Today Sony broadcast its latest State of Play video, devoted entirely to the mysterious Ghost of Tsushima. This game has been in development by Sucker Punch for several years, it finally comes out this July, and yet all we’ve known up to this point was that it takes place in ancient Japan and you control a guy with a sword. Seventeen minutes later, we learned a lot more and were hooked.
For the first time, we know what the title of this game means. Protagonist Jin lives on the Island of Tsushima, and has a secret pasttime…by day he’s an average samurai, but by night, he stalks the land as the dreaded assassin Ghost. The island has been invaded by Mongols, and Jin’s mission is to wipe them out whenever he sees them.
Playing as Jin or the Ghost means using different fighting styles….the samurai is more confrontational, attacking mongols head-on with swords and projectiles. As the Ghost you take a stealthier approach, leading your enemies into traps and leaping onto them from behind or above.
There’s plenty more to do. Whenever you’re not assassinating Mongols, you’ll be exploring the island in a manner that reminds us a lot of Breath of the Wild (there was even a shot in the presentation of Jin standing on a cliff overlooking a vast area, while the camera slowly panned around him…remind you of anything?)
The main difference is that while Zelda still uses maps and indicators, Ghost of Tsushima directs you to important events entirely through its environment. If you’re wondering where to go next, just follow the rushing wind. If you’re eager to complete a mission for someone, look for campfire smoke in the distance. The only thing we saw in the presentation that betrays Ghost of Tsushima’s identity as a video game was the fact that items you can gather will appear out of nowhere and glow brightly.
Ghost of Tsushima has an extensive Photo Mode that goes well beyond just pausing the game and posing your guy. You can control Jin’s expression, the direction of the wind, what kind of debris is blowing through it, the light, the color scheme….pretty much anything. And if you’re a fan of filters, a cinematic mode will be available from the beginning of the game that renders the visuals in black and white and adds film grain.
Overall Ghost of Tsushima looks like an amazing game, and we can’t wait for July 17, the day it becomes available for Playstation 4.
