The analysis of Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut allows us to rediscover this sensational open world adventure set in ancient Japan, with improvements for PS5 and a DLC with additional content.
Ghost of Tsushima was one of the best games of 2020 , and it would have swept the awards had it not coincided with The Last of Us part II. Comparisons to Naughty Dog’s masterpiece aside, this open-world adventure, set in 13th-century Japan, is still one of the best PlayStation exclusives.
Sucker Punch (studio responsible for the Infamous saga) dared to transfer to our console a story of samurai, which conquered us for its beauty, for its history (inspired by the invasion of the Mongols) and for the moral dilemma it faced its protagonist, Jin Sakai.
Continue the path of the samurai or behave like a shinobi and use the shadows to attack? Both paths offered us deep gameplay, which shone in sword fighting, surprisingly respectful of the traditional school.
Of course, Ghost of Tsushima , had a lot more; a series of activities typical of these legendary warriors (from the duels against other samurai to the composition of haiku), secondary characters with their own story line, great battles and a very organic way of presenting the different objectives.
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The open world in which Ghost of Tsushima took place ran away from the traditional formula of filling the map (and the screen) with points of interest, and instead encouraged us to observe nature to find out where the Shinto altars and other collectibles were. . Jin Sakai chased the wind, foxes, or birds to find new items.
There is so much to say about the Sucker Punch exclusive, that it is best that you reread our analysis of Ghost of Tsushima to know all its virtues. But that this advance serves to understand the desire we had for a version for PS5, with its corresponding improvements.
This version comes through a Director’s Cut edition . And what does that mean? Have any of the elements of the original game been altered? Well, although the title is misleading, the game remains as we enjoyed it at the time – leaving aside the technical improvements – but in this case it includes, at launch, the cooperative multiplayer legends mode and a DLC, the island of Iki .
How to access Iki Island
To get to the island of Iki, where the DLC takes place (and which in the real story suffered the siege of the Mongols more brutally than Tsushima ), we must select a new mission that appears on the map. It is “Journey to the Past”, and it begins on the coast.
There we meet a new type of enemy, the shaman . It is about a Mongolian warrior who with his mantras inspires more strength and ferocity to the warriors around him. And this shaman carries a message for us: the Eagle awaits us on the island of Iki.
It is not necessary to have finished Ghost of Tsushima to take the boat that takes us to the new stage, although we warn you that the boat is destroyed before landing, and we will have to advance a little until we can return to the main island.
As for the development, the island of Iki is not exactly a continuation, but delves into aspects of Jin’s life (especially the death of his father) that were yet to be explored. And all this while taking down an enemy tribe much tougher than Khotun Khan’s soldiers patrolling Tsushima.
All the main island activities also appear in Ikki, and archery challenges and musical mini-games are added when playing the flute , as well as the possibility of reliving our memories. Not only does the Eagle pose a threat because of his mastery of weapons, but he is also capable of getting into Sakai’s mind and causing hallucinations.
In addition to all this, the expansion included in Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut (which lasts approximately the same as one of the chapters of the main story) offers us a new ability: the charge on horseback, a new armor and an equine armor for our horse Kaze.
The beauty of the levels , one of the hallmarks of the Sucker Punch game, once again impress us, gaining variety with the cliff areas with stranded ships and the environments covered with vines. Iki is a wilder place than Tsushima, and it shows in the wild life too.
Technical improvements on PS5
Ghost of Tsushima already looked scandalous on PS4, so the jump to PS5 is not “dramatic . ” We have two modes – performance that prioritizes the rate of 60 FPS and resolution, which offers a very sharp image in 4K even if the frame rate is not so stable.
In addition to these graphics options, we enjoy great 3D sound and reduced loading times.
Do not expect Ray Tracing effects as spectacular as, for example, in Ratchet and Clank or Spider-Man Miles Morales, but this time it is a patch that improves the game, it is not a native version for PS5 . The original was at such a high level that we didn’t miss them either.
On the other hand, what we did like is the use of the haptic vibration of the Dualsense control, which reflects the impacts of blows or the horse’s hooves when stepping on the ground , and which shows variable resistance in the triggers when using the hook or the different bows. The speaker on the controller is also used at certain times, and offers a unique immersion.
If we play it in Japanese (something we at least recommend trying, along with Kurosawa mode), we can also enjoy a new tighter lip sync.
The truth is that the improvement patch is very correct, although we would have liked the option to update the PS4 game for free , for those who did not want to get the DLC.
An outstanding game, improved
At the time, I not only analyzed Ghost of Tsushima, but also took out the platinum trophy, and in a few minutes with this Director’s Cut I had already regained my pulse with the katana and remembered why I liked the original release so much.
The version for PS5 improves on the great technical level that the original already had, and the DLC delves into a very interesting section of the story: the death of Kazumasa Sakai (nicknamed “the butcher of Iki”) and the relationship of the samurai with peasants and pirates.
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Iki Island has a considerable extension, new enemies, techniques and armor … it is an extension of the original approach in every way, and of course, a perfect addition to Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut.
But we would have liked that the update patch for next-gen could also have been obtained separately (without adding the DLC) and for free, as in other “first party” games.
Find out more about David Martínez , author of this article. Learn how we work at Hobbyconsolas.
ASSESSMENT
Leaving aside the technical improvements for PS5, which are not few, the DLC The Island of Iki is huge and delves into all aspects of the original. In addition, his story offers a new perspective on the past of Jin Sakai and the role of the samurai.
The best
Technical improvements and much more duration and depth for an already brilliant game.
Worst
That the update for PS5 is not free.
