Putting rules on warfare is an exercise in futility. No matter what restraints civilizations put on fighting, conflicts naturally escalate. Weapons become more lethal. Targets become broader. Regulations governing war become so bent that they end up broken.
That’s what “Ghost of Tsushima” points out in its first scene as the samurai gather to battle the invading Mongolian army. They send out one of their best warriors, Lord Harunobu Adachi, to duel the leader Khotun Khan. Without even flinching, the antagonist drenches the samurai in booze and sets him on fire — before Adachi can even swing his sword. While the Japanese assumed Khan would fight fair, the Mongolian had no such intentions.
That act topples the Tsushima samurai as the Japanese forces fight unprepared against the savagery of the Mongolian onslaught. The protagonist, Jin Sakai, survives the rout after a thief named Yuna rescues him. He’s essentially reborn after his near-death experience and becomes a revenant hellbent on freeing his island from occupation.
The defeat sets up two conflicts in “Ghost of Tsushima.” The first is the story of Jin’s uprising against the Mongolians and the second is a personal matter focusing on honor and the rules of war. These struggles overlap, with the former playing an important role in beginning but yielding to the latter as the game moves into the second and third acts.
With these two struggles as the backdrop, players are treated to a romanticized and stylish samurai epic. Inspired by films from legendary filmmaker Akira Kurosawa and Chinese director Zhang Yimou, “Ghost of Tsushima” bursts with color. Its vibrant environments look almost painterly and perfect for an Instagram post. Meanwhile, the camera work especially during standoffs or duels plays with perspectives and dramatic cuts. The art and camera work lend a cinematic quality to the experience.
As survivor of the defeat, Jin starts from nearly nothing, aside from broken armor and his family swords. He must acquire more power for his revenge and that takes him on story missions and side quests, where he gathers additional weapons, dons more gear and learns new techniques. “Ghost of Tsushima” is designed so that the protagonist can rely on stealth or quick-twitch play style early on, but over the course of the campaign, players can max out all of Jin’s skills and are free to use any.
When that happens, the campaign isn’t about obtaining the best sword or armor. Technically, there isn’t an uber gear set; instead, players will switch out armor and charms based on the situation. Some missions will require stealth while others ask players to storm castle walls in a bloody all-out brawl. I constantly switched out my gear based on whether I was exploring, infiltrating a camp or rescuing hostages. It made me wish there were a way to save loadouts for different scenarios, but the game seems to emphasize straightforward simplicity in its gameplay.
Despite dozens of missions and the large size of the island, “Ghost of Tsushima” never feels too big. It’s not “Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.” The game feels purposefully focused and minimalist when it comes to activities and quests. Players encounter side missions with threads that are numbered and follow a clear plot. They’re tied to allies who help Jin in bigger battles and become lieutenants in his ragtag army.
Meanwhile, players will encounter activities such as taking over Mongol camps that lift the fog of war in a prefecture. While wandering, Jin can also rescue villagers who offer clues to other side quests in the area. In addition to tasks focused on killing, players can visit shrines to unlock charms that offer stat boosts or new colors for gear. These are puzzle-oriented tasks and test players climbing mastery.
All of this creates a refreshing approach in an age when most open-world games try to pack too much stuff into the experience, leading to distracting content that takes away from the narrative flow. In “Ghosts of Tsushima,” nearly all the quests relay a plot that adds to the overall depth of the story.
The most complicated the game gets is in its combat system. Jin has four different stances that are supposed to be used for different enemy types. Layered on top of that are bows and quick-use, short-range weapons such as throwing knives. Although it sounds overwhelming, fighting is fairly simple and puts players into a back-and-forth dance where they parry or dodge blows while counter-attacking with heavy or light slashes. Skirmishes are quick and fun and they let players improvise with a full repertoire of moves.
The only issue with “Ghost of Tsushima” lies in its rote structure. It follows the path of many Sucker Punch games such as the “inFamous” series. Players will encounter a few surprises as Jin deals with the dilemma of fighting with the viciousness of his Ghost persona or as the predictable but honorable samurai. For the most part, they’ll fall into tasks of attacking camps to lift the fog in an area, heading to Fox Dens to find Inari shrines and scouring each area completing other activities before moving on to pivotal story missions. Even the duels, with their outstanding presentation, begin to feel repetitive with the routine camera work.
Despite the nitpicky problems, “Ghost of Tsushima” is a thoughtful samurai epic. It’s Sucker Punch’s best work because of its authenticity to the subject and time period. Instead of creating an over-the-top samurai game, Sucker Punch has delivered one that feels grounded in the history and soil of the island. Yes, artistic license was taken with environments and plot points, but the game also raises important questions about the nature of warfare, the need for honor, and the fuzzy line that one has to cross to attain victory at the cost of saving lives. These are weighty and complex issues and ones that will keep players enthralled as Jin seeks to free his land.
‘Ghost of Tsushima
3½ stars out of 4Platform: PlayStation 4Rating: Mature
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Author: Gieson Cacho