Full Review + Trophy Review and Tips Below
Ghost of Tsushima is an epic loosely tied to the historical events that took place during the Mongol invasion of Tsushima in November of 1274. You play as Jin Sakai, a Samurai and nephew of the Jito Lord Shimura. The start of the game plays out like the movie “300” as a small army of Samurai Clans face off against an overwhelming force. The Samurai live and die by a code of honor, this code is one of the beating hearts of the narrative and is one that the Mongul Leader Khoutun Khan quickly takes advantage of. With the Mongul army now occupying the island, Jin is the sole survivor of the battle at Komoda Beach and the last person who can drive the Mongul army from his island and protect all of Japan.
Ghost of Tsushima is a fictional retelling of a historical event however if you want to know how faithful the developer truly was to these events, I recommend watching a video by Nirav on the GameLuster Channel on YouTube titled “Historical Fiction is Cool! (ft. Ghost of Tsushima) | What Really Happened When the Mongols Invaded”.
Sucker Punch knocked this one out (pun intended) and gave us one of the best PlayStation Exclusives of this generation and one hell of sendoff for the PS4. Ghost of Tsushima may not have the graphical fidelity and realism of The Last of Us Part II, but it does not need it. I can say with a doubt that this is the most beautiful game I have ever played. The attention to detail in the environment is on another level, from the climate, locations and setting to the foliage and animal life. The implementation of nature as your way point guide is such a smart decision. White and Black smoke will lead you to villages, birds will lead you to hidden places, items or people in need, foxes lead to shrines, the wind to your destination, vapor to hot springs and the list goes on. It is near impossible getting to your next mission without a distraction that you just HAVE to follow.
Having an engaging open world isn’t the only thing Ghost of Tsushima masters, it also has an incredibly deep and fun combat system. From changing your stances depending on the enemy type, to mythical unstoppable moves and range weapons that include arrows, throwing blades and sticky bombs. You will find yourself using an array of tactics to take down enemies and liberating encampment.
As an example: I would start of an area by challenging the enemy to a standoff where I would quickly take down 5 enemies with 5 swipes of my sword. I would relish in their fear as they crawl on the ground trying to flee. Utilizing a smoke bomb I would chain assassinate the closest enemies and then change my stance to deflect a shield then change again to stagger and defeat a brute. I would immediately turn around and head shot an enemy attempting to rush at my flank and then throw a Kunai to stagger three enemies on the other side. Using the Heavenly Strike I would slice a general in half and then activate my Ghost Stance and take down the final enemies as the rest attempt to escape in fear. This game, when done correctly, is an intricate dance of violence that is endlessly entertaining and fulfilling. Truly makes you feel like a bad ass.
The highlight of the game for me are the 1x1 Duels that will take place in 25 of the most beautiful areas of the game. Here you must rely on your ability to parry, dodge and attack as you fight in an honorable duel to the death with all other items blocked from use. I have never felt so in control in a 1 v 1 fight and I relied on all my senses to learn and outsmart my opponent to secure my victory. My hope is for DLC to be released that further expands on duels as it is easily one of my favorite moments of the game.
I have endless great things to say about the world and gameplay but now I am going to pivot over to the story. The main story revolves around recruiting the remaining warriors of your island to save the Jito, retake his castle and drive the Khan from the island. There are side quests that involve helping the people of the island and more important side missions that revolve around the supporting cast. Here you will join Ishekawa, Lady Masako, Norio and Kenji on their individual journeys as you forge relationships and recruit them join your mission to kill the Khan and save the island. These characters are standouts even if the end results of their individual chapters may not be entirely fulfilling.
I mentioned earlier how Honor and the Samurai Code plays a big part in the narrative. Jin’s internal struggle to uphold the teachings of his uncle weigh on him as he sees his people suffer and die. Khoutun Khan is always a step ahead as he has studied the ways of the Samurai and uses that knowledge against the proud Jito and his warriors. This makes for an interesting dynamic as Jin is forced to attack from the shadows and take what is considered a dishonorable approach to ensure the destruction of the Khan and his army. Stealth in this game is not nearly as satisfying as head on combat however I appreciate that the game does not force you to keep to one play style and in fact rewards you for combining your Ghost abilities with those of your Samurai teachings.
One area where the game notoriously struggles is with the enemy AI. Enemies line of sight are extremely limited and even standing on something where they can clearly see half your body will normally result in them just walking right past you. Enemies will stop attacking you if you are off the ground, for example standing on a hut and if you hide for more than 20 seconds, they typically lose interest and go back to their posts. It does not make the game any less fun but it is a noticeable distraction.
Lastly let me take a quick moment to show appreciation for the Photo Mode in this game. Sucker Punch obviously knew how endlessly beautiful their game was because they packed it with the best photo mode function I have ever seen. Some highlights include the ability to keep the animations on which lead to not just amazing pictures but also amazing video. From changing the time of day to the weather, cloud coverage and particle effects to the wind speed and direction. It makes for some truly stunning pictures and videos to share. The one area of note that it struggles with is Jin’s expressions as they all look relatively the same.
Ghost of Tsushima relishes in the beauty of its open world, giving you endless things to be distracted by and enough heart in its story for you to want to see it through to the end. It has one of the more memorable villains to date with the cunning, charming and strategic Khan and is topped by one of the most satisfying combat mechanics I have ever played. The end of the game has one of the best 1x1 fights I have every played and packs a punch with an emotional and satisfying conclusion.
Outside of some repetition and story beats/characters that fall flat, it packs a punch with an emotional and satisfying conclusion making this is an absolute must play game and a beautiful swan song to the PS4.
Trophies
Difficulty: 4/10
Time: 50 hours
Trophy Guide: Not Needed
Trophy List Score: 10/10
Ghost of Tsushima has one of, if not THE best trophy list of a major AAA game. A trophy list needs to encourage you to use the mechanics of the game, explore its world, recognize you with consistent trophy pings throughout the story and allow you to engage with the game at your own pace. Ghost of Tsushima is an example to follow on a list that not only rewards you but also motivates you to see it through.
There are no missable nor difficulty related trophies in this game. You also will not have to play it more than once to earn the Platinum Trophy. As you journey through Tsushima you will earn trophies for story beats as well as for certain actions like 20 perfect parries, liberating areas and discovering collectibles. You will not have to find every collectible in the game (roughly about 50%) and there are guiding winds and an endless amount of animal support to guide you to all the hidden shrines, springs, haikus and fox dens available.
On top of it all, earning them is just so much fun. A Well placed kick to send a Mongul sprawling to their death, personalizing a scene in the photo mode, killing enemies with your ghost strike, staggering enemies and nailing a fleeing mongul in the back with an arrow after you terrorize them with your combat skills is just so satisfying. You will probably end the game with more than 70% of the trophies already earned which just further motivates you to take a few more actions to complete your list and earn that platinum. Bravo Sucker Punch!
Tips:
- At the start of the game make your way to the Shinto Shrine to earn the “Charm of Inari” which increases the amount of supplies you earn which are needed to fully upgrade your Katana and your Sakai Clan Armor.
- Focus all your upgrades on the sword first (you can spare some for your bow) to ensure you earn those trophies first. If you are like me and you searched every corner and completed every available area before moving on, you will more than likely be maxed out on most of you items of value by start/mid of Act II.
- Travelers Armor helps you find collectibles with a rumble in your controller when near. It will also reveal more of the map as you travel through which helps you find hidden locations.
- Sakai Clan Armor should be the first armor you upgrade as you will need it for the “All in the Wrist” trophy which requires to take out 5 enemies during a single standoff.
- Make manual saves regularly as I have seen people post about glitches but never encountered one myself.
- There are hidden altars in the world that have a sign with a man bowing. There are many across the island so whenever you come across one, swipe down to bow and nature will interact with you in the form of leaves/dragonflies/pedals circling you or birds flying/fish jumping out of the river. You need 10 of these locations for a trophy.
- Lastly, look at the trophy list and save your favorite for last so that you can line it up for the perfect Platinum screenshot. I did mine just as Jin was getting into the hot tub butt naked and I have to say, it was glorious.
Happy Trophy Hunting!
Ghost of Tsushima is an epic loosely tied to the historical events that took place during the Mongol invasion of Tsushima in November of 1274. You play as Jin Sakai, a Samurai and nephew of the Jito Lord Shimura. The start of the game plays out like the movie “300” as a small army of Samurai Clans face off against an overwhelming force. The Samurai live and die by a code of honor, this code is one of the beating hearts of the narrative and is one that the Mongul Leader Khoutun Khan quickly takes advantage of. With the Mongul army now occupying the island, Jin is the sole survivor of the battle at Komoda Beach and the last person who can drive the Mongul army from his island and protect all of Japan.
Ghost of Tsushima is a fictional retelling of a historical event however if you want to know how faithful the developer truly was to these events, I recommend watching a video by Nirav on the GameLuster Channel on YouTube titled “Historical Fiction is Cool! (ft. Ghost of Tsushima) | What Really Happened When the Mongols Invaded”.
Sucker Punch knocked this one out (pun intended) and gave us one of the best PlayStation Exclusives of this generation and one hell of sendoff for the PS4. Ghost of Tsushima may not have the graphical fidelity and realism of The Last of Us Part II, but it does not need it. I can say with a doubt that this is the most beautiful game I have ever played. The attention to detail in the environment is on another level, from the climate, locations and setting to the foliage and animal life. The implementation of nature as your way point guide is such a smart decision. White and Black smoke will lead you to villages, birds will lead you to hidden places, items or people in need, foxes lead to shrines, the wind to your destination, vapor to hot springs and the list goes on. It is near impossible getting to your next mission without a distraction that you just HAVE to follow.
Having an engaging open world isn’t the only thing Ghost of Tsushima masters, it also has an incredibly deep and fun combat system. From changing your stances depending on the enemy type, to mythical unstoppable moves and range weapons that include arrows, throwing blades and sticky bombs. You will find yourself using an array of tactics to take down enemies and liberating encampment.
As an example: I would start of an area by challenging the enemy to a standoff where I would quickly take down 5 enemies with 5 swipes of my sword. I would relish in their fear as they crawl on the ground trying to flee. Utilizing a smoke bomb I would chain assassinate the closest enemies and then change my stance to deflect a shield then change again to stagger and defeat a brute. I would immediately turn around and head shot an enemy attempting to rush at my flank and then throw a Kunai to stagger three enemies on the other side. Using the Heavenly Strike I would slice a general in half and then activate my Ghost Stance and take down the final enemies as the rest attempt to escape in fear. This game, when done correctly, is an intricate dance of violence that is endlessly entertaining and fulfilling. Truly makes you feel like a bad ass.
The highlight of the game for me are the 1x1 Duels that will take place in 25 of the most beautiful areas of the game. Here you must rely on your ability to parry, dodge and attack as you fight in an honorable duel to the death with all other items blocked from use. I have never felt so in control in a 1 v 1 fight and I relied on all my senses to learn and outsmart my opponent to secure my victory. My hope is for DLC to be released that further expands on duels as it is easily one of my favorite moments of the game.
I have endless great things to say about the world and gameplay but now I am going to pivot over to the story. The main story revolves around recruiting the remaining warriors of your island to save the Jito, retake his castle and drive the Khan from the island. There are side quests that involve helping the people of the island and more important side missions that revolve around the supporting cast. Here you will join Ishekawa, Lady Masako, Norio and Kenji on their individual journeys as you forge relationships and recruit them join your mission to kill the Khan and save the island. These characters are standouts even if the end results of their individual chapters may not be entirely fulfilling.
I mentioned earlier how Honor and the Samurai Code plays a big part in the narrative. Jin’s internal struggle to uphold the teachings of his uncle weigh on him as he sees his people suffer and die. Khoutun Khan is always a step ahead as he has studied the ways of the Samurai and uses that knowledge against the proud Jito and his warriors. This makes for an interesting dynamic as Jin is forced to attack from the shadows and take what is considered a dishonorable approach to ensure the destruction of the Khan and his army. Stealth in this game is not nearly as satisfying as head on combat however I appreciate that the game does not force you to keep to one play style and in fact rewards you for combining your Ghost abilities with those of your Samurai teachings.
One area where the game notoriously struggles is with the enemy AI. Enemies line of sight are extremely limited and even standing on something where they can clearly see half your body will normally result in them just walking right past you. Enemies will stop attacking you if you are off the ground, for example standing on a hut and if you hide for more than 20 seconds, they typically lose interest and go back to their posts. It does not make the game any less fun but it is a noticeable distraction.
Lastly let me take a quick moment to show appreciation for the Photo Mode in this game. Sucker Punch obviously knew how endlessly beautiful their game was because they packed it with the best photo mode function I have ever seen. Some highlights include the ability to keep the animations on which lead to not just amazing pictures but also amazing video. From changing the time of day to the weather, cloud coverage and particle effects to the wind speed and direction. It makes for some truly stunning pictures and videos to share. The one area of note that it struggles with is Jin’s expressions as they all look relatively the same.
Ghost of Tsushima relishes in the beauty of its open world, giving you endless things to be distracted by and enough heart in its story for you to want to see it through to the end. It has one of the more memorable villains to date with the cunning, charming and strategic Khan and is topped by one of the most satisfying combat mechanics I have ever played. The end of the game has one of the best 1x1 fights I have every played and packs a punch with an emotional and satisfying conclusion.
Outside of some repetition and story beats/characters that fall flat, it packs a punch with an emotional and satisfying conclusion making this is an absolute must play game and a beautiful swan song to the PS4.
Trophies
Difficulty: 4/10
Time: 50 hours
Trophy Guide: Not Needed
Trophy List Score: 10/10
Ghost of Tsushima has one of, if not THE best trophy list of a major AAA game. A trophy list needs to encourage you to use the mechanics of the game, explore its world, recognize you with consistent trophy pings throughout the story and allow you to engage with the game at your own pace. Ghost of Tsushima is an example to follow on a list that not only rewards you but also motivates you to see it through.
There are no missable nor difficulty related trophies in this game. You also will not have to play it more than once to earn the Platinum Trophy. As you journey through Tsushima you will earn trophies for story beats as well as for certain actions like 20 perfect parries, liberating areas and discovering collectibles. You will not have to find every collectible in the game (roughly about 50%) and there are guiding winds and an endless amount of animal support to guide you to all the hidden shrines, springs, haikus and fox dens available.
On top of it all, earning them is just so much fun. A Well placed kick to send a Mongul sprawling to their death, personalizing a scene in the photo mode, killing enemies with your ghost strike, staggering enemies and nailing a fleeing mongul in the back with an arrow after you terrorize them with your combat skills is just so satisfying. You will probably end the game with more than 70% of the trophies already earned which just further motivates you to take a few more actions to complete your list and earn that platinum. Bravo Sucker Punch!
Tips:
- At the start of the game make your way to the Shinto Shrine to earn the “Charm of Inari” which increases the amount of supplies you earn which are needed to fully upgrade your Katana and your Sakai Clan Armor.
- Focus all your upgrades on the sword first (you can spare some for your bow) to ensure you earn those trophies first. If you are like me and you searched every corner and completed every available area before moving on, you will more than likely be maxed out on most of you items of value by start/mid of Act II.
- Travelers Armor helps you find collectibles with a rumble in your controller when near. It will also reveal more of the map as you travel through which helps you find hidden locations.
- Sakai Clan Armor should be the first armor you upgrade as you will need it for the “All in the Wrist” trophy which requires to take out 5 enemies during a single standoff.
- Make manual saves regularly as I have seen people post about glitches but never encountered one myself.
- There are hidden altars in the world that have a sign with a man bowing. There are many across the island so whenever you come across one, swipe down to bow and nature will interact with you in the form of leaves/dragonflies/pedals circling you or birds flying/fish jumping out of the river. You need 10 of these locations for a trophy.
- Lastly, look at the trophy list and save your favorite for last so that you can line it up for the perfect Platinum screenshot. I did mine just as Jin was getting into the hot tub butt naked and I have to say, it was glorious.
Happy Trophy Hunting!