Ghost of Tsushima is the last big game for the PS4, along with The Last of Us Part II. The title depicts a samurai in medieval Japan. History, gameplay, release date, creators, here is a small file to know everything about one of the last hits of the PS4.
Ghost of Tsushima has been available for a year now and will soon land in a Director’s Cut version. In this file, we will deliver to you all we know on the title which wants to pay homage to old samurai films.
What is Ghost of Tsushima?
Ghost of Tsushima is an open world action adventure game. It takes up the flagship formula of this generation of consoles with gameplay that is very similar to what we see in the latest Assassin’s Creed. If it does not revolutionize the world of video games, it seduces thanks to its artistic direction as well as its unique atmosphere.
It was long overdue for three long years and news was scarce until its release. Finally, he enjoyed a colossal success with the owners of the console from its first days of operation. A critical and public success.
When was it released, at what price?
The title was released on PS4 on July 17, 2020 at a usual price of 70 euros, after multiple postponements.
A collector’s version obviously came out at the same time. It contains the game (in a steelbook case), a cloth map, a war banner, an artbook, a mask as well as various in-game items, such as a skin for the hero and dynamic themes for the PS4. An edition sold for 180 euros, but which is now out of stock. Collectors must therefore search for themselves.
What platform was it released on?
Ghost of Tsushima is a Sony exclusive for the PS4. It is therefore useless to hope to see the title land on Xbox One or Xbox Series X. A PC version could however see the light of day. It is optimized for PS4 Pro, and is therefore in 4K on compatible televisions. Nevertheless, it is quite possible to play it on a classic PS4. No need to worry about that.
The game is also compatible with the PS5, as are the latest console titles, such as The Last of Us 2 and Days Gone. It is indeed playable in 60 FPS thanks to the Game Boost.
Who developed Ghost of Tsushima?
Ghost of Tsushima was developed by Sucker Punch Productions. This studio, a longtime partner of Sony, is not at its first attempt. Indeed, it is to him that we owe two well-known sagas from the PlayStation catalog, namely Sly Racoon and inFamous. Sly Racoon quickly became cult on PlayStation 2, thanks in particular to its original artistic direction. The inFamous series scored less, but that didn’t stop its games from getting good reviews and selling well.
What is the story of Ghost of Tsushima?
Ghost of Tsushima is set in 1274. The player embodies a ronin who fights against the Mongol invasion. A bit of background: at the end of the 13th century, Kublai Khan (grandson of Genghis) was master of an empire that stretched from Eastern Europe to Korea. His thirst for conquest drives him to invade Japan, which is not yet unified. He then set up an invasion force made up of 4,000 ships (the largest in history after that of the 1944 landing) and launched the offensive.
Very quickly, he took Tsushima, a small island located right between Korea and Japan, to make it a rear base. This is precisely where the game takes place. In the skin of Jin the samurai, the player must do everything to repel the Mongols from his home. For this, he must turn into a shadow, a ghost (which gives his title in game) to instill fear in his enemies. A kind of Batman in medieval Japan, in short. The game is very “historical”, since no supernatural or magical element is present.
For the record, Kublai Khan never managed to conquer Japan. His fleet was caught in a storm and completely destroyed. A second invasion was attempted seven years later, but again the operation failed for the same reason. Seeing that fate was hounding him, the great Khan abandoned the idea of conquering the archipelago. The economic impact was so disastrous for the empire that it ended its expansion.
What does the gameplay look like?
Let’s not beat around the bush: Ghost of Tsushima is a imitation Assassin’s Creed in Japan. The title incorporates all the codes of single-player games in the open world of recent years. Points to explore, resources to pick up for crafting, large expanses to cover on horseback or on foot… it’s all there.
Sucker Punch, however, wanted be original in exploring the playing field. No large indicators to locate, for example, since it is necessary to observe the direction of the wind. The latter always blows in the direction of the objective. Another example, points of interest are not marked on the map, but animals, such as foxes, can lead you there if you follow them.
The infiltration phases are also very wise, with silent assassinations, the use of gadgets or a grappling hook. Anyone who has ever played a modern game will be on familiar ground once again.
Those are the combat phases which bring a little noveltywith the obligation to kill his enemies by adopting different postures to adopt during duels. There are four of them and you have to adapt according to the type of enemy encountered (big, light, with a shield, etc.)
Note that we must regularly change the outfit of our character depending on the situation to be as effective as possible. No serious ronin would begin an infiltration phase in heavy armor that was as noisy as it was rigid. Each outfit has its pros and cons.
As in any good open world, Ghost of Tsushima has a harvesting system. You’ll need to pick up items, like plants or branches, to craft your gear. Once your bag is full, you can go to towns to upgrade your weapons and armor.
Artists at heart can have fun in the game’s photo mode, which allows for a lot of possibilities. Last important point, the title wants to pay homage to the samurai films of the 1950s, like those of Kurosawa, with an optional black and white filter. Similarly, it is possible to put the voices in Japanese for total immersion.
Will Ghost of Tsushima get a sequel?
Everything suggests that the game will be entitled to a second opus. First, it sold very well, achieving the best launch of a new license on PS4. Sucker Punch could therefore decide to capitalize on its success to develop a new successful saga. Also, the ending does not conflict with the development of a new part.
History to fuel even more the hopes, several small indiscretions of Sucker Punch seem to indicate that the continuation will indeed take place. At first, the creative director of the first opus briefly indicated on his LinkedIn profile that he was working on a Ghost of Tsushima on PS5. Then, in June 2022, a job offer published by the studio seems to correspond in every way to the universe of the title.
In any case, the license is not likely to fall into oblivion, since a film is planned by the director of John Wick.
What is Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut?
On July 1, 2021, Sony announced a Director’s Cut of the game, for both PS4 and PS5. This version includes various gameplay-related improvements (like a key remapping), Legends multiplayer mode as well as a new adventure. She will take us to the island of Iki, a whole new environment, and will tell us a new story that is independent of the main story. On PS5, this DC will be entitled to better graphics (4K / 60 FPS) as well as compatibility with the haptic feedback of Dual Sense.
It will be sold from August 20 for 80 euros on PS5 and 70 euros on PS4. If you have the base game, it will cost 20 euros on PS4 and 30 euros on PS5. Your saves will be transferable.
