LogFAQs > #963289811

3) Ghost of Tsushima
Sucker Punch / Sony Interactive Entertainment
PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
Released July 17, 2020
Would make my top 100 list if re-written: Yes, 50s

A rare AAA video game purchase by me. I really liked the trailers that Ghost of Tsushima had produced before its release, as well as the historical setting of the game.

Ghost of Tsushima takes place during a fictional retelling of the first Mongol invasion of Japan in 1274. A Mongol invasion fleet led by the cousin of Kublai Khan invades the island of Tsushima and fights the samurai led by Lord Shimura and his nephew Jin Sakai. The battle is a complete loss for the samurai, with most of them ending up dead and Lord Shimura being captured. Jin manages to survive after being nursed back to health by a thief named Yuna, and sets out to defeat Khotun Khan and rescue Lord Shimura. I found the main storyline to be quite compelling throughout, and I enjoyed the resolution to the full story as well. To anyone that played the game to its conclusion, I chose to spare Lord Shimura at the end.

The game is told in three acts, each one focusing on a different portion of the island. In each section there are multiple areas overtaken by Mongol forces that can be liberated, as well as a large amount of other optional tasks to pursue. Each main character in the storyline has their own sidequest chain that spans multiple acts. There are also many other sidequests that can only be obtained by exploring the map thoroughly. By the end of the game though it does feel too much like a checklist of items to complete - the fox shrines especially were just annoying and there's a few where the fox just gets completely lost in the scenery and it took me a few tries to follow it successfully. The sidequests though are much more involved, and I especially liked how the character storylines resolved. Jin's caretaker, Yuriko, has an especially powerful sidequest chain, and was definitely one of the best.

The game tries to both use stealth mechanics and action combat in its many Mongol encounters throughout the game. In general, the farms overtaken by the Mongols rely more on stealth to liberate the area, while other areas may rely more on a combat approach - but both are viable in most areas. Jin has a variety of tools such as firecrackers that he can use to distract enemies while he sneaks up and assassinates them - or gets to a certain target point in the camp. The more action based areas usually has Jin facing down a powerful Mongol, and some may even lead to a duel where Jin fights the enemy one-on-one. The only annoyance is sometimes you're trying to save a villager from a Mongol that rushed up to them - and you instead hit another enemy close by while you watch the villager die. The lock-on system of the game has its faults, but the combat is very fluid and Jin gets many tricks through the various stances he can switch between.

My main memory of the game is riding almost through the entirety of the second area to get Jin's father's armor well before doing anything else there. It was an interesting ride through the various environments to do so. I still have yet to play Legends, the Iki Island DLC, or do the New Game+ trophies, but I'll do them when I feel like playing more Ghost of Tsushima (and when I finally actually buy the DLC).

Soundtrack Links
Jin Sakai
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueRpihDmk8c

The Fate of Tsushima
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE3MjcPyc6U

The Way of the Ghost
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDqjle2qnw4