Is Ghost of Tsushima Worth It? Gameplay Review

Is Ghost of Tsushima worth? Now that the game is out. Ghost of Tsushima is a game that truly delivers the satisfaction of Samurai combat. The game is based on real history but the characters and story of the game are fictional. The game takes place during the first Mongol invasion of Japan. The player takes control of a Jin Sakai, a samurai from a noble house. He wants to save his island from the invaders who have no regard for honor. As the game progress Jin Sakai changes and his perception of honor in combat changes as well. The game doesn’t have a story-driven narrative but rather offers a generic samurai story that we have seen in so many movies. However, the delivery of the story is amazing even though it is an open-world game.

Combat is the star of the show and it makes Ghost of Tsushima one of the best samurai games of all time. There is no supernatural element bringing it close to reality. Slicing enemies with a katana and the combat approach of the game makes it all the more interesting. The combat is a blend of different games and it can remind players of these games during combat. The most obvious comparison of the game is directed towards Assassin’s Creed and Sekario: Shadow Die Twice. Many are saying that this is the Assassin Creed game that we wanted for so long. The game puts you in the shoes of Jin Sakai as he evolves into a different kind of person. There are some problems with the game but they are digestible. Is Ghost of Tsushima worth it?  Let’s find out.

Ghost of Tsushima Setting

The game takes place during the first Mongol invasion of Japan. The story is based on real history but the characters and events are fictional. You can see the similarity that it shares with real history in the story decisions. The game is doing justice to history despite having a fictional plot. Tsushima is the main setting for the story and it was also the island where the invasion took place as per history. Mongols would do anything to win and that’s what is being shown in the game. For the first time, the Japanese were fighting soldiers with different combat strategies. Mongols knew Japanese combat tactics and used it against them. The point is that the game is trying to be realistic in terms of a fictional story. Is Ghost of Tsushima worth it for you? Based on the setting.

The World is Vibrant and Lively

Attention to detail in Ghost of Tsushima is amazing. Every part of it seems realistic and you can see that the developers put lots of hard work into the design. The map perfectly captures the landscape of Japan and it feels like you are traveling back in time to experience these movements. Color grading is also good and it feels kind of refreshing. There are just so many vibrant colors in the landscape. To top it all off, gusts of wind make particles flow in the air. You can see colorful leaves in the air and cherry blossoms as well. Japan is famous for its “Sakura” cherry blossom and the game spare no expense to show its vibrant pink color.

Mountains, trees, grass, wind, and every other element of the map is beautifully crafted. The Last Us Part 2 attention details are insane but it had a darker setting. Ghost of Tsushima has refreshing and bright colors making it a different kind of experience even though is there is a lot of violence in it as well. It just feels good to explore the map of ancient Japan in vibrant colors.

The colors and art style of the game makes it a better samurai game. The UI does not obscure anything on the screen making exploration all the more tempting. Developers have kept the game as close to reality as possible. To make the mechanics more natural wind serves as a waypoint. The game has a great open-world design which makes exploration a lot more fun. The artistic style and attention to detail are amazing. Is Ghost of Tsushima worth it? For its world design.

Story and Quest Design

The game follows Jin Sakai who is an honorable Samurai from a noble house. He vows to protect his people and this motivation keeps him going. During the invasion of Mongols, he is severely wounded. After his survival, he realizes that Mongols would use every trick they got, to take their enemies down. The honorable way of Samurai won’t work well on Mongols. As the game progress, he gets more confused with the idea of honor.

Throughout the story, you will see his life in flashbacks and these flashbacks co-relates with the current state of events in the game. You will see the life of Jin Sakai throughout the game. As Jin starts to question the way of samurai he becomes the Ghost. As Ghost, he will use every dirty tactic to take down enemies. You can decide whether you want to play as a Ghost or the honorable Samurai even in the middle of combat. As the story progress, Jin would try to drive invaders out of his homeland. Music serves as the cherry on top and each scene has a perfect blend of music that supports the narrative. Is Ghost of Tsushima worth it for its story?

Voice Acting of the Game is good but Japanese Dub has Some Problems with Lip Syncing.

There are three types of side quests in the Ghost of Tsushima. Normal side quests like any other game, Character quests that are tied to specific characters and myths that are the side quests based on folklore. Normal quests are generic but none of them is copy-paste because their execution is different. Each side quest is a quest on its own, not a copy of another though there might be some similarities. Character quests are related to characters in the game. These quests span throughout the story and have multiple parts. The last type of side quests are myths that are related to folklore. Mythic quests are unique and are more rewarding than normal quests. All types of side quests are carefully crafted.

Builds and Rewards

Quests are rewarding but some quests give better rewards than others. The most common types of rewards are charms which increase different aspects of your character. Certain quests can give you good armors. Equipping these armors can give you an advantage in combat. There are different types of armors such as light, medium, and heavy. Each type of armor has advantages and disadvantages. Different types of armors are suitable for different play-style. Heavy armor is tanky and it is used for frontal assaults. Light armor is for agility and stealth while medium armor is something in between. There are no levels so you don’t have to worry about the level of an armor piece. You can also use different plants to change the colors of your wearable items. You can go to the armorer to upgrade your armor and sword.

Ghost of Tsushima Combat

The combat is the most intriguing part of the game. From drawing the blade to slowly seething it after whipping blood from it. Every part of the combat is amazing which keeps your heart pumping. It feels like watching a samurai movie where you decide every attack of the character. You can’t lock on enemies which can lead to camera problems. Sometime the camera will get stuck which can get annoying. Once the combat begins, then lethal strikes become normal attacks. I do understand that they make the game this way to make it more challenging but it seems kind of odd.

The initiation of the standoff is the most amazing part of the combat. You can take down multiple enemies with single attacks before the combat even begins. As you trigger the standoff you can kill up to five enemies or more, each with a single slice. These chain attacks offer an amazing experience that will make your hand sweat with anticipation. Initially, you might only be able to take down one or two enemies but as the game progress, you will get used to it and starts taking down more enemies. If you miss an attack then you lose a large amount of health. For me, standoffs are the most amazing parts of the game. Is Ghost of Tsushima worth it? Based on amazing combat initiation.

General Combat

There are no levels in the game but you can unlock new skills as you progress. The skill tree won’t give you any extra damage but it will give you versatility in combat which ultimately increases your combat paralysis. Combat is pretty generic with light attacks, heavy attacks, doges, parries, etc. The inclusion of fighting styles and the execution of attacks makes it interesting. Striking a blow is satisfying unless an enemy has a lot of health which can turn it into a brick wall. Even striking them with a lethal blow would not work. You have to reduce their health and it makes combat challenges.

The game is not too hard so you might need to increase difficulty. You can get all the upgrades by the time you progress half of the game. To get all these upgrades, you have to complete all side missions and activities just like some other PlayStation Exclusives. This is one of my favorite parts of the game. It was the same for me in Horizon Zero Dawn and Days Gone. There is no new game plus mode but they might add it later just like Days Gone. The lack of a new game plus mode makes easy upgrades all the more important. Bugs can be problematic in combat but updates have fixed them. Combat is the shining star of the game.

Stealth in Ghost of Tsushima

Combat of the game is good but stealth is messy. The AI of enemies is just not compatible with stealth. You can only use stealth if you are playing as a ghost. As a Ghost, the gameplay is more discreet like the classic Assassin’s Creed. You can use smoke bombs, throwing knives “Kunai”, stealth kill, etc. Jin has no honor while playing as a Ghost so he will utilize anything to take his ermines down. Stealth is digestible but when enemies spot you, they just don’t know how to deal with you. The moment they notice you, they will start acting all strange, and most of the time you can just kill them without resistance. To top it all off the stealth is not even good enough to be interesting. Is Ghost of Tsushima worth it? Or is it a bummer for you due to lack of good stealth.

General Aspects

The game has some extra bit of stuff which gives it some furnishing touches. There are hunting mechanics in the game but it is only there for upgrades. You have to hunt animals and use their skins to upgrade the capacity of different items. Hunting does not hold any a lot of importance in the general gameplay. There is a Kurosawa mode or classic mode in the game that makes it black and white. The feature is intended to deliver the essence of classic cinema. I just don’t feel like using it because it takes away the vibrant colors of the game. The colors of the game are so beautiful that I feel bad using the Kurosawa mode but it does help a lot in delivering the feeling of classic cinema.

The photo mode is a good addition to the game and I can say that it is better than any other. You can manipulate the environment to get the desired result. You can control the wind, leaves colors, etc. Emotes are disappointing but you can just take pictures in action. There is no post-game content other than collectibles and side quests if you haven’t done that already. As I said before there is no new game plus but they might add it in the future update. Once you finish the game then you are pretty much done. Don’t worry it’s a long game so you will have plenty of stuff to do before the end. Is Ghost of Tsushima worth it? For all its extra features let’s get to the final answer.

Is Ghost of Tsushima Your Type of Game?

Ghost of Tsushima is an amazing game that is living up to its potential. It is the perfect Samurai open-world game that many wanted for so long. The nature of its combat is doing justice to the type of game it is. Not only does it have good combat but amazing world design as well. It seems like a Samurai movie with vibrant colors. The landscape is in perfect harmony with the setting of the game. In a sense, it takes you back in time and put you in the shoes of a Samurai. The game has some issues but its amazingness shrouds all of its flaws. The moment you draw the sword, you feel the rush of combat that will keep you focused for hours. Ghost of Tsushima is another amazing PlayStation exclusive by Sucker Punch Productions.

Now let’s answer the question “Is Ghost of Tsushima worth it?” It is a game with amazing combat. If you are the type of player that is looking for the thrill of sword combat then this might be the game for you. If you like samurai games or games based on historical setting, then it is still the game for you. In case you are looking for a sword fighting game with good stealth then you are in for a disappointment. It is also not the game for players who are not into sword fighting game. In short, it is the game for players who wants to enjoy the game with amazing sword combat.