The game’s prologue is quite simple. Within it, you are led by the hand, so it will be difficult to get confused. Defeating Khotun Khan is unrealistic, so don’t even waste your time and energy on it.
ACT 1
All story missions of the first act of the game.
Warrior’s Code
Once you have full control of Jin, you’ll be able to complete several quests. Choose the order you want. This quest is a big briefing on Ghost of Tsushima’s stealth system. Head to the fishing village of Kesi and meet Yuna. Together, you’ll head to the Mongol camp.
You will need to use different mechanics. For example, you can eavesdrop on enemies, see their silhouettes at a distance and even behind objects. Similar to the mechanics of The Last of Us series. Find and eliminate each Mongol without being detected.
This camp is small, but you can find a lot of useful things here. There are plenty of supplies, the in-game currency that is used for most upgrades (along with other resources). Look for supplies outside and inside the tents. When you go up the hill, be careful before entering the tent. Inside is a more serious Mongolian swordsman. Like all the others, he can be killed by sneaking up on him from behind. But you need to wait until he turns his back on you.
Find a large tent with materials. There is also a Mongolian artifact hidden there. Take the recording lying on the table. Right behind this tent there will be another enemy and a prisoner. Once you kill everyone, you can leave the camp through a hole in the fence near the tower, next to the cage where the prisoner was. South of where you wake up after this quest, there is a fox hole. Follow the fox to find an altar of Inari. Pray to get a small amulet.
The Story of Sensei Ishikawa
Head to Hiyoshi Hot Springs and talk to the innkeeper. Follow him into the forest to find a path leading to Sensei Ishikawa’s dojo. Climb the cliff and turn left to pick up the Aozora Headband hanging from an arrow. Explore the dojo to find Ishikawa. He will lead you to Fort Nakayama. You will have to fight a few Mongols along the way, but you shouldn’t have any problems. You will also receive a short bow.
Set up an ambush at the Mongol camp with Ishikawa. You will learn that the bow can be used to create distractions or even to kill large groups of enemies. Shoot torches, wasp nests, and explosive barrels to kill many enemies. Follow Ishikawa’s instructions and kill the Mongols. When you hear the archers scream, it means they are about to shoot at you. Use a quick dodge to make the arrow fly past.
Note that there is a Mongol leader in the camp. This is a much stronger enemy. You can recognize him by his golden armor. Leaders have more health and often use enhanced attacks. Destroy him first, even if there are other enemies nearby. By killing leaders, you will pump up a meter that will later unlock new stances (there are four in total, and the first one is available by default). All of these stances are designed for different enemy types, and must be used correctly if you want to stagger your opponents.
Once you clear out the Mongol camp, you will be able to find clues and complete the story. Note that there are many useful materials in the fort that you should definitely pick up. Especially iron, which is needed to upgrade the katana and tanto. Iron can only be found in Mongol territory, in forts and fortresses, before or after clearing. Once you complete this task, you will have access to the rest of the quest chain with side quests, united under the general title “Stories of Sensei Ishikawa”.
The Story of Mrs. Masako
Ms. Masako is another important ally you must recruit to save Mr. Shimura. After completing her first quest, you will receive new armor that will provide useful perks. It is much more effective than your current, broken armor! To activate the quest, head south towards the Kuta Grassland. Go to the Adachi Estate and look around. It seems empty. Carefully approach the guest house on the right, as there are enemies hiding inside. Kill them all.
You will find Masako by the horse hoof prints. She will take you to the Golden Temple. Most likely, it will be your first safe settlement. Here you can buy upgrades for your bow, armor, melee weapons, increase the maximum ammunition of arrows and throwing weapons, buy paint for armor and weapons. But most importantly, talk to the armorer to get the Samurai Clan armor. This happens during the main quest. During the game, you will be able to find several more types of armor. Samurai Clan armor reduces incoming damage and increases health. You can improve this armor by spending linen and supplies, but to pump the armor to the maximum, you will have to find silk. You get it when completing quests related to the history of different characters (for example, Ishikawa and Masako).
In settlements like the Golden Temple and Hiyoshi Springs, you can talk to different people to learn about rumors, find new side quests, Mongol camps, and so on. Talk to the woman next to the blacksmith to learn about a musician who can give you the first story of the ancient heroes. And you should do such quests as early as possible, as they provide access to some superpowers, new armor or weapons. In a separate guide, I talked about each story of the ancient heroes!
Once you’ve got the armor, talk to Sagen, the monk sweeping the dojo’s porch. Then leave the Golden Temple to meet Lady Masako. Your job is to follow Sagen without him noticing you. He’ll head to the old inn. Stay close, hiding in the tall grass. He’ll turn around periodically. Just take your time.
Once you reach the old inn, you will have to fight many bandits. If you have unlocked additional stances, make sure to use them properly. It is usually better to kill larger targets or an enemy with a spear. Masako is not in any danger, and the lady will even help you in the fight. Find Sagen on the second floor of the inn and complete the story. Now you can access the rest of the side quests of “The Tales of Lady Masako”.
The Broken Blacksmith
Meet Yuna in the Children of the Rivers wetlands in a house north of Azimo Bay. She will tell you about the mission to rescue Tako’s brother. Meet Kenji. He will tell you how to get into the Mongol-occupied city. Follow him until you reach the city, where you will learn about stealth. Stick to the rooftops, follow Yuna and take the left path. Follow the slave trader who is walking through the city. You can follow him, moving along the rooftops, all the way to the end. When you get there, to the place where you need to cross the market square, you will have to go down. This place is swarming with enemies. Luckily, they are not so attentive, and you will be able to find several safe routes.
Kill the guard next to the boat. Once you do, you can cross the open area near the gate and reach the house on the other side. There are many enemies near the gate, but many of them will leave as soon as you approach it. Go slowly and use the listening ability to see enemies behind obstacles. Go around the house along the fence or sneak inside the building.
On the other side of the house you will see the slave trader again. Follow him down the street until he reaches Tako. A cutscene will trigger here. Get out of the city with Yuna and Taka. After climbing over the wall, follow the path, keeping to the tall grass, as you will have to dodge several patrols. Hide in the grass, let them pass by. Continue along the road until you see Kenji with the horses. The quest will be completed. The quest chain “Kenji’s Story” will now be available to you.
Blood on the grass
You still need more allies, so it’s time to meet with the Straw Hats (the ronin) and try to recruit them to your ranks. Head to the Kishi Grassland, near the coast in Tsutsu Prefecture. There you’ll find the quest start location – a burning Mongol convoy that appears to have been ambushed by the Straw Hats. Examine it to begin the quest.
Follow the path of dead bodies to the Straw Hats. You will encounter Ryuzo. The heroes will immediately be attacked by the Mongols. By now, you have figured out how to fight large enemy groups. However, in this fight, I recommend focusing on the archers, and then killing the tougher melee enemies. The battle will consist of several waves, so kill the strong enemies. Note that there will also be a leader and a large enemy with a heavy axe. Jump over the axe and counterattack the target.
Since the area is large, you may want to kill the weaker enemies first. This will give you extra room to maneuver and dodge the big guys. Once defeated, follow Ryuzo to the Straw Hat camp.
The Story of Ryuzo
Talk to Ryuzo at the Straw Hat camp, and when you’re ready, head to the Takuzudama Cemetery to prepare for the attack on the fort. Ryuzo will also give you the Ronin Outfit, which is perfect for stealth. You’ll need to be stealthy to infiltrate the camp and disable the flare guns on the lighthouse. But it’s not hard. Use the fallen tree to climb over the wall and onto the roof of the fort. Then jump down and circle around the lighthouse. The enemies will be far away from you, and some will even move out of the way if you get too close, so the path is relatively simple. Go inside through the small hole in the back wall, climb to the top, and disable the flare gun.
Once you do this, the camp will be attacked by the Straw Hats. The Mongols will be distracted by the ronin, so you can attack them from behind using a bow or tanto. After winning the fight, talk to Ryuzo. Inspect the approach to the bay, follow the path down the shore and you will find yourself behind the Mongols. Act stealthily, not allowing yourself to be noticed, otherwise you will have to kill enemies on the way to the boat. Get on the boat to get from the bay to the ship. Be prepared for battle.
Search the first ship, go to the deck and kill several enemies, including one leader. Once the ship is cleared, go to the next ship and use the bow to kill the archers. The bridge between the ships is good cover, so go to where Ryuzo is hiding. After clearing the next ship, Jin and Ryuzo will split up. Use the bridge to get to the upper deck and kill the Mongol.
You can sneak up and kill all the enemies on the deck quite easily, but do not open the cage in the middle. There is a bear inside. However, the beast can also attack the Mongols. You can shoot an arrow from a short bow at the cage, and it will open. You can take a predator skin from the bear, which is needed to increase the ammo limit of the trapper.
When you’re done, head to the ship’s hold. In the captain’s cabin in the center, there’s a scroll with the Mongol plan. Return to the first ship and find that Ryuzo is in trouble. You need to kill the enemy as quickly as possible before time runs out and Ryuzo dies. You can disable the enemy by throwing kunai, and then quickly get Ryuzo back on his feet. Together, it will be easier for you to fight the enemy. In any case, try to dodge the blows of the huge axe. When the enemy makes a strong vertical attack, you can dodge and attack him from behind. Kill the enemy to complete the quest.
Hammer and forge
Head to Komatsu and kill the Mongols to meet Yuna, who will tell you that another enemy group will arrive soon. You will need to hold the city against the Mongols.
First, you need to get out of the forge and kill a few Mongols to save the locals they have captured. Try to avoid detection, otherwise the Mongols will try to execute the captives. And if they do, you will return to the previous checkpoint. If the alarm was raised, then watch the enemies. When a red skull marker appears over the head of one of them, then try to finish him off or distract him. This enemy will run to the captives and try to kill them. Fortunately, he does not do this immediately, but first teases the hostages for 5-8 seconds, waving his weapon.
Your first target is a building with prisoners inside. Kill the enemies and find the prisoners on the second floor. Once you free everyone, they will tell you about other hostages. Go down to the river and kill the enemy group of Mongols chasing the locals. You will need to get rid of them as quickly as possible, so try to use a bow and throwing weapons. Again, watch out for enemies with red skulls, kill them first.
Once you have freed all the prisoners, you will need to head back to the forge. There are Mongols running around the city, so hide from them. The best way is to turn left and go through a narrow passage between the buildings. Go to the far end of the city before going up the hill with the forge. This will bypass all the Mongols in the area and safely escort the prisoners to safety.
Your next task is to find Yuna and rescue more hostages. Don’t use the bridge. Instead, cross the river and kill the patrolman, staying left of the window so that the other guard in the marked building doesn’t notice you. When he turns around, jump on him and finish him off. You can then fight your way into the next room and kill everyone, or go up the stairs to kill the enemy in a fall from above. Again, watch out for the Mongols, who can kill the hostages. When you’re done, cross the river and head back up the hill to the forge, avoiding the patrols.
When the Mongols attack, take out your bow and try to kill as many archers as possible. Beware of the Mongolian dogs, from which you can also pick up predator skins. It is best to dodge their “red” attacks and counterattack. You can also try to shoot the dogs with a bow before they have time to get close to you. Yuna will distract some enemies, but the Mongols will attack in several waves. After 1-2 waves, some enemies will manage to run into the forge. Be sure to watch out for the Mongols with red skulls and kill them before they have time to finish off the peasants. Try to keep the enemies outside, not letting them near the building.
The enemy waves will become increasingly brutal. Strong swordsmen, spearmen, and shieldmen will appear. By now, you should know how to fight them. So keep fighting and watch out for anyone trying to kill the peasants. Use the Ghost weapon and other special moves to control the crowd and keep everyone outside the forge. The kunai can finish off wounded enemies or stun those running at you. Regular or smoke bombs are also effective.
Towards the end of the battle, the leader of the Mongols will appear, so either finish him off quickly or run away and eliminate weaker targets. Once everyone is defeated, you will officially liberate Komatsu. Various merchants and characters will appear here.
Iron hook
Talk to Yuna and Taka at the Komatsu Forge to start the quest. Tako will give you a hook that you will use throughout the game. With it, you can cling to branches that are wrapped in white and red ribbons. Right after that, Ryuzo will come and ask for help. Ride with him to the Mongol fort, go left and find a place where you can climb the rocks.
Once you reach the top, you will need to go through the fort and free Ryuzo’s men in cages. The iron hook gives you a convenient way to move between the roofs. First, use it to get to the guard tower on the right and kill the enemy. The first prisoners are on the left. You will see several enemies and two cages near the wall of the fort. In the left cage is a bear. If you can get into the castle, the wild beast will wreak havoc. Then you will need to open the cage on the right to free two Ryuzo warriors.
It’s best to stay stealthy, killing enemies with a backstab so they don’t bother you later. Use the rooftops and tall grass for this. When you’re ready, head down to the next part of the fort where you’ll see a road with two patrolling enemies and other enemies arranged in a circle. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to kill them all. You can at least kill one enemy by hiding in the tall grass. But if you can take out four enemies away from the rest of the Mongols, the other enemies won’t even know you’re there.
After defeating everyone, move up and act stealthily. Free the four remaining ronin sitting in two cages. If you manage to remain invisible, you can even deal a fatal blow to the Mongol leader to make it easier to kill him later. Also, do not forget to watch the leaders to get extra points that unlock the stances. To the right of the gate, there is another cage with a bear, which you can release. In this case, stick to a safe place (the roof). If necessary, it is best to kill the bear with a bow. Make sure to take the Mongol artifact on the outer wall of the circular tent.
Once you’ve killed all the enemies, you can activate the signal guns to command Ryuzo to attack the front gate. Run to Ryuzo’s aid and finish off the remaining Mongols. Afterwards, collect supplies from the fort and then complete the mission.
Shadow of the Samurai
Return to Komatsu Forge to begin final preparations for the attack on Kaneda Castle. When you arrive at the castle, you will have the opportunity to talk to your allies. After that, climb the cliff to find yourself in the castle courtyard. You will see many enemies, but if you are patient and careful, you will be able to kill them all stealthily. Moreover, they will move away from each other. There are sleeping Mongols in the buildings, so if you go inside, you can kill them before the alarm is raised. But if the alarm is raised, you will have to start from the last checkpoint.
When you’re ready, move on to the next area with Ms. Masako. You have a choice: either go through the main door and start the fight, or sneak around the side and use stealth. Either option is fine, but if you choose stealth, you’ll have to use the iron hook to climb up the cliff on the right or the building on the left. The second option is easier. You’ll be able to sneak through the area with ease. You’ll have to kill the Mongols in the area before moving on.
Next, you’ll meet Yuna. Head to the bridge. There’s little cover here, so be careful. First, try to climb up the cliff and take out the closest enemy. Then head back down and shoot the archer on top of the gate. Once both are down, you’ll have a much easier time moving through the area. Head to the building on the right and the two enemies standing on the platform behind it, by the cliff. If you can chain kills, you can finish off both targets quickly. Then, head forward until you reach the closed gate at the far end of the bridge.
You need to go around the gate, so climb up the rock on the right. You’ll find yourself in a courtyard. Your first task is to open the gate for Yuna. But if you want, you can be stealthy and kill literally every enemy in the area. Stick to the outer edges outside the gate. First, kill the guards in blue clothing to the right of the gate. Then, finish off the enemies in the far corner. There will also be a leader in yellow armor. He’s in the center of the courtyard, and is your final target. When his back is turned, kill him.
Next up is a boss fight. The fight isn’t that hard, but there are a few moves in his arsenal that are hard to deal with. First, a spinning sword attack where he’ll move the sword along the ground. Dodge back, as a side roll might not be enough. Another move is a quick strike after the sword is sheathed. This will lead to a whole combo. You need to do two dodges in a row. Parry attacks and try to break the enemy’s defense with heavy blows.
Once you finish the duel, you’ll come across two big guys and a couple of archers. Lead the big guys away from the archers and finish them off. Then go down to the archers. In the next building, use kill chains. There are enemies with big weapons here. If you can’t kill them stealthily, try killing the normal enemies first, then the spearman. Dodge the big guy’s axe by rolling backwards, not to the side. Hit between his moves or use heavy attacks from Water Stance. Also, don’t forget about the Wraith’s weapons.
Once you’ve done that, go up to the second floor. You’ll have the opportunity to kill the enemy by attacking him through the paper door. Keep going up where you’ll encounter two swordsmen. Kill the enemy in blue, use the water stance. The yellow swordsman will set his blade on fire, so you can’t parry his attacks. He uses a three-hit combo. Dodge them and then counterattack. Use heavy attacks to break through his defense.
Go upstairs and you’ll see another swordsman. Kill him and then free Lord Shimura. Together, you’ll clear the castle courtyard of Mongols, making things easier. Just make sure all your allies survive. Kaneda Castle will be yours, ending Act II.
ACT 2
All story missions of the second act of the game.
New Horizon
Talk to Shimura, go right and exit the fortress to find your allies and talk to them. Find Yuna at the stables, then ride with Mr. Shimura. This is a fairly simple and short quest. You will need to fight several small groups of enemies. Stay alive and help your allies. First, you will need to kill a Mongol patrol traveling on horseback. Use your bow to finish off the enemies from afar, then dismount and kill the remaining Mongols.
From here you will reach Fort Ito. Shimura is a great warrior, so there should be no problems. However, there are many enemies, and you will have to kill each of them. Beware of the leader inside the fortress, be careful of the heavy warriors using large clubs. They will set them on fire and shoot them like a shotgun. Dodge in time! When you see that the weapon is sparking, do a somersault to the side. You can even lure the enemy to you, roll, and the heavy enemy will shoot right at his ally.
The last stage is to destroy the reinforcements that will arrive to help the destroyed Mongols. Fortunately, you will have to fight together with Smura and Yuna. However, the Mongols are approaching you with a cart full of explosives. Therefore, try to blow it up without getting close to the opponents. One accurate shot with a simple (not even fire) arrow is enough.
From now on, the Mongols will use weapons on fire more often. More enemies will start to light their sword blades on fire, and archers will start to use fire arrows. If you catch fire, use rolls to quickly put out the flames and minimize damage. A good idea is to get rid of the archers first, and then finish off the enemies with flaming swords as quickly as possible, using water stance to deal extra damage to them.
Once all the Mongols are gone, follow Mr. Shimura to the lighthouse. Watch the cutscene to complete the quest. A whole new list of quests will be unlocked. You can do them in any order. Also, be sure to complete side quests and ancient hero stories that will strengthen Jin.
Fire message
First, you must find Goro in Umugi Bay. Head to the designated location in the western part of Umugi Prefecture, near Lady Sanjo’s Bridge. To find the town, look for red flowers that lead the way through the rocks. If the flowers block your path like a wall, you’re heading in the wrong direction. They should create some sort of corridor. You’ll soon find yourself in Umugi Bay and unlock the trophy associated with it.
Once you find the town, a guard will take you to the second floor to see Lady Sanjo, the town manager. Talk to her. She will tell you that Goro is on the first floor. Go down and talk to the man. Head to his house, take the map from his hands and deal with the Straw Hats that appear. Head east to meet Lord Shimura at the camp he has set up. Talk to Uncle Jin, follow him until you find yourself in Fort Mitodake.
You and Lord Shimura will have to storm the fort, so you will need the samurai clan armor. Use the bow to kill enemies from a distance, especially the Mongolian archers, which will make clearing the area much easier. About halfway through the battle in the fort, the Mongols will point their weapon, the hwacha, at you. This is a siege cannon that shoots multiple fire arrows. The battle will not change much, just white areas will periodically appear on the ground. Leave these as soon as possible, as this is where the hwacha arrows will land. By the way, enemies in this area will also take damage.
Continue moving towards the tower with the hwacha. Eventually, you will have to kill the leader of the Mongols, but Shimura will support you in the fight. As you approach the tower, the hwacha will shoot more and more often. Run to the stairs, climb up and kill the Mongols, taking control of the hwacha.
Now it’s simple: use the hwacha to sink the Mongol ships. Be sure to aim slightly to the left or right of the targets depending on their direction of travel, as the arrows take time to reach the target. You can also rotate the hwacha while shooting, covering a large area. Destroy small ships, shoot archers on land and on large ships. Aim for the red barrels, which will cause the ships to explode. After that, the mission is complete.
The Walls of Yarikawa
Next, you will need to get into the fortress of Yarikawa, which is under siege by the Mongols. Go to the ruins of Old Yarikawa, where the refugees have set up camp. Yuna is waiting for you there. Then, together with her, follow her to the city to start the story. Getting inside Yarikawa is not difficult. You do not even have to fight, because if you are spotted, the mission will fail and you will have to restart from the last checkpoint. Put on the ronin armor to make you harder to spot. Go along the path past the enemies, jump to the side into a patch of tall grass and you will see an enemy next to a cart. It might be better to kill him, but your task is to move from the tall grass to another patch of vegetation through the center of the camp.
There will be a lot of enemies here, but most of them either turn away or move away when you approach. In the center of the area, there is a Mongol on horseback patrolling the roads. Follow the path to the grass ahead and look for a hole in the fence. Wait for the patrolman to pass, kill him, and then go past him to the river with another patch of grass.
Once you reach the stream, you can go down and pass under the waterfall, where Yuna and Tako will go. As you move towards the marker, continue to hide in the tall grass. The enemies near the stream will immediately leave, so you don’t have to kill them. Make your way through the hole near the waterfall into Yarikawa’s fortress. After a few cutscenes, the quest will end, but a new quest related to Yarikawa will immediately begin.
The Coward of Yarikawa
Return to Old Yarikawa, to the refugee camp, and talk to Yuna again. To gain the trust of the people of Yarikawa, you need to find the missing archers. Find clues that will allow you to track down the archers. You will find that they are planning an attack on the Mongols. After talking to them, prepare an ambush. Before the Mongols approach, pay attention to the surrounding objects. You can blow up barrels or shoot at wasp nests. You will have to face three enemy waves. Let the first group enter the area, then shoot at the barrels on the large cart near the arch.
The second wave will come from the left of the starting point, but there will be more archers here, so you can shoot the wasp nests. The last wave includes a couple of dogs, so you will have to go down and use a melee weapon. There will also be a leader, but you should still have enough explosive barrels in the area. Lure the leader to them and shoot him. Also, make sure that Taka survives, otherwise you will have to start from the previous checkpoint. After killing the Mongols, the quest will be completed.
The Ghost of Yarikawa
Return to Yarikawa Fortress to take part in the final battle and drive away the Mongols. Talk to Taka, then go to the fortress and talk to Yuna. After the cutscene, the Mongols will begin to attack the fortress. Your task is to repel the attack. There are no strategies here. Run to the marked gate, and when the Mongols break through, start destroying them. Use the Samurai Clan armor or other close combat armor. Also install the appropriate amulets. Do not forget to switch between stances depending on the type of opponents you are fighting.
Once you’ve killed all the enemies at the main gate, head to the northern gate. Follow the path to the right and engage in combat. The situation is similar. After killing the Mongols, you’ll hear Yuna scream, saying that enemies are coming across the bridge. Use your bow to kill enemies from afar. The explosive arrows of the longbow are especially effective.
Kill all the enemies at the northern gate, after which the Mongols will start shooting at the city with siege weapons. Your task is to get through the enemy camp and destroy all the siege weapons. Stick to the tall grass. Any battles you have to participate in will be relatively simple. The main thing is not to run away, so that the enemy groups cannot unite.
Climb the mountain, destroying the archers along the way. There will be other enemy groups near the siege weapons. Destroying the first weapon will cause another group of Mongols to appear. After killing them, deal with the second device. Priority is given to archers with fire arrows.
After destroying the siege weapons, return to the camp and go to Yarikawa Fortress. Use the iron hook to go down. The good news is that most of the Mongols are standing in front of the city. Sneak up to them and kill them stealthily. Return to the fortress walls, go inside and move deeper into the fort, killing the Mongols.
Finally, you will have to fight the warlord. Temuge will use a fire sword and attack you with unblockable strikes using his shield. His combos will consist of 2-3 strikes. Either roll back or be ready to move sideways. The best way to hit Temuge is the wind stance.
Ghosts of the Past
Now you need to return to the Sakai Estate to get your father’s armor. Head to the designated location near Omi Village and meet Yuriko to begin the story. She’ll lead you to the cemetery, where you can compose a haiku in honor of Jin’s father. Finish the conversation with Yuriko, and then go in search of reeds for your pipe. The reeds you need are located under the stone bridge near Kishibe Village. To collect them, you’ll probably have to kill a few Mongols or completely liberate the settlement. You’ll have to do the latter sooner or later. It’s a tough fight, but the reward is worth it.
Return to Yuriko, who will give you poison darts. Try them out on the Straw Hats, shooting them from a distance. Then talk to Yuriko again to complete the mission. You will receive a new weapon, as well as access to two other missions in the Yuriko Story series. If you decide to complete them, you will unlock hallucinogenic darts, which allow you to pit enemies against each other. The Sakai Clan Armor provides various bonuses, increasing health and melee damage. In addition, you can extend the chain in Showdowns by 1. If you fully upgrade the armor and unlock Showdown-related techniques, you can extend the chain to five kills!
Bloody price
Head to Lord Shimura’s camp in the Old Toyotama Hills and talk to Uncle and Yuna. Your next destination is Fort Koyasan. You’ll need to get into the fort grounds by sneaking past them or killing anyone who gets in your way. Stealth isn’t easy in this part, as there’s no single right way to get to the inner gate. But a few well-aimed arrows should make this easier. Move into the buildings on the left or right to avoid the Mongol patrols. They’ll also provide an escape route if the enemy discovers Sakai.
Once you pass through the gate, a cutscene will trigger. After that, you’ll need to kill a few Straw Hats, skilled samurai fighters. It’ll be hard to get behind them, but if you want to be stealthy, try entering the building and killing one or two ronin before the others notice Jin. It might be a much better idea to choose the confrontation mode. Especially if you’ve got the kill chain mechanic down.
After killing all the ronin, watch a new cutscene. Then another, larger battle will begin, and the Straw Hats will attack along with the Mongols. This fight consists of several waves, can be difficult, but you will have Yuna to help you. Be sure to watch her, do not let the enemies surround the archer. In most cases, it is better to deal with the ronin. If there are arrows, attack them from afar. Beware of dogs. Also, do not forget about the surrounding objects, such as explosive barrels. This will be a tough battle, but when the Mongols are dead, the story will end.
The Fate of Tsushima
This is a long mission, so make sure you are prepared to spend some time on it before you start it. On the other hand, despite the in-game warning, starting and completing this mission will not result in you losing the opportunity to complete other side quests. All of them can be completed after finishing the game. When you are ready, talk to the samurai leader in Shimura’s camp. Talk to the rest of your allies in the tower. There is also bamboo for training at the base.
Then the siege of Shimura Castle begins. The first part of the mission is a major battle with the Mongols and the Straw Hats, in which all your allies help you. Everything is simple here. As you move through the gate, watch out for archers on the castle walls. Kill them to make the battle easier. Note that you can use cover to shoot at enemies before getting close to them. If any of your allies are seriously injured, a countdown will begin. Run up and help them get back on their feet. Otherwise, you will have to start from the checkpoint.
After the second gate, watch the walls where the archers will be. Clear the courtyard to trigger a cutscene. In the next area, you will be attacked by the Hwacha. Your task is to reach the cannon as quickly as possible. Moving towards the Hwacha, you will have to kill several enemies. However, if you try, you can go around them to get to the turret as quickly as possible. Deal with the enemies nearby, then climb the tower and use the cannon. Shoot the explosive barrels near the gate to quickly destroy the Mongol forces.
You’ll have to fight a few more big battles from here on out, but it’s all pretty straightforward and simple. Stay close to your allies to help you fight, but also make sure none of them fall to the ground. The fight will continue until you reach the bridge. A cutscene will start.
From the darkness
The next story begins immediately after the previous one. Spend a few minutes to purchase weapon and armor upgrades. Talk to your allies, and then meet Yuna, who will activate the beginning of the quest. She will give you a new set – the Ghost armor, which gives significant bonuses to stealth and makes it easier to activate the Ghost stance.
When you’re ready, you’ll need to sneak into Shimura’s fortress alone. Use the iron hook to climb under the bridge and reach the rocks below the castle. Climb up the side of the building and enter through the open window. Kill the enemies without being noticed. They’ll move away from each other, making the task easier. If the alarm is raised, the mission will fail. You’ll have to start over from the last checkpoint.
Once you’ve cleared the building, go up to the top floor to see the Mongol camp. You need to get through the entire courtyard, swarming with enemies, without raising the alarm. Don’t rush under any circumstances! The best solution now would be stealth. You don’t even have to kill anyone else! Jump off the roof just below and move along the stretched ropes above the path in the garden. Try to kill the archer on the tower ahead with a precise shot. At the end, jump onto the tent and slide behind it to find yourself at the hole in the wall. Wait for the guard to move away.
Next, climb forward, using the tall grass and sticking to the side of the camp, closer to the wall of the fortress. Look for an opportunity to get through the road to the right side of the camp, where there will be cover that will allow you to get to the barrels of kumis. You need to stay between the tents, other objects and the outer wall. If you go to the left side of the fortress, it will be more difficult to overcome the dangers. Get to the two marked objects where the kumis is located and interact with them. You will poison the drink, a cutscene will immediately start.
Head to the fortress to fight Ryuzo. He has a few new attacks compared to the previous fight. He can now attack with his shoulder, knocking Jin down, and he can also attack with a high unblockable strike, which is added to his standard combos. So his combos will now be even longer, with more unblockable attacks that need to be dodged. Ryuzo will also perform a delayed strike. It will be difficult to find the right time to parry him. When he sheathes his sword, it means that the enemy is preparing a series of strikes. Either move away from him, or attack with heavy unblockable attacks. For example, “Heavenly Strike”. It will not take much, and Jin will defeat Ryuzo.
Honor and Ashes
Get to the burnt tree where Yuna promised to wait for Jin. It is best to climb the hill on the left hand side, and then go down the rocks. Move through the building, use the window on the far left side of the room and get to the log on the right side. You can use it to get inside the burnt tree. Examine the corpses, go down and look at the other dead bodies. Then the Ghost will be wounded by a poisoned arrow. Run quickly to the bridge until the cutscene starts.
Once completed, take out the equipment lying in the chest, move to the tower and talk to Yuna. Follow the girl to the camp located on the frozen pond. Kill all the enemies, then free the hostages. Inspect the temple of Jogaku, captured by the Mongols, using the vantage point. Shoot from the signal cannon so that the enemies run towards you. While they are moving, choose the moment and shoot at the explosive barrels standing in the center of the lake. When you defeat everyone, go to the temple of Jogaku and look at the waterfall. Finish off the enemies, not forgetting to be distracted by those who want to kill the prisoners (red skull). Remember that now the enemy archers will shoot poisoned arrows. To get rid of the poison, you will have to spend a point of determination on healing each time. After defeating the Mongols, talk to Yuna.
ACT 3
All story missions of the third act of the game.
Wolves at the gates
Find Yuna in Jogaku and talk to the girl. Head south to reach Sago Prefecture. Go up the mountain and talk to Takeshi standing at the edge of the cliff. Head to the fort and climb to the hill where Takeshi is already waiting for you. To do this, climb along the roof of the building near the cliff. Use the vantage point and inspect the landmarks. Head down, kill the enemies. You can shoot at the enemies from the roof of the building, which will be much safer than immediately rushing into close combat. Meet the hunters, deal with the other enemies and head towards the tower. Look at the bridge that was attacked by Yuna. Go there or move under the bridge, and then deal with the rest of the enemies, clearing the location and reaching the gate through which Yuna passed. When everyone is killed, the fortress will pass to Jin and his allies.
A storm is gathering
Again, to start the quest, you need to find Yuna and talk to her in the Jogaku territory. Then you will automatically move to the port of Izumi, where the Mongols led by Khotun Khan have settled. Go to the marker, kill the enemies and climb the mountain. After going down, deal with a few more enemies. Move through the tall grass and get to the lighthouse. There is a door at the back. Use it, examine the barrels and climb to the top of the lighthouse. Study all the points of interest to complete the quest.
Heart of Jito
Talk to Yuna inside Jogaku. Kenji will tell you where you can get some hwacha. Jin wants to inform his uncle about the attack on the port. Follow your ally and choose a new mount. Enter its name. Head towards Shimura’s castle using fast travel and reach the “Kubara Crossing” northeast of Shimura’s house. You need to get to the castle from the north. View the memory, then use the ledges to the left of the waterfall to climb up. Follow the path to the left, swim under the bridge and jump from the water directly onto the ledge just below. You can reach it with an iron hook. You already moved this way when you were doing the “From the Shadows” story mission, trying to poison the Mongols.
After climbing the familiar tower, jump onto the roof and go down into the grass on the right. Follow the walls of the fortress, use the gate and go to the grass on the left. Climb into the building and use the stairs on the left side (when no one sees). Follow through the window, walk along the visor to the far window and climb higher, using the stairs in the hall with soldiers. Go behind the enemy, climb out through the window and climb into the next room through another. Jin used to live here. Throw a bell from the visor into any of the two rooms. The enemy will go into it, and you will be able to return to the corridor through the next room and use the stairs in the corner. Go to the table in Shimura’s room and watch the cut-scene.
Eternal blue sky
Go to Jogaku and talk to Yuna again. You can talk to the rest of the allies, and then talk to Yuna again. At the very beginning of the attack, kill the enemies that come running to the coast. Talk to Yuna and go to the hill where Norio is waiting for you. Move with him under the fence, turn right and find a high tower. You will have to kill opponents along the way. From the tower, study the remains of the camp. Get to Khotun Khan’s house and defeat him in a duel. Dodge as often as possible, and also use a stance against enemies with spears. When you win, follow the ship, where you will have to fight Khotun Khan in a regular fight. As you understand, ordinary Mongols will also interfere. Also note that Khotun Khan will change weapons, which means you will have to use different stances.
The Story of Mr. Shimura
Once you’ve finished the battle with the Mongols, head to where Shimura has called you. Ride the horses with him, move the cart and head to the Sakai Clan Cemetery. After composing the haiku, you’ll have to defeat Shimura in battle. Don’t worry, you won’t be able to kill your uncle ahead of time. After the fight, you’ll have to choose what to do. This decision, whether to kill or spare Shimura, does not affect the further development of the plot. The game will end one way or another, and you’ll be able to continue with additional quests and activities on the island. On the other hand, if you spare him, you’ll get a red skin for the Ghost armor, and if you kill your uncle, a white one.