Ghosts of Tsushima Review thread

[CriticalGaming]

So I'm much further into the game now. Just at the climax of Act 1 and suprised how much of the talent tree's I've been able to finished out already. I thought the charcter upgrades would take longer, but no. I've maxed out the deflection tree, the evasion tree, the exploration buffs, three of the ghost skills. And really the only upgrades I have are the throwing weapons (which I never use) and the stance skills (which I never use).

Combat is one of those things that I feel like the player is forced to make the combat interesting for themselves. Like you CAN use Kunai or bombs to open up your opponents, you CAN use special strikes, or perfect counters to slice through people. But so far I've never NEEDED to do that. I've gotten by simply by changing to the right stance for the right enemy type and simply mashing triangle to break through their block and crush them. It's a very easy system to simply get through, and you never seem to need to do any of the extras that the game offers. Which means it is on the player's shoulders to make the combat more interesting or exciting.

In the first section of the island, I've unlocked all charm slots so I guess i never need to follow another fox throughout the rest of the game. I've even got the majority of the sword and armor upgrades. I think I have two more upgrades each. Which I don't understand. According to the map I have like 2/3rd's of the fucking game left, but I've damn near maxed out the character. Sure I did go out of my way to do every side quest and map marker I encountered up to this point, so maybe that's the equivalent of power leveling in an RPG. But now I feel like the rest of the game is going to go to waste because I simply wont need any of the rewards.

It feels like I am being punished for doing all the things.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

I liked how the first couple inFamous games just kept giving you newer powers through conduits as you progressed. Maybe SP isn’t as well versed in traditional skill tree type balancing?

 

[Phoenixmgs]

I'm so far enjoying the game a fair bit; I did the prologue and probably like 3 hours after that. The game world is just so stunning and just walking around is quite entertaining on its own. I'm really digging the combat. I get the feeling that the whole point of combat is efficiency and mastering it would be basically "speedrunning" encounters where you use as few button presses as possible. I'm really liking the exactness you need in combat whether it's timing the counters or just normal attacking (as the game doesn't slide your character to the enemy like say Batman or God of War or that new Avengers game).

In the first section of the island, I've unlocked all charm slots so I guess i never need to follow another fox throughout the rest of the game. I've even got the majority of the sword and armor upgrades. I think I have two more upgrades each. Which I don't understand. According to the map I have like 2/3rd's of the fucking game left, but I've damn near maxed out the character. Sure I did go out of my way to do every side quest and map marker I encountered up to this point, so maybe that's the equivalent of power leveling in an RPG. But now I feel like the rest of the game is going to go to waste because I simply wont need any of the rewards.

It feels like I am being punished for doing all the things.

I wouldn't look at as becoming "overleveled" but looking at it as merely giving you time to get used to each new thing before throwing something else at you. Then, once you have everything and know how to use it all is when you begin to really start playing the game. Much like how shooters started putting everything behind unlocks and you couldn't quite get your loadout right until you unlocked everything, then you could fully play unabated basically. Whereas before COD4, you just had everything from the start. The main reason any game, whether it's freaking DnD or Ghost of Tsushima, doesn't give you everything at the start is because it would be too much for a new player. The point of unlocking new things isn't to be a reward for doing things but to give the player time to try out each new thing. Or else you'd just stick to doing the things you find work and forgetting about like half the moves/abilities/skills/etc the game has.

 

[Casual Shinji]

I got to the end of Act 1, or island section 1, narratively anyway, and it was pretty fucking sick. Sucker Punch has a real knack for creating beefy climactic sequences that properly lead the player into the next open-world area, calling back to the story thus far and road that's still ahead. Just like with Infamous 2. Also, that betrayal... ooooooh I loved it!

By the way, has anyone else found that finding crickets is, like, really hard? I only found one in my 10 or so hours that I've played. I kinda wouldn't mind some new tunes to play on my flute, but I can't find the damn things at all.

Anyway, enjoying the game more and more.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

Ghost Of Tsushima Combat Guide: 8 Advanced Tips For Master Samurai

Swords, bows and arrows, smoke bombs, assassinations, roundhouse kicks--Ghost of Tsushima's combat has a lot going on.

www.gamespot.com

Also -

You Don't Have To 100% Ghost Of Tsushima

I got every single thing in Ghost of Tsushima and I'm here to tell you that no matter what your completionist brain says, you don't have to do it.

www.gamespot.com

Also it’s nice to know you apparently don’t need to collect everything for Platinum. Sounds like it’ll be a fun game whenever I get around to it.

 

[Dalisclock]

Ghost Of Tsushima Combat Guide: 8 Advanced Tips For Master Samurai

Swords, bows and arrows, smoke bombs, assassinations, roundhouse kicks--Ghost of Tsushima's combat has a lot going on.

www.gamespot.com

Also -

You Don't Have To 100% Ghost Of Tsushima

I got every single thing in Ghost of Tsushima and I'm here to tell you that no matter what your completionist brain says, you don't have to do it.

www.gamespot.com

Also it’s nice to know you apparently don’t need to collect everything for Platinum. Sounds like it’ll be a fun game whenever I get around to it.

Is there any game that does or is that just to remind people to relax and enjoy it? I kinda kid but considering there's a not insubstantial number of people who do try to 100% games like this I kinda feel like I have to ask.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

Is there any game that does or is that just to remind people to relax and enjoy it? I kinda kid but considering there's a not insubstantial number of people who do try to 100% games like this I kinda feel like I have to ask.

Honestly sometimes it felt like the SoulsBorne games do, but then again they’re not open world. Not sure about Ubisoft. Infamous did have you collecting all shards and I think GTA requires shooting all pigeons. RDR2 requires studying all 178 animals and skinning the ones that can be for two separate trophies. Thankfully it relaxes the other collection requirements to just the majority for completion, but even that is huge.

 

[happyninja42]

By the way, has anyone else found that finding crickets is, like, really hard? I only found one in my 10 or so hours that I've played. I kinda wouldn't mind some new tunes to play on my flute, but I can't find the damn things at all.

Anyway, enjoying the game more and more.

No, finding the various collectibles is easy if you buy the wind upgrades for them. I'm guessing you haven't done this or are aware of it maybe? It was sort of off to the side and I ignored it for a while, but you can spend technique points to let you get wind guidance for fox dens, vanity shrines, crickets, etc. Then it's just a case of follow the breeze. I've yet to see any difference in difficulty unique to crickets, when following the wind. I mean the map will even give you a line to the general area so you have a basic idea of how far away you are.

 

[Casual Shinji]

No, finding the various collectibles is easy if you buy the wind upgrades for them. I'm guessing you haven't done this or are aware of it maybe? It was sort of off to the side and I ignored it for a while, but you can spend technique points to let you get wind guidance for fox dens, vanity shrines, crickets, etc. Then it's just a case of follow the breeze. I've yet to see any difference in difficulty unique to crickets, when following the wind. I mean the map will even give you a line to the general area so you have a basic idea of how far away you are.

Yeah, I know about those skills, but I'd rather invest in combat abilities. And also I'm scared that having that skill will turn the game into a checklist, when I'd rather discover these things more organically. It's just that I've found plenty of shrines, fox dens and whatnot just by pure chance, but crickets just elude me for some reason.

 

[CriticalGaming]

Yeah, I know about those skills, but I'd rather invest in combat abilities. And also I'm scared that having that skill will turn the game into a checklist, when I'd rather discover these things more organically. It's just that I've found plenty of shrines, fox dens and whatnot just by pure chance, but crickets just elude me for some reason.

Crickets seem always to be in cemetaries. So that's the place to look.

But buying the exploration abilities is only 5 points total, and I've completed a ton of the possible skills before even finishing Act 1. I don't think you have to worry about points.

 

[happyninja42]

Yeah, I know about those skills, but I'd rather invest in combat abilities. And also I'm scared that having that skill will turn the game into a checklist, when I'd rather discover these things more organically. It's just that I've found plenty of shrines, fox dens and whatnot just by pure chance, but crickets just elude me for some reason.

Crickets seem always to be in cemetaries. So that's the place to look.

But buying the exploration abilities is only 5 points total, and I've completed a ton of the possible skills before even finishing Act 1. I don't think you have to worry about points.

Yeah I have noticed crickets do seem to be in cemeteries, and I think that's the only visual cue you get. The audio cue of the chirping is what I think you need to focus on mostly. And yeah, the cost for the skills is incredibly cheap. I have plenty of points at the pace I'm going with the sidequests.

I can't speak to if you will find it less engaging if you are following the wind guidance, instead of just organically coming across stuff.

I'm trying to remember but do the golden birds show up to fly you towards crickets? I can't personally recall a time when they've done that. It's always been artifacts, or bamboo cut stands, or fox dens, etc.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

A haiku expert breaks down GoT’s approach to the art form-

I Asked An Expert To Read My Ghost Of Tsushima Haiku. He Wasn’t Impressed

The island is littered with scenic spots that host a haiku-composing mini-game. Unfortunately, they probably won’t be very good.

kotaku.com

Me thinks SP should’ve done a bit more research on some of the cultural and historical stuff.

Having said that, I got a kick out of the comment,


E.Deras
Ian Walker
7/21/20 5:17pm
I kind of like the idea that Jin is actually just bad at Haiku...

Reminds me of what someone said about Sekiro’s incredibly vulnerable stature through most of the game, which went something like,

I can imagine Owl saying, “You must excuse Wolf, he’s an idiot. We purposely trained him wrong, as a joke.”

 

[happyninja42]

A haiku expert breaks down GoT’s approach to the art form-

I Asked An Expert To Read My Ghost Of Tsushima Haiku. He Wasn’t Impressed

The island is littered with scenic spots that host a haiku-composing mini-game. Unfortunately, they probably won’t be very good.

kotaku.com

Me thinks SP should’ve done a bit more research on some of the cultural and historical stuff.

Having said that, I got a kick out of the comment,


E.Deras
Ian Walker
7/21/20 5:17pm
I kind of like the idea that Jin is actually just bad at Haiku...

Reminds me of what someone said about Sekiro’s incredibly vulnerable stature through most of the game, which went something like,

You’ll have to forgive Wolf. Owl purposely trained him wrong, as a joke.

Well I mean regarding Jin's skills He says outright to a villager when the subject of haikus come up, that he wouldn't say he's very skilled at poetry. So it's not like he claims to be fantastic at it.

 

[Dalisclock]

Reminds me of what someone said about Sekiro’s incredibly vulnerable stature through most of the game, which went something like,

You’ll have to forgive Wolf. Owl purposely trained him wrong, as a joke.

Well, Owl is both a giant dick and would give Gendo Ikari a run for his money in the A+ parenting department.

"Do this awful thing because I'm your dad"
"No!"
"Insolent Child!"

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

Well I mean regarding Jin's skills He says outright to a villager when the subject of haikus come up, that he wouldn't say he's very skilled at poetry. So it's not like he claims to be fantastic at it.

Perhaps Kotaku should’ve mentioned that tidbit to the Haiku guy who almost certainly can be added to the heaping pile of outsiders’ condescension towards videogames as being capable of being anything other than kid’s toys.

 

[happyninja42]

Perhaps Kotaku should’ve mentioned that tidbit to the Haiku guy who almost certainly can be added to the heaping pile of outsiders’ condescension towards videogames as being capable of being anything other than kid’s toys.

It's possible they didn't bump into that npc maybe? *shrugs* I seem to recall she was in a pretty central hub town, and near the entrance, but when certain npc's have a conversation bubble and when they don't seems to be totally random. So maybe when they passed through that town , she wasn't in the mood to talk about haikus.

Also they seem to be independent of whether or not you've already encountered that particular thing. Like, within I think 60 seconds of starting the game, and having control of Jin, I ran into a fox who led me to a fox shrine. And only later, after having found multiple shrines, did the game actually have an npc say "hey, foxes are really spiritually significant, if you run into one, you should follow it." And I was like "....yeah...I know I've...been doing that for hours now." Same with the other various shrines and haiku spots. By the time that random villager was like "hey I hear samurai do haiku, is that true?" "Yes it's true." "oh, well there are a lot of nice spots around, you should visit them and compose some haikus!" "...yes I've...been doing that for hours now."

Also I do think there is a bit of a challenge to making a good haiku with the options given. Each time you go to a haiku spot, it tells you a subject to reflect on. But not all of the phrases seem to relate to that subject. For example, it might say "Reflect on Fear" but then 1 or 2 of the 3 options you have per line, might be something like "warm sunshine on skin" "happy puppies playing in fields" and then "overwhelming dread of night" And it feels to me like you are supposed to find the one most fitting for the subject suggested. And yes i know those aren't accurate for a haiku based on syllables, I'm just making examples. So perhaps the person showing off his haikus, picked some really bad combos of lines

 

[Catfood220]

On a mission, I discovered that I can smash through the doors.

Jin has not opened a door since. Without a karma system in place, it just makes him seem like a massive dick who will never get his comeuppance and that amuses me.

 

[BrawlMan]

Jim loves it enough. He's right that it's a better AssCreed game than all of the games from the past decade. I remember when certain users on V1 said a Japanese AC game or an Assassin's Creed could never work in Japan. I said before, and I will say it again, they were full of crap. No intrusive microtransX help too.


Here is something extra from ACG.

 

[happyninja42]

On a mission, I discovered that I can smash through the doors.

Jin has not opened a door since. Without a karma system in place, it just makes him seem like a massive dick who will never get his comeuppance and that amuses me.

There is an honor system I suspect, given the way people talk in cutscenes about my....."methods" It's come up multiple times in game, so I suspect they are tracking how you fight, whether it's openly or deceptively.

Jim loves it enough. He's right that it's a better AssCreed game than all of the games from the past decade. I remember when certain users on V1 said a Japanese AC game or an Assassin's Creed could never work in Japan. I said before, and I will say it again, they were full of crap. No intrusive microtransX help too.


Here is something extra from ACG.

Yeah I'm really enjoying the hell out of it, mostly for the little things that make it just really fun. Like, I LOVE stealth mechanics, so if you are able to make ME genuinely be conflicted on going silent or loud in a combat situation, you've done an impressive job.

Like I really enjoy how you don't get a glowing trail when following tracks due to eagle vision. Yeah they make them relatively easy to follow based on the terrain around them, but it's not that hard to miss a spot where the tracks veer off and overshoot, so you actually have to FOLLOW the tracks.

I like how you can bow to corpses, and Jin will comment about hoping they find rest. Just..any random villager corpse, the game recognizes they are near you adds the dialogue as a result. I love how they let me pet the foxes (only sometimes though! ) after they lead me to a shrine.

I wish the day/night cycle was longer though. It seems like I spend multiple days stealth assaulting a mongol location, which is just weird.

 

[Catfood220]

There is an honor system I suspect, given the way people talk in cutscenes about my....."methods" It's come up multiple times in game, so I suspect they are tracking how you fight, whether it's openly or deceptively.

I don't know, I did a mission with the sensei guy and I was going to be stealthy about it, but totally messed up the stealth, got spotted by an enemy and had to fight it out with them. Then the sensei told me that his ways were not the same as mine. I would have to play the mission again to be sure if it changes. I'll let you know if someone tells me off for smashing peoples doors rather than opening them