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Game Review: Ghost of Tsushima

Ghost of Tsushima was published in 2020, but I only got to play it now. I’m so very late to the party, but honestly, I regret nothing—it was a wild ride, but a very touching one and it ended up being sad. So, without further ado, let’s dive into the game review and analysis, because boy, we’ve got a lot of material to cover.

Beware: the review contains spoilers from the game. Nothing major, but still—it might spoil the game for you if you haven’t played yet.

Open world 

I’m a big fan of open worlds since they give a chance to explore the land further than what plot allows us for. And let me tell you, the world in the Ghost of Tsushima is simply magnificent, a picture-perfect of Japan of XIII age and Mongol invasion. The graphic design just stunned me, from such details as the titles of every adventure to the movement of the wind guiding us along the way to the harmonious images paired with haiku verses. It’s simply gorgeous.

While we’re at it, the guiding system was very unique. Usually, it’s totally up to the player to control the direction according to the markers, but this particular game guides us through the breaths of wind. It aligns perfectly with how the Japanese were (are) attuned to nature and its calling. I particularly enjoyed discovering the Inari shrines, another element of Japanese folklore and culture fused into the game. Chasing little foxes and even sometimes petting them is a cute feature. Another thing I really liked were the bamboo strikes that increased resolve after a successful completion—I loved how the designers referred to samurai credo once more since it’s said that the master samurai is able to cut through bamboo with his katana.

Ghost of Tsushima doesn’t allow a lot of foraging, but the mechanics at least didn’t force me to throw away the unused resources which is very useful for hoarders like me who pick up every single flower, bamboo, linen, and supplies. 

Mythology & Culture

I’ve mentioned the presence of Inari’s shrines throughout the whole island, but there’s—of course—more. It’s not just Inari mentioned, not just shinto shrines reproduced with shining red torii and pagodas, but also Buddhism and Confucianism. We see statues of Budha stolen and destroyed and rebuilt, we see shrines becoming a shelter for people, we befriend monks working hard towards protecting the smallfolk. And it’s very clearly reflected in the Bushido, samurai code that some of the characters try to follow and others—like Jin—break out of. 

Characters

What I liked the most about the portrayal of characters here was the battle between the samurai way and the “immoral way” of the ghost. 

First of all, Jin assassinating the guards for the first time in his life brought back the memories of his past, and it was such a great idea to puncture the actual playthrough with what happened before. It gave additional context into Jin’s life, and made me relate to him even more since he’s shown as a person—merely a boy—who’s been raised to become a samurai and who’s bearing a responsibility too big for him. It also strikes me that the samurai’s main goal is protection and becoming

The final duel between Jin and his uncle wasn’t difficult in terms of mechanics, but the conversation and the consequences of choices the player has to make resonate the most. I enjoyed the contrast between them, not just in the dialogue and the opposite sides of the duelling arena, but also their attire. While Jin is wearing a black kimono, his uncle is dressed in white, and it struck me in terms of how Lord Shimura represents the traditional samurai values, and how Jin’s path is the dark one. But it also resembles the yin and yang philosophy, meaning that one can’t exist without the other. 

I absolutely loved when Jin and Lord Shimura said their lines about honour, because yes—honour is what drives them both, but in such different ways. Lord Shimura seemed quite a harsh man, putting the honour and his credo above any feelings, and feelings are what pushes Jin to save the nation even at the cost of his own honour. The difference between them is that Jin adapts, he’s not afraid of shadows and of sacrifice, and he chooses the smaller evil which is converting to the dark side but prevailing over their enemy, the Mongol Khan.

It’s such a peculiar relationship between them, shown in the present and in the past, with both of them playing the roles of a student and mentor, father and son. We don’t get to know much of Jin’s real father apart from the fact that he was killed by the Mongols, so Lord Shimura raised Jin in his stead. I think he really loved the boy in his own way, even though in the end his honour was more important than the family ties. I don’t hate him for this choice, though, and it’s such a big success of this game—all the characters become at one point so relatable and human that it’s hard not to be sad when something major happens. 

I had even stronger feelings for the Ryuzo plot line—the way I screamed with what transpired between them! Backstabbing hits the most with childhood friends, and what’s worse, I also understand the impossible choice Ryuzo was faced with: his people or Jin. Another excellent ploy on the game designers’ part, I’m taking notes. 

Mechanics

Okay, combat is not my forte, but in the game combat was easy enough even for someone who prefers exploring and following the plot from fighting. I even enjoyed the open combat, especially since with every point added to the technique Jin became stronger. The stand-offs were a nice touch to the game, as was the use of ghost weapons. I played on normal, and apart from the final battle on the ship, I didn’t even get frustrated with bosses in the game. I admit that the plot and the choices Jin had to make made me scream much more than duels or beating Mongols, which is—once more—a big plus for someone who’s not here for combat.

Final rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I’ll be coming back to the game and I’m certainly waiting for the next game—supposedly coming out in 2025!!