Ever since we were introduced to exploration and action games like Assassin’s Creed, the demand became increasingly high for a historical period piece set in ancient Japan. Over the years, the desire for such a game had rarely been satisfied. That was until the announcement of Ghost of Tsushima.
First announced in 2017 with a teaser trailer, Ghost of Tsushima has had a lot of mystery surrounding its gameplay and mechanics. Finally, this year at E3, the Sony conference gave us the information we were looking for. Not only did we hear about the details of the game, but we got an in-depth look into the combat, the story, and when to expect this much anticipated samurai game to release. With that information, we’re going to break it down so that you know what to expect.
Ghost of Tsushima Story
In one swift move, Jin can release his sword and kill his foe at the same time.
Based on the first details of the game, you’ll be playing as Jin, the last surviving samurai after a violent attack from the invading Mongols on the small island of Tsushima, located between Korea and the main island of Japan.
From the trailers, it appears that Jin is taking up the sword against the Mongols himself. Outnumbered but not outskilled, Jin must fight to protect his home and the people that live there. He uses his wits and stealth as a means of survival, hence the game’s title, Ghost of Tsushima. It is also confirmed that, though Jin is a student of the samurai order, due to his circumstances he must adopt a new and stealthier fighting style that will give him the upper hand.
Ghost of Tsushima Release Date
Even after a few trailers and rumors milling about, Nate Fox, the creative director, has not given us the actual release date of Ghost of Tsushima but there is talk of it either coming later this year or sometime next year. This only remains speculative at the moment but the reason for the 2018 or the 2019 release date is the window of development that the game has been in, which looks to be a few years now.
Ghost of Tsushima Gameplay
Ghost of Tsushima E3 2018 gameplay trailer
From what we see here in the gameplay trailer, it’s obvious that Ghost of Tsushima will be a beautiful, yet chaotic third-person action game set in feudal Japan. At the start, we follow Jin, a samurai on a quest to free his island of the invading Mongols. We get to see the horse riding mechanics as well as the gorgeous environment that has been confirmed to be explorable.
After a few peaceful moments of riding on the plains, Jin comes across of group of Mongols killing Tsushima civilians. Jin draws his sword and the Mongols attack, but in one fell swoop of his sword, the first Mongol falls dead. The other two stand firm, coming in for a more strategic attack, but Jin holds his ground – in a succession of blocks and attacks, he impales the other two, bringing on more Mongols to the fight.
This is where we witness dismemberment via katana. The second wave of Mongols attempt to defeat Jin, but in seconds, the first Mongol is killed and the second loses his arm to a heavy power attack.
Before last Mongol can attack Jin, he is shot in the back with an arrow. This reveals an ally of Jin’s, Masako, a woman who is adept with a bow. Together, they go to free a mutual contact from Mongol captors. This is where we get to see the use of stealth and the attack abilities that come with that. As Jin climbs atop the building that the prisoner is in, he sneaks, quietly walking the rafters above the Mongol captors. He leaps down and strikes an enemy from above, then subdues his foes one by one as they scramble to make sense of the situation.
At the end of this fight, it is revealed that Masako is there to kill their mutual contact, but Jin is there to protect him. The two friends face off and battle one on one, that is, until the Mongols arrive and the two must ally up once again. Just before the Mongols reach Jin and Masako, the trailer ends. An exciting and riveting gameplay trailer that has heightened everyone’s excitement for the game.
Ghost of Tsushima looks to drive character plots and even high tension to push a strong narrative.
Ghost of Tsushima Trailer
Ghost of Tsushima PGW 2017 Announcement Trailer
The release of the original announcement trailer gave us a look into the world of the Tsushima and what to expect. There is a contrast between the utterly gorgeous and the devastatingly destructive as the Mongols tear through the natural beauty of the island of Tsushima. We are also introduced to our protagonist, Jin, as he is asked by who we believe to be the antagonist of the game if he is ready to surrender. The answer is an obvious, “no”, as we see Jin transform from his samurai armor and the burning village behind him, to a lightly armored “ghost” standing in a snowed out environment. Much of the theme of revenge is clear here from the story trailer, which goes to show that the game will not only be great for gameplay, but for those seeking a strong narrative.
Ghost of Tsushima Developer
Developed by Sucker Punch Productions, the same developer of the highly praised franchise known as Infamous, Ghost of Tsushima has been in the works for a few years now. When finished with the latest Infamous title, the developers wanted to work on something that was different from their previous work, but also something that was strong in its narrative, plot, and gameplay mechanics.
The desire to create a game based around Feudal Japan became a reality, fueled by the fantasy of playing as a samurai. The creators delved into the history of that time period and used authenticity to build the world itself, but also wanted to have the creative freedom to create their own story within that world. Nate Fox, the creative director, has said that the Mongol attack on Tsushima did not actually take place, as a typhoon actually prevented this from happening.
Ghost of Tsushima News
Ghost of Tsushima will be a third-person, free roam game set on a beautiful and expansive island for you to explore. The environments range from the open plains, to the thick forests, and even to the snowy mountains.
It is also confirmed that many of the characters that Jin interacts with will have side quests, even Masako, the ally we see in the gameplay trailer.
Although we still have some time before we have an announcement of the release date, what we can expect is this to be a PlayStation exclusive. This is not surprising as Sucker Punch’s previous title, Infamous: Second Son was also a Sony Exclusive.
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