Ghost of Tsushima

 

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.