Ghost of Tsushima

Introduction of Ghost of Tsushima

Ghost of Tsushima (2020) is a new PlayStation exclusive video game and also a new intellectual product by Sucker Punch Productions. Before Ghost of Tsushima (2020), Sucker Punch Productions had developed and were known for their InFAMOUS series and Sly Cooper series. Ghost of Tsushima (2020) is an open-world action game in which the player controls a samurai with a katana in order to push back Mongol invaders from the island of Tsushima.

Game Script / Game Play

Ghost of Tsushima (2020) takes place on Tsushima Island during the year 1274, which was the year that marked the first Mongol invasion of Japan. The game begins when the Mongol fleets and troops first land on Tsushima island which causes a battle between the Mongols and the Japanese samurai. However, the samurai lose the battle and most of the samurai are viciously killed by the Mongols while the leader of the samurai is captured. The Mongols then pillage and capture many of the towns and villages on Tsushima Island.

The main character of the game is Jin Sakai, a samurai who survived the battle and was healed by a villager. Jin and the villager then attempt to rescue the leader of the samurai who is also Jin’s uncle. However, they are overpowered by the Mongols and are forced to retreat. From here, the main story revolves around finding a plan to rescue Jin’s uncle and push back the Mongols away from Tsushima Island. Moreover, Jin must decide whether he should stick to the honorable code that he has always lived by or use dishonorable tactics such as stealth kills or poison darts in order to win future battles and push back the sheer number of Mongol invaders. The player is then given the choice to explore Tsushima Island along with its villages, towns, ports, mountains, and more.

Screenshot 1: The Golden Temple where the player can upgrade their weapons, purchase gear from merchants, and much more.

Game Activities

The player will encounter many side activities, side quests, trinkets to collect, and villages to take back from the Mongols. Some of these activities include finding fox dens, finding Shinto shrines, duels against ronin, and many more. In order to reach some places, the player is given a grappling hook that can be used to traverse places that are difficult to reach. Moreover, the grappling hook can be used to climb up or down mountain areas in a safe manner.

Screenshot 2: The player can construct haiku poems at specific locations on the map.

A scenic wonder

While playing through the game, players will often find themselves pausing to take-in the scenery. Tsushima Island has many beautiful areas such as waterfalls, mountains, and forests. The artistic style and the vibrant colors of the map make Ghost of Tsushima (2020) a sight to behold.

Screenshot 3: The player comes across a lake in the game which gives a sense of peace and tranquility.

Game Combat Weaponry

The main weapon of choice of the main character is a katana; however, the player can also use bows, darts, and other thrown weapons to help in their battles against the Mongols. Moreover, the player can also learn new combat techniques by levelling up or through mythic side quests. For example, techniques such as “heavenly strike” can be learned by finishing a mythic tale. With the katana, the player has access to different combat stances. Combat stances change the way Jin Sakai fights which is helpful against different enemy types. There are a total of four combat stances. In order to learn a combat stance, players must kill Mongol leaders or observe Mongol leaders in training through stealth.

Screenshot 4: Different weapon stances are used for different types of enemies. The stone stance in the screenshot is much more effective against swordsmen.

Game Scenarios

The player can also come across Mongol camps and areas where the Mongols have taken over. In these scenarios, the player must kill all the Mongols and rescue any civilians. The player is given multiple options on how to approach this. They can use stealth in order to take out the Mongols or go in headfirst in an aggressive manner. Moreover, while exploring Tsushima Island, the player can encounter a group of roaming Mongols. An option to conduct a stand-off will be given. Stand-off allows the player and the Mongols to face-off in a one-on-one scenario. The player must time their attacks to instantly kill a Mongol which can be chained against the other Mongols.

Screenshot 5: A stand-off in which the player must time their attack in order to instantly eliminate the enemy. This can be chained against multiple enemies, provided the player perfectly times the attacks.

Game Modes

The multiplayer component of Ghost of Tsushima (2020) is called the Legends mode. Legends mode is about Japanese folk tales and mythology. In the Legends mode, up to 4 players can play different missions using different characters. These characters are the samurai, the hunter, the assassin, and the ronin. Some of these missions are survival, objective-based missions, or the raid. Upon finishing a mission, the player is given loot that can be used to upgrade or replace their current gear.

Concluding Remarks

Ghost of Tsushima (2020) is a well-developed game that uses an amazing combat system along with an artistic world and a beautiful story. After finishing the story, new game plus is unlocked which allows players to repeat the story but keeping the same levels, weapons, and armor. The Legends mode can also be played with other players which gives a new way for repeatability.