Ghost of Tsushima

Sucker Punch Productions · Sony Interactive Entertainment

Ghost of Tsushima is Sucker Punch Productions' 2020 open-world samurai game, published by Sony. It is set in 1274 during the first Mongol invasion of Japan. You play as Jin Sakai, one of the few samurai to survive the invasion's first battle on the island of Tsushima, who must choose between his samurai code and the stealthy, dishonourable tactics needed to drive the invaders out. The game is beautiful. Fields of flowers, golden forests and coastlines are designed to look like a living painting. Instead of a cluttered map, a guiding wind points you towards your objective. There is even a Kurosawa mode, a black-and-white film filter inspired by the classic samurai films. Combat mixes swordplay with stances that suit different enemy types, parries and standoffs, where you face an enemy in a quick-draw duel. As the Ghost, Jin uses stealth tools like smoke bombs and kunai. Legends, a free online co-op mode, lets up to four players team up for missions and survival waves. That makes Ghost of Tsushima more social than most single-player adventures: a few friends on separate stations can play together. Hardware PS5 (Director's Cut), PS4 or PC. Director's Cut adds the Iki Island expansion. A large screen and good sound bring out the art style. Rated M. Beginner pointers Switch stances to match enemies: stone for swordsmen, water for shields, and so on. Practise the parry; it is the key to winning fights. Follow the wind to find your way. Collect flowers and supplies to upgrade your gear. Try standoffs when entering enemy camps. How long to book The main story takes about 25 hours, with lots of optional content. A two-hour cafe session covers the opening and a bit of exploration. Legends missions take 20 to 40 minutes. Who it suits Samurai film fans, open-world fans, and groups who want to try Legends co-op. If you like it, Ghost of Yōtei is the sequel.