The following contains minor spoilers forGhost of Tsushima.
Ghost of Tsushimais without a doubt one of the greatest games in modern history, and one of the most surprising at that. More or less, it seemingly came out of nowhere in 2020 during the COVID pandemic. It’s likely that not many expectedGhost of Tsushimato succeedas much as it did, but it did anyway, paving the way for the eventual launch ofGhost of Yoteilater this year. To this day, it remains a worthwhile experience, especially if players choose to get back into it ahead of the next entry.
For the most part,Ghost of Tsushimaallows players to enjoy the game without feeling boxed in between its own self-imposed borders. However, like any game, it still comes with its own cardinal sins — a set of unwritten rules about what players should refrain from doing during a playthrough.
What Players Should Avoid Doing in Ghost of Tsushima
Treating Stealth as Optional
One of the biggest cardinal sins ofGhost of Tsushimais treating stealth as optional. While stealth gameplay isn’t universally appealing, not only is it a core part ofGhost of Tsushima’s gameplay, it is also one of the most prominent driving forces of its narrative. Jin Sakai was raised to honor the samurai code, which demands that he look his enemies in the eye when striking them down. However, afterTsushima Islandis invaded by the Mongols, with almost no hope left for its inhabitants to survive, Jin adopts the persona of the Ghost — one who dishonorably assassinates his enemies from the shadows — to attempt to liberate the island.
For the most part,Ghost of Tsushimaallows players to enjoy the game without feeling boxed in between its own self-imposed borders.
While the Mongol invasion is indeed a central conflict inGhost of Tsushima’s story, an even greater conflict is perhaps that which takes place within Jin himself, as well as the strife between him and his uncle, Lord Shimura. Whereas Shimura wants Jin to abandon the Ghost’s ideals and return to samurai honor, Jin sees his identity as the Ghost of Tsushima to be much more effective in quelling the Mongol threat. This contention carries on throughoutGhost of Tsushima’s narrative and is a core aspect of Jin’s character development, which means that abandoning stealth gameplay entirely essentially derives the premise of its meaning.
Ignoring the Guiding Wind
Unlike most open-world games that only hold the player’s hands with traditional HUD navigation like a compass or mini-map,Ghost of Tsushimahas a more immersive way of guiding players to their objective.Guiding Wind isGhost of Tsushima’s crown jewel, which sees wind regularly sweeping through the area to lead players to their custom waypoint or quest objective. What makes Guiding Wind even better is that players can manually trigger it at any point if they lose their sense of direction. Needless to say, relying too much on the map screen or fast-traveling at every opportunity ultimately cuts players off from one ofGhost of Tsushima’s most immersive features.
Using the Same Playstyle for the Whole Game
Stealth may be an essential part ofGhost of Tsushima’s gameplayand story, but that doesn’t mean players should ignore every other playstyle the game offers them. Apart from stealth, players can indeed apply a straightforward approach to combat scenarios and treat their enemies honorably, as a true samurai would. However, protagonist Jin Sakai is also well-trained with a bow, and it can be an effective way to thin enemy numbers from a distance before engaging in combat. In other words, players should remember every playstyle available to them and use them when the situation calls for it.
Ghost of Tsushimaholds up so well today because of how carefully its mechanics are woven into its themes. As such, regarding stealth as optional, ignoring the Guiding Wind, or relying too heavily on one style of play all work against what the game is trying to do. It may seem subtle, but these design choices are part of the story itself. Players who recognize that are more likely to appreciate everythingGhost of Tsushimais still capable of offering, especially withGhost of Yoteiarriving come September.
