). To help those in need & punish the wicked. Lines up well, with the 10th point in the ten commandments of Chivalry. Why is this relative to GoT? Because “chivalry is analogous to Bushido”(A Japanese code of behavior valuing honor above life… For the Samurai class)” Sucker Punch(SP) sells the concept to the player of what it means to be a samurai and beautifully deconstructs the notion as you progress through Jin’s story. Funnily enough, according to Michael Smathers, who wrote an article called Bushido: The Samurai Code of Honor. He mentions one virtue of Bushido.

“Mercy (Jin): As warriors, samurai held power over life and death. They were expected to exercise this power with discretion. In other words, they were to kill only for the right reasons. Of course, what that meant varied from one person to the next.”

Hmmm sounds familiar… Hold up! That’s the name of our main character(MC). Jin Sakai! A young lord who marches with his uncle Lord Shimura to stop the invasion of Mongols on the island of Tsushima. 80 Samurai against an army. You can imagine how the fight worked out at the very beginning of the game. We spend the rest of the playthrough combatting the Mongols who litter every road, town, outpost, and major stronghold. Follow his journey as he strives to uphold his samurai upbringing in the wake of an invasion that tests his very limits.

Act II - GoT gameplay with Ubisoft Formula

Just as Shadow of Mordor took inspiration from the Batman Arkham games. Some of GoT's core DNA is derived from Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed(AC) series. Trust me I’ve played a ton of them, so I’m quite familiar with what works and what doesn’t. I’m no expert though, but I’ll try my best to break down the great stuff and not-so-great stuff GoT does well.

What works is the repeated gameplay loop. Like assassinations. The AC series is known for it. GoT has them innately. Sneak up on an enemy from above or from behind in stealth and Thump! Gone. You can even activate chained assassinations to kill off your foes twice and thrice! Heck, a ‘focused hearing mode’ exists, which is eerily reminiscent of Eagle Vision, a major component of AC. A mode allowing you to spot enemy positions quickly. The combat is pretty fun. Because the rate of progression as you unlock new weapons and techniques feels balanced and fair. I didn’t have too much trouble facing off my attackers nor too little trouble on normal difficulty. I can face off my opponents in stand-offs which is an ingenious method to take out foes in one blow. The caveat though? You need to hit a button before the enemy attacks. Too fast and you get hurt. Too slow and you get hurt. These can also lead to boss encounters in the form of duels. Facing off a single boss in a 1v1 with nothing but your katana, resolve, and armor you have equipped. Duels are intense and create an incredible way to fight the most challenging of foes. Providing enough tension and anxiousness while balancing your nerves and excitement. Parry your way to victory or dodge until you see an opportunity to stagger them. You have to deal enough damage first to break through their defenses and once you do you can land critical strikes damaging their health. So be patient. Parry when you can. And dodge like a mad lad. Soon enough the blood of your enemies will fall as you walk away like a badass.

A ton of fun things to do aside from fighting. You can partake in shrines which are like small climbing puzzle sections to earn charms that can slightly upgrade our protagonists' capabilities. Allowing him to grow stronger by dealing more damage. Increase the effectiveness of arrows, restore health slowly outside of fights and so much more. Bamboo training to increase resolve is a mechanic serving as a special gauge to unlock combat arts(I’ll touch on this later). Or even partake in following foxes when you encounter a Fox Den to increase charm slots. Heck, my favorite activity to do outside of fighting is finding hot springs! Increasing your maximum health every time you rest in a new one! Seeing Jin so relaxed makes me relaxed too.

No spongy enemies exist either. You can fine-tune the difficulty from easy, medium, hard, and lethal. I primarily played on normal and thought it was very balanced. Others I’ve discussed the game with, say they played hard or on lethal. So you can’t go wrong with either choice. If you need some tips, Before I play has you covered. You may or may not need it. I didn’t read them until the very end haha. But it doesn’t hurt to know ya know? Because Jin’s capabilities in the year 1274 is quite frankly terrifying once you unlock more techniques. He can throw devastating bombs, sticky and smoke too. Kunai to whittle down opponents and stagger them. The man holds no mercy switching to different stances to dispatch shield, sword, spear, and brute enemies, and if that isn’t enough. The dude comes equipped with a bow to kill from a distance. All of these can even be upgraded as you complete story quests and other tales in the game.

No not Tales from Bamco(A funny nickname I like to call Bandai Namco heh). Tales as in sidequests. To make things easier I’ll designate them as such in this review to not confuse readers. Thankfully, not a bazillion of these are slapped willy-nilly. For the most part, they're worth completing. Some more so than others. They range from Companion tales, Mythic tales, and Tales of Tsushima(ToT).

The non-companion quests AKA ToT are decent. And yet most of them boil down to him helping the common folk(called peasants in the game). Who is caught up in the crossfire in the war between the Samurai vs. Mongols. A good chunk of the game has you play as a detective. Investigating mysteries and disappearances, Retaking a village here and there, following tracks, and escorting missions round up the majority of these quests. Demonstrated in visceral detail in every sidequest and unluckily he witnesses/helps them. A sense of fulfillment emerges in completing any request. Since the invaders hold no mercy in enacting some horrifying methods on your people.

Despite saying they were decent earlier, I still feel non-companion quests were repetitive and filler at times. Granted I will give the developers praise for vividly depicting each of them in ways I can appreciate for realism. And I had an overwhelming satisfaction in righting the wrongs against the innocent. Feels good to eliminate evil in human form. Be that as it may, I think the developers of SP could’ve made them better. Having more unique objectives. Why can’t I deliver any ingredients to them if they need them? Use some bamboo I found. Linen for clothing to help you against the rain. Ah, some iron and steel to help reinforce your home. Could’ve chained multiple quests together to be on par with companion quests. Or even more, fleshed-out NPCs so I can become more invested in their plight. I could say more, but I'll keep it short. Suffice it to say. These ToT quests felt decent. Not too bad. But at the same time not too great. Smack dab in the middle.

Moving on. I consider the liberation aspect of freeing occupied areas from Mongol control: farmsteads, outposts, and major strongholds. The weakest parts of the game in my opinion. Holy hell. They offer a rinse-and-repeat style formula that is monotonous and quite frankly poorly designed. I think the developers could've taken a different approach in opening up the Fog of War map akin to Ubisoft towers(These are tall buildings in the AC series you have to climb which opens up a part of the map). GoT should’ve taken major inspiration from Horizon Zero Dawn(HZD) Where the main character climbs robot dinosaurs in a fair manner to open up parts of the map. HZD implemented the design far better than GoT did by taking the Ubisoft Towers design and making it their own. Here the implementation is half-baked. Why the hell do I need to liberate all outposts, farmsteads, and strongholds to open up a region?! Check out how many are in the 1st region alone. See all those red markers? You have to eliminate all invaders occupying each of those areas. Do so and the region’s fog of war will clear up. One might say isn’t this easy to do if you eliminate all of them? I wish my dear friends. SP included an annoying aspect requiring you to rescue hostages not in every red marker, only some of them. I noticed them more in farmsteads. So not only do I have to play rescue missions along with killing Mongols without exception to liberate an area, I have to make sure they don’t die because the baddies will try to kill them. Essentially adding useless filler. I’m sorry if my tone is scathing to those who enjoyed these aspects. I feel very frustrated to have to partake in a rinse-and-repeat formula to liberate all occupied areas to open up one region of the map. And again the process repeats in the 2nd and 3rd regions. In total, I had to free 56 locations from Mongol control. Certainly, I didn’t have to do it. But in the interest of wanting to look at everything the game had to offer I had to accomplish the feat.

Alternatives I was thinking as I liberated areas is: Making shrines the go-to method to open up parts of a map. How many? Well, 16 throughout the three regions make up the island of Tsushima. So the process is greatly lessened. They're a nice change of pace from fighting. They consist of medium-length climbing sections akin to hunting tombs in the AC series or Prince of Persia-esque. So if the developers had combined the mechanic of Ubisoft towers in shrines. Then once you complete more than five in a region, then BAM! The whole map is opened to the player. Copy-paste that design again and you have reviewers praising your game instead of critiquing it. Another idea was to cull the numbers down significantly by liberating occupied areas. Taking out the hostages required. And instead, make it a stealth mission to rescue a hostage or grab an important item then have your allies storm the place as you watch them tear it apart. Or include the design during haiku. I can admire the view ahead of me, contemplate how to sort my sentences together, and open up a region if I complete all of them. This method works by giving more importance to Haiku in the world. Than calling them filler which my friend states. And and I agree with their assessment of it. Considering other miscellaneous activities felt more rewarding. Fox dens, hot springs, bamboo training, and shrines.

GoT has another main strength in the companion and mythic quests. The former is a set of sidequest chains you follow as you progress through the first, second, and third acts. Helping your companion with whatever troubles them. For Ishikawa, to correct a mistake he did not foresee. For Masako to avenge her family. And the warrior monk Norio, who fervently defends sacred temples. There are more, but I'll let those surprise you. Companion quests caught hold of me like a fish on a hook and I couldn't wait to watch more unfold. Weaving an intricate companion plot and in effect I bonded with my allies further. Trade banter at times then engage in serious conversations. Respond in binary choices during conversations, rode horseback alongside them, and fought together against the Mongols. It’s well thought out and I have no major complaints to say. Seriously. These quests are amazing.

The latter, Mythic quests by comparison I also echo the same sentiment above. Worth completing. They differ in fact, all of them detail a legend from long ago depicted in scroll tapestry. As if a storyteller is weaving their tale from the annals of history. Once you hear their story, you embark on a side quest to reclaim the item or lesson from Tsushima’s history. These can range from legendary armor to new combat arts you can use freely. Doesn’t take too long to complete. The armors you attain provide hefty bonuses for gameplay purposes or through stealth means. Arts are also noteworthy to provide new moves when fighting. Ranging from an unblockable strike to even striking three attackers in quick succession. You can’t go wrong with finishing them throughout your journey. Enriching the player even further with great worldbuilding.

Interlude - Iki Island Ruminations

Before I discuss more on the base game I have to talk about the Iki island expansion. I completed it after the main story. The expansion is short. Beat it in 2 hours and 30 minutes. Well below the average from How Long to Beat(HLTB). You can see times in the additional content section. Still worth playing for the story. You investigate Mongols on Iki who sent out a scouting party to the main island. Why does this matter? Well, the scouting party used a devastating weapon forcing Jin to investigate where the party originated from. And heck if it makes a head of a clan like Sakai go without telling any of his allies. It must be a pretty big deal. And it delves into unexpected areas from his past I didn’t expect, but welcomed all the same. Providing much-needed context on important flashbacks the MC has throughout the story in the base game. The expansion also includes an element I love. I wish I could say more, but that’s spoiler territory. Best to experience it yourself.

Act III - Final Thoughts from a Ghost

Somehow the game runs flawlessly. I barely have time to read tips, because loading screens start and end super quickly on my PS4 Pro. For the PS5 & PS4 version, Eurogamer has all the details. John Linneman of Digital Foundry analyzes the FPS(frames per second) and more. I didn’t notice any hiccups regarding Framerate, playing on performance mode rather than resolution mode. No serious bugs or glitches either. The game runs like a dream and is perhaps what I consider as stable as the constant PS4 updates to stability memes. I’d even equate it to the legendary FOX engine employed by Konami from which Metal Gear Solid V runs on.

I rarely praise open-world games. Some games bloat worlds too much, losing the player. Others craft a tight balance, not too much and not too little with worthwhile content. GoT is the latter. The visual style and setting work phenomenally in tandem with all the bells and whistles. To my astonishment, gorgeous vistas are abundant. I gazed at the sunsets as I rode my horse called Nobu through countless grassy plains. Waited patiently for the sunrise to peek over the mountains. Was content walking and running through tree leaves of various colors. And embraced the forests as if I was a denizen of them. So much passion and care by Sucker Punch to craft such a detailed world that I am left speechless. You will have no shortage to gawk at, to stop, wonder, and for the life of me, I cannot say it enough to give the description justice.

Ironically, as much as I behold the beauty in the game. I recognize many injustices. War has come and Mongols revel in it. Sparing no expense in demonstrating the aftermath of their brutality, war crimes, and heavy topics. However, as we witness horrible acts a man & woman can do there comes the other side where we become mesmerized at the truest and sacrificial of human beings to help their fellow man/woman. Speeches rally people to rise from their peasant status and bear arms. Conventional tactics are thrown away to save our people's suffering. What use is an 'honor' when the enemy savagely uses dishonorable tactics against us? If we must strive to free ourselves we must first do so with resolve, courage, and unflinching fearlessness. In the face of overwhelming odds GoT crafted allies who rise above the occasion. From the gruff, but serious Ishikawa who desires to right a wrong. To the avenger Lady Masako who desires vengeance for her family. And even the gentle giant monk Norio who guards the temples against invaders. Their voice is another cry of suffering just as the common folk suffer. Together we can defend our home, save our friends and family and partake in camaraderie. Despite much pain. The people cling to salvation. And Jin is ready to help them along the way.

His story is an experience. We see how he has been taught the ways of samurai. To embody their tenets. Loyalty, Control, and Honor. These core lessons are ingrained in the MC. Built from the ground up. And yet what is built can also be broken down. This I feel is SP’s strongest blade at work. The struggle he endures in my playthrough was filled with an incredible transformation he undergoes. He’s not the most likable of protagonists, on the surface level. Yet underneath the underneath, there is an underrated amount of subtle themes and messages that are cyclical to embrace what is a Samurai and what is not a Samurai. Told in ways and tales I found captivating. And the game is built around this from the tranquil music, fun gameplay, worthwhile side quests(At least for Companion and Mythic tales), and an enthralling world to explore. And even the Guiding Wind mechanic guides the player which funnily enough is the personification of the protagonist's father. Fitting dialogue options during conversations. All of these come back to Jin. Again and again, hammer home important lessons and themes the game can impart to the player after witnessing the ending. And man what a finale it was.

I have never played a Sucker Punch game before. So I’m glad Ghost of Tsushima became my first one to play from the studio. Such a breath of fresh air to experience and I am thrilled to play more in their catalog for the future. And watch films by Akira Kurosawa and Takashi Miike. And heck, more Samurai mediums. Despite the critique, I said earlier. I think the game is a worthy entry point for anyone looking for a worthwhile Samurai fantasy game.

8/10