Ghost of Tsushima - Review

 

It feels like it has been ages since I reviewed a game. There has been a lot going on the last while and one thing, in particular, that has occupied my time is Ghost of Tsushima by Sucker Punch Productions. Initially, I was a little cautious about playing it as the gameplay initially reminded me of Nioh and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. I could not have been more wrong and will get into why shortly.

Anyone reading these reviews will know I love food, a lot. One food I really enjoy is BBQ Ribs, whether they be Chinese, Dominican, or some other style. They are messy and makes me feel slightly like a caveman. Some meat is nice and tender, others need a bit more force, and others feel like a battle that just isn't worth the effort. Playing Ghost of Tsushima I found myself asking was it like tender ribs or a battle that just wasn't worth it?

Story

The story follows Jin, a Samurai that lives on the island of Tsushima. The Mongols have invaded and after a brutal battle the Samurai of the island fall. Jin himself is badly wounded but is nursed back to health by a friend. Jin, unwilling to let his people be slaughtered and the island was taken, set about gathering some unlikely allies and building an army to take it back. Very quickly I was drawn into the story and Jin's plight. There is a constant struggle for Jin, not right or wrong, but rather whether following the way of the Samurai will save the island. I don't want to give any more away than that, but suffice it to say the story is really good. The side quests are good and don't feel like filler but something that actually adds to the story and brings you closer towards the people of the island.

Overall the story is really good, full of conflict and emotion, and watching the characters of Jin and his allies develop over the course of the game was really interesting.

Visuals

The backdrops for the game look amazing, lush fields (great for hiding in), bamboo forests (not so great for hiding in), large mountainscapes, many many cute foxes, and lots of wildlife. Seeing the wind blow leaves around your feet, particularly in duels, is brought to a whole other level and is like watching an old samurai movie or anime. The enemies look badass and quickly go from wearing simple armor to more robust iron and steel armor. The game looks really good, the only minor thing I noted is that it was not as sharp as it could be. It made me wonder was this due to hardware limitations with the current generation PlayStation 4 and if/when the game is released on the PlayStation 5 will this be improved upon.

Overall the visuals are really good and enjoyed my time exploring the island of Tsushima. While it is true the visuals could use a little extra polish it never stopped me enjoying my experience.

Music

The music is cool, really cool. The soundtrack features Japanese instruments to help provide a very authentic sound. Sometimes the music feels peaceful and tranquil, other times intense and exhilarating but always manages to switch between them seamlessly. Britsh composer Ilan Eshkeri and Japanese composer Shigeru Urebayarhi help create this perfectly balanced score. Eshkeri's work is diverse ranging from the original The Sims soundtrack, to Layer Cake, Ninja Assassin, and 47 Ronin. Urebayarhi's work is quintessentially Japanese and has created the soundtrack for many movies and TV series including Curse of the Golden Flower and Hong Kong Paradise.

The soundtrack is shy of two hours and features some really great tracks. With any soundtrack of this magnitude, it is hard to simply separate parts of it as being better than others, that being said if I had to pick a few I would say, 'The Way of the Samurai', 'The Fate of Tsushima' and 'The Way of the Ghost'. Overall the soundtrack is well balanced and could not imagine it being bested.

Gameplay

So, much, juicy gameplay. The game has a lot to offer and initially as noted at the beginning of the review I was slightly nervous about approaching it as I did not want it to be a painful slogfest where I was going to have to fail a lot before making any meaningful progress. I was glad I was so wrong. In some ways, the controls remind of Assassin Creed, within a very short time of playing the controls felt comfortable and immersive.

The combat is fantastic and easily among the best I have experienced in recent years. There are four stances in the game, each of which is good at attacking and defending against a particular enemy. The stances are quickly learned and can be switched in battle easily. There could be a brute that requires a more powerful stance, then you need to defeat an enemy with a spear and need a stance that gives you distance and speed. On top of the stance themselves, you also have smokes bombs, kunai, and other throwable items. Rarely did I have any issues when taking on enemies whether it be one on one or a larger group. Patience is required because button bashing and rushing in just won't do the job.

Movement is fairly solid outside of combat whether taking the form of running, horse riding, climbing or using the grappling hook. The only problem I came across is that if you were trying to walk over a log you had to almost jump onto it even it was almost level with you. Naturally, your character should be able to move between them easily but was not the case for poor old Jin. Not a deal-breaker but would help improve the experience.

Upgrades, upgrades, upgrades. Almost everything can be upgraded in the games, from your weapons and armor to each of the four stances. Outside of that, you can also have a skill tree that focuses on a variety of things including stealth, assassination, sword skills, and much more. If you are willing to put in the work you should be able to unlock all the upgrades for your skills in one playthrough.

When it comes to open-world games each of them offers a navigation tool. In driving focused games there will be a line on the roads which you follow like a GPS. Other games have a compass that you can use to select an objective and move towards it. The Ghost Of Tsushima's is unique, if you brush your hand over the touchpad on the Dual Shock Controller a wind will blow in the direction you need to head in. I loved this touch and helped keep me immersed in the gameplay.

There are plenty of side missions, doing this helps you get a better sense of the people and the destructive nature of the Mongols. They never take long to complete and there are often great rewards from completing them. If nothing else each one gives you the experience to buy those much-desired upgrades. 

Similar to Assassins Creed, and Far Cry, you can liberate areas. This takes the form of destroying an enemy camp and often completing other secondary tasks like collecting banners or blowing up something. It is fun to do and helps reveal areas of the map. The map starts by being covered in fog save for a few major story related points. There are other ways to fun, explore, and help gain experience including; visiting fox shrines, writing haiku, chilling in a hot spring, and cutting bamboo to help increase your resolve.

Overall the gameplay is fantastic and offers so much. To get the most out of the game you need to commit to doing pretty much everything, it may seem daunting to start with but is well worth the effort.

  

Final Thoughts

After well over fifty hours how did I feel?  Happy, sad, and much more. The story is really interesting, it moves in different directions not only the main story but also the side missions especially those relating to your allies. The visuals are beautiful and often very artistic and while yes slightly sharper visuals would not go amiss it is by far from being a real issue. The music is the perfect fit for the game and adds to every element of the game in particular the storytelling element. The gameplay is bordering on being perfect and was a lot of fun, it certainly makes me curious to play the sequel should that be something Sucker Punch Productions invest in. Overall this one gets a solid 4 out of 5