God of Carnage: "Ghost of Tsushima" in the livestream
17.7.2020
Translation: machine translated
In the latest big open-world hit on the PS4, you play a samurai who has to liberate the island of Tsushima from the Mongol invasion. Breathtaking graphics, a sophisticated combat system and tonnes of side quests will keep you entertained. Me and Luca take you to the island in the livestream.
The year is 1274 and the Mongols are threatening Japan and invading the island of Tsushima in their thousands. A handful of brave samurai stand up to the overpowering army of Khotun Khan, but fail miserably. Among the few survivors is the young samurai Jin Sakai, who seeks bloody revenge against the Mongols.
Same same but different
The premise is right up my street. Travelling through an open world as a samurai and slaughtering with honour suits me much better than the blunt shooting of other open-world titles. The comparison with the "Assasins Creed" series is obvious, but there are decisive differences. Firstly, there are the weapons. Well, actually the weapon. Singular. Your katana is always the same. That's only logical and a good thing, a samurai doesn't fight with other weapons. There are also bows, throwing knives, blowpipes and smoke bombs, but they are more used to lure enemies directly into the trap or the blade of your katana, which you can improve as the game progresses.
The open-world formula is deeply rooted in "Ghost of Tsushima". However, developer Sucker Punch uses little tricks to focus our attention on the grandiose game world. For example, there is no minimap and no directional arrows to the next destination. Gusts of wind show Jin the next target. Birds or foxes want your attention and guide you to secret places in the game world. This is really fun and you explore Tsushima in a completely different way than if you were constantly staring at the minimap.
There is also a lot to see. When you ride out of a bamboo forest into waist-high grass, a column of smoke rising in the distance and a few deer grazing comfortably in front of you, Tsushima is at its most impressive. It's magnificent and looks like we're in an old samurai film by legendary director Akira Kurazawa. The whole game really is a tribute to Kurazawa. At the touch of a button, you can play the game in black and white, including old-school filters and tin sounds.
Cowardly or honourable?
When it comes to combat, "Ghost of Tsushima" offers a best-of of mechanics from the last 10 years. There's a lot of "Batman Arkham series" in there, there's an attitude to break like in "Sekiro", a pinch of fighting styles like in "Yakuza" and silent killing like in "Assasin's Creed". Jin is as agile as Geralt in "The Witcher". Is that new? No. Is it fun? Hell yes. The animations run smoothly, you dance around your opponents and skilfully dodge spears, arrows and swords before drawing your sword across their heads. You can always unlock new skills, combos and fighting styles.
Can "Ghost of Tsushima" ascend the throne as the best Playstation exclusive title? Find out for yourself in the livestream with me and Luca from 2pm.
We usually stream on Wednesdays on Youtube and now also on Twitch. Also take a look at our Discord channel.
This is how we stream:
Simon Balissat
Teamleader Editorial
Simon.Balissat@digitecgalaxus.chWhen I flew the family nest over 15 years ago, I suddenly had to cook for myself. But it wasn’t long until this necessity became a virtue. Today, rattling those pots and pans is a fundamental part of my life. I’m a true foodie and devour everything from junk food to star-awarded cuisine. Literally. I eat way too fast.
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