When
Mongol forces led by the brutal Khotun Khan invade Tsushima island, Japan, they
slaughter most of the defending samurai, capture leader Lord Shimura, and leave
his nephew, Jin Sakai, for dead. After being nursed back to health, Jin vows to
drive off the Mongols and rescue his uncle, recruiting allies from the
peasantry and nobility alike. However, he must resort to increasingly ruthless
tactics to do so, which clashes with the rigid code of honor his uncle
instilled in him. As legends of the avenging “ghost” spread across the island, the
target on Jin’s back grows larger.
One of the
last games released for the Playstation 4 before the Playstation 5 dropped last
year, Ghost of Tsushima is also one of its most aesthetically
impressive. From fields of vibrant flowers to burnt remnants of Mongol-raided
villages to frozen northern peaks, the landscape is absolutely stunning,
rivaling Red Dead Redemption 2. An optional black-and-white “Kurosawa
Mode” and a choice between English or Japanese voice tracks allow for an
experience that is as customizable as it is immersive.
The game often
plays as good as it looks. Jin starts with a trusty blade and eventually
acquires a bow and a bevy of “ghost” weapons (kunai, smoke bombs, etc.), and
both his gear and combat techniques can be upgraded. This allows for everything
from stealthy assassination attacks from rooftops to intense melee combat
against groups of foes, and one-on-one duels against noteworthy nemeses. The fighting is crisp and fluid, and the
parrying and stance systems are complex enough to discourage button-mashing without
being a convoluted hindrance.
In
addition to Jin’s main objectives, he can complete Tales (sidequests) on behalf
of others. Some are random strangers, and their missions often end in
heartbreak. However, Jin can also learn more about and deepen his bonds with
allies, who are often given a surprising amount of complexity. Lady Masako
Adachi, for instance, is a grieving grandmother hellbent on avenging the murder
of her family, but she is also working her way through betrayal and loss while warrior-monk
Norio grapples with living up to his brother’s legacy. You can also follow
foxes to shrines to collect effects-boosting charms, seek out hot springs to
gain minor health boosts, and compose awkward haikus to gain decorative
headbands. These activities begin to feel quite repetitive as the game
progresses, but there aren’t so many of them that they will drive completionists
mad.
Though the
product of an American developer (Sucker Punch), Ghost of Tsushima takes
its Japanese influences (history, mythology, and samurai films) seriously. That
isn’t to say that there aren’t anachronisms but rather you aren’t being
presented with a hideously inaccurate Western pastiche of Japan. At the same
time, the game plays with the traditionalist notion of samurai as protectors,
alternately presenting them as this and as inflexible elitist aristocrats.
Given this complexity, the game’s lack of a morality system where Jin’s choices
impact his reputation seems like a missed opportunity.
Ghost of
Tsushima’s
gameplay mechanics may not break new ground, but its familiarity is more than
offset by its dazzling presentation.
