The Code You Follow: Writing Haikus while the sun sets, contemplating the memories you’ve collected and places you’ve been, The Ghost of Tsushima is a game that makes you think, it’s one that creates a sense of unease but most importantly it asks the soul stretching question of would you risk your families honor to follow the wind to who you’re truly meant to be, sacrificing everything. While this game creates an alluring atmosphere, taking the player to a beautiful deep philosophical place, it also creates a disconnect at certain points and a repetitive feel that made me wonder at times “what’s all the hype about?” The Ghost of Tsushima includes history, scenic beauty and stunning controls but did it live up to the expectation I had for it going in?
Jin: Jin is an interesting character. Though on the surface dull and monotone, through the game you see his character grow and strengthen with each death, each betrayal and every step towards finding himself that he makes. I have to admit though, going into the game I was quite intrigued to say the least since this game has been praised not only for its story but intense combat. Playing in this beautifully crafted world I was immersed, in the beauty of my surroundings and how much it reminded me at certain points of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. How is it possible that a game can be so lifelike and pristine? So deadly yet so magical. At any point in time, you could stop and take a picture and there would be no bad shot. None whatsoever. Exploring the first part of the game and getting adjusted to the controls was rather easy and as someone who reviews games on multiple platforms, I didn’t find this game difficult in the slightest when It came to combat, controls or even sneaking around which I will talk about later.
The combat is smooth and makes game play simple since its very wash rinse and repeat. In the beginning of the game, I found the game play, the flow very boring and to a degree repetitive. It wasn’t until the second half of the second chapter that I felt the pacing start to move and pick up. It’s a wonderful game but it didn’t capture me the way in which I hoped it would.
Knowing What To Do: Through the game making intense choices is how you grow Jins character, to watching taka get killed, to the first assassination that he makes. Jin see’s things that not only mentally break him but show him who he needed to become. It wasn’t going to be someone that he’s uncle would approve of and it’s someone that he never expected to become either. Throughout Jins story we see his growth, and how he in a sense grows enough of a backbone to rely solely on himself and to make his own choices.
At the end of the game it really comes down to a learning lesson are you truly a Ghost or just a barbarian? You have two options to kill or leave the uncle. I chose to leave him instead of killing him because I felt it was more genuine to Jins character development. By the end of the game Jin has slaughtered countless people but has always served his country and the ones he’s cared for.
Since this game is based on the Mongol invasion of Japan that occurred form 1274 to 1281, it was fascinating to see Sucker Punch create a world that put us in the fight, in the trenches, and showed us what it could have been like to fight in that chaotic part of history. This part of history was violent, tumultuous and showed no mercy for those who were merely trying to survive. The history of it all is, I think, one of the best parts of the game. It teaches people some history and is fun escapism while doing so.
One of the best parts... There is a shining light at the end of this repetitive tunnel. This game offered something, (besides the photo mode and history) that I truly enjoyed and loved being immersed in. The stealth. In this game being stealthy is a crucial and vital thing to be good at. There are a lot of sections in this game that you need to maneuver about and through without alerting any guards and it’s one of the most satisfying things I have ever done or accomplished in a game.
The stealth, combined with sneak kills and timing a great picture at the right moment made those bits of the game for me some of the most memorable ones.
It Didn’t Live Up To The Hype, For Me: Sadly, this game for me wasn’t living up to the hype that I thought it would. Yes its beautiful, yes the mechanics are easy to learn and very satisfying, Yes, the history is incorporated in a seamless manner AND yes the stealth is INCREDIBLE. But at the end of it all the story of this game mainly focusing on Jin and the history of the Mongol empire fell flat at certain point and felt inconsistent for the majority of the game. One moment I would be completely immersed in the story, and the next I would feel like I’m back in Assassins creed Valhalla killing, walking, killing some more, updating a quest, then killing some more.
At the end, my original question still holds true and is the running theme of the game. Would you risk your families honor to follow the wind to who you’re truly meant to be, sacrificing everything? The concept of following what you want versus what your family wants is a constant struggle. Finding your own path isn’t easy and it shouldn’t be, but the fact that this game acknowledges the struggle every human faces, the journey of the self is why once you get into the game and pay attention to the growth of Jin, it makes his journey that much sweeter.
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