PlayStation 4 is going to go out gracefully, and Ghost of Tsushima will help the old lady with it. Here’s everything you need to know about one of Sony’s most promising console exclusives.
One against the whole horde
The game takes place in 1274, during the Kamakura period. The Mongol Empire, using advanced tactics and weapons, crushed many territories and reached the island of Tsushima, which became the last frontier separating mainland Japan and the mighty horde. To the surprise and sadness of the Mongol rulers, Tsushima, through the efforts of the lone samurai Jin Sakai, turned into an insurmountable obstacle. In the eyes of the Mongols, he became a real demon, leaving behind destroyed garrisons and mountains of corpses.
Some say that Jin is a ghost, a disembodied spirit of vengeance, capable of infiltrating even a well-defended camp, sneaking past dozens of guards and taking the life of a high-ranking commander so that the Mongol wars in the region entrusted to him will lose all desire to fight further.
Worthy Antagonist
The hero wouldn’t be half as good if he didn’t have a worthy opponent. Jin fights not so much against the Mongol horde as against the ambitions of one talented and purposeful general. The developers assure that players will find a logical explanation for almost all of his atrocities and will even be able to gain understanding. This sounds very promising, especially given Sucker Punch’s knack for making villains that aren’t just caricatures like they did in Second Son. Everyone remembers Kessler from the original inFamous, right?
The enemy will find his death at the end of the sword
Sucker Punch promises a well-thought-out and difficult-to-master combat system that requires players to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the enemy, the ability to quickly and soberly assess the situation, as well as good reaction speed, because some Mongols can fence at the level of Japanese samurai. A well-timed lunge can throw the enemy off balance, leaving him defenseless before the next crushing blow.
There is no honor in dying under the onslaught of a whole crowd of enemies, so even samurai sometimes retreat to reconsider their tactics and better prepare for the next battle. Each task can be completed in numerous ways, and no one forbids throwing open the gates to the next enemy camp and starting cutting into ribbons all the Mongols who disagree with such impudence, but this approach gets boring pretty quickly.
Delicate approach
But you can, as mentioned above, be more delicate and not attack the enemy head-on, but use secrecy and create sabotage. For these purposes, Jin even mastered a new fighting style, called the Way of the Ghost, in which the warrior relies more on cunning, deceptive maneuvers and seemingly ignoble techniques such as distracting whistles or smoke grenades. As you know, in war all means are good.
The right level of difficulty
In many games, different difficulty levels only change the amount of health and the number of enemies opposing the hero, while significantly increasing the damage they deal. This is a lazy and wrong approach. Apparently, Sucker Punch thinks the same thing, so the level of difficulty in Ghost of Tsushima will depend not on the thickness of the skin and the sharpness of the Mongol swords, but on their ability to withstand the onslaught of Jin.
Visual Splendor
Like The Last of Us Part 2, Sucker Punch’s new project can easily be ranked among the most visually stunning games of the outgoing generation. The splendor of the island of Tsushima will make you more than once leave all your affairs and simply freeze in place, watching the fields, sakura gardens, and endless mountain peaks almost reaching the horizon. Even burning villages ravaged by a cruel horde look beautiful in their own way.
Authenticity comes first
From the very first frames shown, it was clear that Ghost of Tsushima is very careful about its chosen setting. Every house, bush, tree and stone was recreated with meticulous attention to the smallest details. The developers spent a lot of time studying Japanese history to ensure that even certain types of plants grew in the game in the same regions where they grew in real life. Moreover, representatives of the studio visited Japan more than once to record some sounds for the audio component of the game.
Historical accuracy
Ghost of Tsushima is based on real events – the developers took inspiration from real events. The plot of the game included many historical locations, events and, quite likely, real people of that era.
Full immersion
Ghost of Tsushima does not have a user interface in the usual sense – menus, compasses, mini-maps and various indicators would only interfere with the atmosphere. The wind will tell Jin the direction towards the next mission; a strangely tilted tree will indicate that the main character has not yet visited this region. Smoke on the horizon—another secret hidden nearby. Even animals in the game world are able to guide the main character: the chirping of birds indicates that there are people somewhere nearby, and foxes can lead to the next temple.
Especially for fans of classic samurai films, Sucker Punch added a special mode to the game, the inclusion of which makes the picture black and white, a little twitchy and grainy. All that remains is to turn on the voice acting in Japanese and subtitles – that’s it, you’re in the cinema.
We need to devote time not only to the Mongols
Jin will not only have to fight the Mongols. In between the destruction of enemy camps, Jin will be able to earn himself some karma benefits by carrying out orders from local residents, the reward for which can be a sincere “Thank you!” or something more valuable and useful.
Talismans are not simple trinkets
In addition to various weapons and equipment, Jin is free to carry with him various talismans that enhance his abilities. The same talisman of the Invisible Respite will allow the hero to create smoke bombs that can not only hide from the eyes of enemies, but also restore health. Visiting shrines will increase the number of talismans you can carry with you.
It may well turn out that Ghost of Tsushima will be the best Assassin’s Creed this year. The authors used the Ubisoft formula, diluted it with a samurai setting, and added excellent graphics, but… The game may well get bogged down in monotony, like many games of this genre. Or it might be a pleasant surprise if the developers took a little look at how the open world in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is implemented with its endless riddles.
