The Way Of The Ghost

July 2020:

We were halfway through a year like no other. The covid-19 global pandemic had dominated the headlines. Stay at home orders of varying degrees directed by governing bodies resulted in majority of the world's population unable to go anywhere or do anything. I think it's fair to say video games saw an increase in activity. I can confirm from my perspective at least.

My part of the world was experiencing a brief respite from lockdowns. We were able to visit family. Shops were open for business, albeit with some restrictions. For a couple of months, things seemed almost normal.

But case numbers were back in the news. Outbreaks had seen an increase in daily numbers and the word was we'd going to go back into lockdown. It was at this point I decided to race to my local EB Games store and pick up Ghost of Tsushima which had just released.

Ghost of Tsushima from Sucker Punch Studios tells the story of Jin Sakai. A samurai during the Mongol invasion of Japan in 1274 and the dishonorable tactics he must use to stop the invaders like stealth and assassination.

I had been on the fence about getting it. It was a brand new IP not connected to any previous games. I didn't really know much about it. I wasn't really following game announcements and industry shows like E3 at the time. Yet what I had seen and heard intrigued me enough that if I was going to be stuck home for weeks or months I might as well have something new to play.

I could've just bought it online but I'm one of those consumers of media that like having physical copies of things to put on a shelf. If I didn't like it I could always just trade it in.

Everything changed once I began playing it. After completing the tutorial section and hitting the title screen, I was all in.

I think the first thing that stood out to me was the visuals. The vibrant landscapes and colours were jaw dropping. From the sweeping grass fields and snowy mountains. To the different villages, castles and temples. Each location had it's own unique feel.

A big part of the game was the exploration. And I feel that being able to explore and discover every hidden aspect of the island filled a void the was created from not being able to go anywhere or do anything in the real world. I would often be heading to my next objective when I would spot a fox. Suddenly I was diverted from my destination because I simply needed to follow that fox to the hidden shrine in the area. 

The combat was simple yet fun. I compared it to the combat of the Batman Arkham games where a player would need to switch up their style based on what kind of enemy they were fighting. It wasn't reinventing the wheel but it didn't need to. To this day it's still one of the most fun games involving sword fighting I have played.

The story and characters felt very cinematic and well acted which is fitting since Hollywood has announced plans to make a film based on it. There was at least three distinct story beats that had me in tears. I honestly can't remember previously playing a game that grabbed me as emotionally as this one did.

One of the features that was unique to the game was the "Kurosawa Mode" which replaced the vibrant colours with a grainy black and white movie aesthetic, retro sound mixing included, to create the look and feel of a 1950s samurai film. Akira Kurosawa was a name I had only known at the time as being an early influence on Star Wars creator, George Lucas. After finishing the game, I promptly sought out his films such as Seven Samurai, Rashomon, Yojimbo and Throne of Blood.

My interest in historical Japan grew. I began reading history books and watching documentaries. This led to the discovery that this game was not entirely historically accurate. The Mongol invasion was real however the weapons and armour on display here technically wouldn't be seen for at least a few hundred years. The developers knew this and wanted it to look and feel like what the general public public consider to be a "samurai story." Especially when going for the look and feel of a Kurosawa film. 

Speaking of look and feel. If I broke down my average playtime into a graph, 60% would be main story, 25% collectibles and the remaining 15% would be messing around in photo mode to create as many epic images as I could. I would have so much fun trying to be as creative as possible with them.

A year after the initial release, Sucker Punch released the Iki Island expansion. A new map and a new story with Jin. It was a blast to dive back into the game with new content, even if it was a shorter adventure.

I've never been much of an achievement player, but this was one of the first games that upon finishing I told myself "I need to get the platinum for it." 

5 years have passed since this gem was released and fans have been hoping for a proper sequel ever since. Well that sequel finally releases this week and I cannot wait.

Ghost of Yotei moves the setting forward a couple of centuries with a new area to explore and new characters to follow. I was slightly disappointed at first to learn we wouldn't be continuing Jin's story. I remain hopeful that the developers will one day revisit that story.

But I am also excited for the new adventure that awaits with Atsu. A wandering mercenary out for revenge. With more variety of weapons at my disposal I'm looking forward to the many ways I can engage with the enemy.

I've been asked by a few followers if I'll be playing this on the channel and the short answer is no. Not straight away at least. I like to keep some video game experiences for myself. At least the first go around. Maybe in the future, but only after I've paid another visit to Tsushima on the channel first.

When I played Ghost of Tsushima the world was in a weird place. I feel that playing it helped take my mind off of things that were outside of my control. I also feel like the world is in an even weirder place right now, so it makes sense that Ghost of Yotei would be releasing. Just in time to take my mind off of things once more.

All images were taken in photo mode by me