(Spoiler-free) Ghost of Tsushima is the samurai game we didn’t know we needed.
Developed by Sucker Punch Productions, Ghost of Tsushima is the last first-party game created exclusively for PlayStation 4. While the developers are known mostly for their Sly Cooper series and the inFamous games, Ghost of Tsushima is their first new IP in nearly a decade.
Captured using in-game photo mode
The game is set in 13th-century Japan when the Mongols first invaded the country, starting with the island of Tsushima. The principled Samurai fail to defend their land from the unruly invaders. Soon, protagonist Jin Sakai finds himself resorting to not so honorable techniques which allow him to fend off the Mongols but they are directly in conflict with his samurai values.
It’s no secret that Sucker Punch drew inspiration from Japanese cinema, specifically Akira Kurosawa movies. Creative directors Nate Fox and Jason Connell have openly shared their love for iconic films like Seven Samurai (1954) and Yojimbo (1961). In order to pay homage to the legendary filmmaker, Sucker Punch went a step further and created a special mode which adds a black and white filter on top of the game. However, it’s more than just a filter. Sucker Punch studied the black and white films from the era and observed how the dark the blacks would look or how bright the whites would be at a certain time of the day. An abundance of noise was added to give it the film grain feel. Even the sound design was adjusted to accompany the visuals. Initially, this mode was called Samurai Cinema but eventually, the Kurosawa estate gave their permission to name it after him. Players can turn on Kurosawa mode right at the start and play the game in its entirety with it.
Ghost of Tsushima has a few more tricks up its sleeve. The game looks stunning, to begin with. If you randomly stop at any point in the game and take a screenshot, it will look pretty regardless of the camera angle. The map is divided into three sections, each one with enough variety in terms of environments. Part of what makes exploration in the game addicting is the absence of a mini-map or a waypoint system. I know it sounds counter-intuitive but Sucker Punch came up with a unique solution.
Wind is a big part of the navigational system in the game. Players can swipe up on the DualShock touchpad and a gust of wind will guide them to a location. The wind also varies in nature depending on the environment. Sometimes, it will carry red leaves; other times, it might blow pollen from a nearby field. The amount of particles on screen at any given time is insane if you ask me. It would have been easy to believe if it was being pumped out by a high-end gaming PC but Sucker Punch somehow managed to pull it off even on a standard PS4 (not the PS4 Pro). The particle system stands out even more in what might be arguably the best photo mode in a game. Players can not only take screenshots but also record clips with animated environments. The highly customizable photo mode lets you change the time of day, weather, the type of particles, and even the speed at which the wind blows. The animated environments freeze the player in time while their surroundings continue to move, almost like a cinemagraph. Here’s one that I made:
My only issue with the game is how, at times, the facial performance is not in sync with the voice-over. One might compare it to any anime, justifying that an American game wouldn’t work well with Japanese dubbing because it was originally created with performance capture done in English. In reality, it doesn’t line up with the English voice-over either. Whether the dialogue is Japanese or English, the lip-sync is off. The game does evade some of these issues by cutting to wide shots when characters are talking but the close-ups make a return eventually. It might sound like a big issue but I can assure you, it does not break the experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the game from start to finish. In fact, it’s the most fun I’ve had in recent memory playing an open-world game. The musical score is also a treat.
With Ghost of Tsushima, Sucker Punch not only gave PlayStation another mascot but also enriched its lineup of single-player, story-driven games. It also succeeded at doing what Ubisoft couldn’t: make an Assassin’s Creed game set in feudal Japan. The Washington-based studio was so successful that the game was widely celebrated by Japanese critics. It received a perfect score from Japanese magazine Famitsu; the only other Western games to receive the honor are Grand Theft Auto V and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. The unanimous praise is a testament to how Sucker Punch carefully crafted this world. The team achieved this level of authenticity by traveling to Tsushima Island and closely working with experts on history and religion. They even referred to katana experts in order to nail the swordplay. Despite its minor issues, Ghost of Tsushima manages to offer the definitive samurai experience. If the Arkham games made you feel like Batman and Red Dead transported you to the Wild West, this game will turn you into a samurai.
Click below to see some of the screenshots I took during my playthrough:
