Ghost of Tsushima is an action-RPG game set during the time of the Mongol invasion of Japan (1270s-80s).
This video game is a PS4 exclusive developed by Sucker Punch Productions, the studio behind inFAMOUS and Sly Cooper. Their reputation as developers was already pretty high, but this game brought them to new heights. In my humble opinion, this was one of the best RPGs I have ever played in my entire life. That’s really saying something considering I have been gaming for over 20 years!
To describe this game I would ask you to think Assassin's Creed set in Japan, a location that the AC franchise has never touched. Then add in nearly all of the quality of life improvements that you could ever ask for, such as the unique waypoint indicator in the guiding wind and the smart UI that stays away when not being used so that you can properly take in the beauty of the landscape and character models.
Some of the other great game features include:
- A deep combat system with 4 different fighting stances, each with their own skills to be learned.
- Stealth mechanics and Ghost weapons that will have you feeling like a true deadly assassin.
- Excellent story telling that draws heavy inspiration from Japanese folklore. Even the side missions have meaning in this one.
- So many cool cosmetic unlockables (sword sets, armor, masks, and horse saddles) that are all earned in-game. No virtual currency here.
- A new take on exploration with the inari shrines, lighthouses, Shinto shrines, and pillars of honor.
- Interesting collectibles such as singing crickets, mongol artifacts, records with hidden lore, and more.
- Hot spring meditations which allow you to take a moment to gather yourself and also raise your maximum health.
- Writing haikus at some of the most grand locations in the game.
- Bamboo strikes that involve memorizing a 7-button sequence and perfectly timing it to increase your maximum resolve.
- The best photo mode we have seen in a video game before, it even includes animation.
- Great climbing mechanics and a useful grappling hook.
- Constant progression that has you learning something new even 40 hours into the game.
- And much more...
This game released on July 17, 2020
When I got Ghost of Tsushima 2 months ago I was instantly hooked on the game. This hasn’t happened to me with an RPG since Assassin’s Creed Origins in 2017, which was set in Egypt. That setting was the reason I was so interested in that game, however it didn’t keep me focused long enough to 100% complete the game. In fact I didn’t even get 50% of the way through that one.
I had high hopes of fully finishing Ghost of Tsushima, I am happy to say that I did finally accomplish that goal. It took me just under two months to do so. I played consistently a few hours a day and only took off a week here and there when I was busy. It was time well spent, the game itself felt like meditation to me once I became comfortable with all that it had to offer.
Not only did I beat the main story, but I actually got the platinum trophy for this game. If you aren’t sure what that means, that is PlayStation’s way of saying you did everything the game had to offer. Much like getting 1000 gamerscore on an Xbox game.
I used to be an achievement hunter on Xbox 360 when it first released in 2005. I would play any and every game with the main goal of getting 1000 gamerscore on it or 100%. Since I had my 360 since launch-day, I was ahead of most of my friends by a large margin when it came to gamerscore. I had the most in my school and was in one of the top spots of my state for the longest time. The day I reached 100,000 gamerscore meant a lot to me.
A year or two after that the next-gen consoles released and I made the decision to switch over to PS4 instead of getting an Xbox One. Since I was starting fresh somewhere new and was now behind all of the trophy hunters who had a PS3, I no longer was focused on getting achievements/trophies.
The main reason for my decision to switch was the fact that my brother was a PlayStation gamer and I wanted to be able to play games online with him. This was before the addition of cross-play that many games have today. The last game I remember playing with my bro was Destiny 2, we were an absolute dynamic duo in Destiny. We both are seasoned vets with shooters and our communication was great. Sadly my brother chose to switch over to Xbox One from PS4 eventually and it remains that way to this day. Luckily now that we have cross-play on some games we still get to play every once in awhile.
Back to Ghost of Tsushima
I estimate that I spent approximately 50-60 hours playing through the entirety of this one. I played on normal difficulty. When I received the platinum trophy it was a bittersweet feeling. I had finally accomplished my goal I set nearly two months prior, but I also had nothing left to do in the game that I had fallen in love with.
That is until the upcoming FREE co-op update is released sometime this fall. This update is titled Ghost of Tsushima: Legends. Check out the trailer for it below.
I will for sure be getting back into the game to experience all that the update has to offer. Multiplayer will be very fun in this game no doubt, I look forward to chatting with other players who are passionate about the samurai fighting like I am.
Was it hard to get the platinum trophy?
Yes and No. I say yes because it required a lot of focus and dedication for me to finish this game entirely. Playing the same game for a couple of months isn’t always easy for me now that I’m no longer a teenager with endless free time. This game however didn’t require me to play on the highest difficulty and none of the trophies are missable, meaning it just requires time and patience. Some skill as well of course. Check out the trophy guide for more details. Here is an excerpt:
Ghost of Tsushima is a Singleplayer open world Samurai fighting game. It’s doable for players of all skill levels and nothing difficult like Dark Souls games (similar to Assassin’s Creed in difficulty). It’s an easy platinum that is purely completion-based. Just finish the story, liberate all regions, do all Side Tales (Quests), and find the various types of Collectibles. 90% of trophies will come naturally while working on those tasks. The rest is a couple of miscellaneous trophies. Nothing is missable, you can get everything after the story in free-roam. You can already work on side tasks during the story if you like. Cutscenes and dialogues in this game are unskippable. The story on its own takes about 15 hours to complete. Each region takes another 15 hours or so to clear. There are 3 regions in total (the 3rd region is shorter). Most players should be able to achieve platinum in 50 hours when playing on easy difficulty. There are no difficulty-related trophies and you can switch difficulties at any time.
I’m so glad that this game lived up to the hype!
When I first saw the teaser trailer for Ghost of Tsushima on 12-10-19, I was extremely curious. I knew this game had the possibility to be one of my all-time favorites. Over the next seven months my hype fluctuated like a great oceanic wave. I’d see some new gameplay and get excited, but then get tired of waiting and forget. That happened several times, but at last during this summer it was in my hands.
My overall thoughts for this game are overwhelming positive, nothing stands out that was negative to me. I’m sure some people can find things to gripe about, but not me. If you have a PS4 I say go get this game ASAP! Prepare yourselves for the upcoming co-op update while you still have the time.
Some screenshots of my gameplay and edited photos
Below are some images for you to view that show a bit of what I wrote about. I hope this blog encourages at least one person to seek this game out and make it their next gaming obsession.
