Ghost of Tsushima - When honor meets survival
Ghost of Tsushima tells the story of Jin Sakai as he fights to protect his homeland from the Mongol invasion, all while confronting and reshaping his beliefs about honour. It’s a gripping narrative backed by stunning visuals and fluid combat. From start to finish, the game keeps you engaged, and the ending delivers a satisfying conclusion.
Gameplay
The gameplay and movement was very intuitive. Outside of non-combat, everything was perfect. Riding along Tsushima Island was fun and didn't feel like a chore, especially when moving to new areas for certain missions. Combat is fluid and satisfying, with a strong sense of rhythm. The stance system adds variety and prevents fights from becoming repetitive. However, as the game progresses, combat becomes noticeably easier, particularly once weapons and armour are fully upgraded. While still enjoyable, it does lose some of its challenge toward the end.
Story (SPOILERS)
Jin's internal conflict between honor and survival was thought-provoking and essentially the core of the story. We see him in flashbacks being brought up with a set of values by his uncle, but then disregards these when fighting his enemies. The story demonstrates many times throughout both the positive and negative outcomes of his decision. The characters add on to his story arc. His main companion throughout, Yuna, is the catalyst for him straying away from a traditional Samurai approach to fighting. His uncle, Lord Shimura, scolds him, and eventually is required to bring him in to the Shogun.
It's a great story to play along to. There aren't any plot twists, and is fairly predictable. But it's still solid. I would like to have seen more of the other characters a bit more. But at the end of the day, it's Jin's story, and I don't feel like his arc was lacking anything.
Visuals & Animations
The art and visuals in the game were stunning, and by far are the game's strongest aspects. The opening scene immediately had me hooked in. There was so much attention to detail, and the colouring incredible. The developers didn't go the typical route with mute tones, and this was a good choice.
The animations were good too. The facial expressions of the characters during cutscenes were very expressive. In combination with the voice acting, it felt like a real theatre performance. There was a lot of attention to detail too. Background elements were created properly rather than chucked in without thought. They acted appropriately with the scene and they didn't act stagnant.
Final thoughts
Ghost of Tsushima delivers a polished and immersive experience. Its combination of fluid gameplay, strong visuals, and a compelling story makes it easy to recommend, especially for players who enjoy aesthetic open world games with a strong artistic identity.
Verdict: 8/10
