Ghost of Tsushima

 

As if the PlayStation 4 wasn't filled up with enough great games in general already, as well as a bunch of recent samurai/shinobi based games that have impressed many, Sucker Punch ups their game highly with Ghost of Tsushima, the last hurrah of the PS4 generation.

Historically set during the Mongol invasion of the island of Tsushima, Japan, you play as Jin Sakai, who suffers from recent defeat, but is determined to fight back, recruit and overcome the army of invaders led by the ruthless and cunning Khotun Khan.

The breathtaking scenery as it's art style is mesmerizing, as it motivates to explore every inch and corner of this vast island, split up into three parts. Actually, back in 2016, I saw the island  from a distance during my ferry ride towards Fukuoki, but I did not pay it much attention then.

The Akira Kurosawa black and white mode is a really nice bonus that respects the legendary film maker too, as does the game in general with it’s mix of historial and fictional depiction of the Mongol invasion, while simultaneously being inspired by many of his movies.

Tsushima as an island is a great open world, or rather island, to journey through, as the game uses a clever and natural navigation in the form of wind guidance to show you the way, or alternatively, the island map will help out too.

Doing side quests and uncovering secrets in order to unlock new attack moves, better equipment and such is really worth doing too, as is exploring Tsushima in general. The soundtrack and setting felt very authentic and appropriate to me, and I played with Japanese and Mongolian voice acting.

Combat is addictive, satisfying and worthwhile to undertake. Being able to switch between 4 fighting stances, using a bow and several other projectiles, while being able to dodge, block and parry away, makes this accessible for the majority, with 4 different difficulties being available.

The cast of Japanese characters is compelling, and they are reasonable and likable enough, although the game barely has comedy in effect during this period of war. Numerous things can be done aside from the main quest, including learning new songs, chopping up bamboo, going into hot springs, petting foxes and following golden birds for more discoveries.

Ghost of Tsushima is a great finale towards the PS4 first party lineup, and the game also has a great emotional ending. It's one of the best open world games yet, it's highly successful in a critical and commercial way, and I also like the fact that the Japanese themselves are in love with it.

 Rating: 8.6