Ghost of Tsushima | PS4 Review

The island has been occupied by Mongols for weeks now. They destroy, pillage, and commit atrocities throughout the island of Tsushima. But rumors are spreading of hope, of one man who would stand against many. They call him the Ghost, last of clan Sakai. Thought to be dead on the beach with all the other samurai when the Mongols made landfall, Jin Sakai has survived and become something else: The Ghost of Tsushima.

War Pigs

Mongol forces invading and occupying this Japanese trade island was a real historical instance in 1274, and this is firmly the time in which Ghost of Tsushima takes place. Liberties are obviously taken, but the nature of the history makes the fiction all the more compelling. You play as Jin Sakai, a young samurai and the last of his noble house. The samurai are almost entirely wiped out, with the exception of Jin and his Uncle, Lord Shimura. Shimura is the most powerful political figure on the island, and is taken hostage by the brutal (and very fictional) Khotun Kahn for this reason.

It’s the setting that really sets Ghost of Tsushima apart. The time period is so rarely explored in video games, which is downright bizarre considering how well it lends itself to the medium. Thankfully, we finally have an exceptional way to explore Feudal Japan.

The Longing to be Free

Sucker Punch is best known for their open-world superhero franchise inFamous, and the studio’s DNA is certainly apparent in Ghost of Tshushima. It still has the same loose platforming, the somewhat stiff animations, and other similarities to their older games. Though the surface may be similar, the deeper aspects are anything but.

There are no map markers, no compass, and no towers to unlock side content. Everything is found through exploration and discovery. A lot of things you’ll just happen across in the game or be led to because you noticed something out of the corner of your eye. It makes finding side content and collectibles far more rewarding than the genre standard checklists to which we’ve grown accustomed. With everything you find, you can’t help but wonder how rare it might be for other players to have found the same thing. Ghost of Tsushima expects more out of its players than the average AAA open-world game, and it’s far more engaging for it.

It’s easy to get lost in the world. The guidance you receive to find your next mission is literally the way the wind blows. You have to pay attention to how the trees are swaying or how the petals in the air breeze. Golden birds will guide you to nearby secrets, and foxes help you through the forests. You’re expected to be an active participant at all times, which is unbelievably refreshing for a game of this type.

There Can Only Be One

Combat in Ghost of Tsushima also refuses to let you rest on your laurels. The enemies far outnumber you, and they never wait for their turn to attack. Your foes come at you fast and furious, with no indicator for regular attacks. It’s on you to pay attention to the enemies’ animations for when to dodge or parry. At first, this seems an impossible task, added by the frustration that there’s no lock-on function. In time, you realize what a mistake adding lock-on would’ve been for this combat style. You need more situational awareness than in other similar games.

There’s a shocking variety of enemies, such as those with spears or shields. But Jin Sakai is a trained samurai, and very quickly you’ll have access to several different katana stances. Each of these is strong against a particular enemy type, and juggling between them effectively produces a ballet of death. Once I got the hang of things, I was seeking conflict out.

Into the Shadows

Stealth, or the path of the ghost, is also an option here as it is in many games. There’s nothing wrong with trying to be a ninja, but nothing stands out as extraordinary, other than in the way narrative plays into it. Sneaky combat is considered dishonorable to a samurai, where facing your opponent directly is the expected choice.

While there’s no sliding morality scale such as those in other Sucker Punch games, the story constantly reminds you of honor. To be the ghost, to help the people of Tsushima, Jin must set aside honor. Of course, not everyone agrees with his methods, including himself at times. What plays out is a compelling narrative thread as we see what honor really means to our protagonist. I don’t want to ruin anything, but I’ve never seen this particular stance on honor in a narrative before, and I was at the edge of my seat for every philosophical conversation about it.

Death Before Dishonor

During the first act of the game, I was bored to death by the main story. Revenge and rescue are tired tropes in video games. But I stuck with it for the great combat, fun exploration, and intriguing characters. The side characters stand out with compelling quest lines all to themselves. While I did end up engaged with and thoroughly enjoying the main narrative (the third act is masterful in its handling of multiple climaxes), these side stories are where much of the heart of the game is.

That heart carries through in myriad small details, as well. Think of any cool genre trope from samurai films. A ragtag group banding together to fight the bad guy? Check. A dedicated button for wiping blood off your sword? It’s here. Assassinating a Mongol through a paper wall? Of course. These things are small, but they add up and engross you into the setting. Sucker Punch was clearly in love with their inspirations.

2020 has been a great year for video games, and Ghost of Tsushima is no exception. I don’t much care for open-world games in the modern era, but the way you have to be an active participant has kept me playing long after the credits rolled. I admit it gets off to a rough start, but stick with it and you’re rewarded with one of the most compelling open-world games in the past few years. I’m already eagerly anticipating the return of Jin Sakai.

To hear me talk more about Ghost of Tsushima, be sure to check out Episode 304 of The Gaming Outsider around the 12:50 time stamp.

This review is based on a purchased copy of Ghost of Tsushima on PlayStation 4. It is exclusive to that platform.