Ghost of Tsushima: the ultimate adventure game to say goodbye to PS4 [CRITIQUE]

Do you remember the end-of-year summary exams where we reviewed all the material from the last 10 months of school in just a few pages?

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For some obscure reason, Ghost of Tsushimaby bringing together in a single game the best of what we have been able to play to date on the current generation of consoles, makes me think of exactly that.

Is it the biggest, most beautiful, most unique title released on the PS4? Maybe not. In any case, this would be a highly subjective point of view. On the other hand, what is obvious is that Sucker Punch Productions was inspired by the best that has been done in recent years to bring to life Ghost of Tsushima.

A little of Breath of the Wild here, a little Red Dead Redemption 2 there, a hint ofAssassin’s Creed and of Marvel’s Spider-Man for form; by releasing its game at the end of the current generation of consoles, the American studio had the opportunity to see what worked (or not) in the past.

However, it would be dishonest and unrepresentative to qualify Ghost of Tsushima a pale copy of what was done before him. It should rather be seen as the (almost) ultimate refinement of a great line of adventure and action titles… and this, to the great advantage of the players!

Because, on the contrary, there is no doubt that Sony’s most recent exclusive has its own personality, with a masterful open world that deserves to be discovered in every corner.

It’s not the destination, but the journey that counts

You may have guessed at this point, the story of Ghost of Tsushima takes you into the shoes of samurai Jin Sakai in the midst of the Mongol invasion of the island of Tsushima, in feudal Japan at the end of the 13th century.

Given up for dead at the very beginning of the game, Jin is one of the very last samurai of Tsushima and must recruit allies in order to take back the land of his ancestors from the hands of the Mongol invader.

In doing so, the valiant warrior will make loyal friends, inspire many simple peasants to fight alongside him, eliminate a huge number of enemies, but will also, and above all, have the opportunity to explore the different regions of the island of Tsushima.

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The island of Tsushima is sublime!

So, let me tell you, this one is absolutely stunning. It’s full of challenges, side quests and items to collect. And even if quick trips are possible between the points of interest already discovered, more often than not we find ourselves riding our horse to our destination, simply for the pleasure of running into an inhabitant of the island who needs help or a farm that needs to be liberated from the Mongols.

In this sense, it is particularly in exploration and discovery that, in my humble opinion, the (immense) charm of Ghost of Tsushima. In breathtaking landscapes and unexpected encounters.

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In Ghost of Tsushima, we are guided by the wind… literally!

In short, when we put down the controller, it is above all Tsushima, and the road we have traveled, which remains in our minds.

A love letter to samurai films

Of course, we cannot say that the story, told throughout Jin’s main quest, is uninteresting!

It may not be the most unforgettable part of Sucker Punch’s title, but it’s still a brilliant homage to classic samurai films, not only because of its storyline, but also because of its music. and its visual direction.

To add to the experience, we even offer a (superb) black and white visual mode, inspired by the work of famous director Akira Kurosawa. That says it all about the studio’s inspiration…

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Kurosawa mode in question

In this sense, expect blood, betrayal, dramatic close-ups and a large dose of revenge, which is intended to be the driving force behind many of the main and side quests.

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The Mongolian leader, Khotun Khan, is no fool…

Fortunately, we still take the time to develop most of the characters, which avoids ending up with a story that is violent just for the sake of being violent. At times, it’s very crude, but it’s almost always necessary.

Fights that will take your color

Furthermore, another fairly important part of the scenario of Ghost of Tsushima is the constant conflict between Jin’s desire to honor the traditions of the samurai and his desire to use all means at his disposal to retake the island from its invaders.

This ambivalence of the warrior is therefore reflected in the gameplay of the game, which almost always leaves the player the choice to approach combat face to face, as required by the samurai code of honor… or to furtively assassinate his targets like a ghost.

Therefore, you are free to use your experience points to improve the mastery of Jin’s katana or rather his special abilities, such as those of spotting enemies from a distance or being able to execute a series of adversaries in the shadows. .

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One of the many customization menus, this one for Jin’s katana

The same goes for upgrading the many armors that you will unlock, as well as secondary weapons and tools, such as bows and bombs, to name just a few. To add to all this, know that there are also four distinct (and evolving) types of combat positions, which adapt to the different types of enemies you will encounter.

You will thus understand that, even if it does not reach the level of an action RPG, Jin’s customization is quite important in Ghost of Tsushima and allows you to adapt the clashes to your style of play.

No, it’s not another Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Speaking of action RPGs, it should still be made clear to those who expect an emulator of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice or any Dark Souls: Ghost of Tsushima is above all an adventure game.

PS4 screenshot

Of course, you will spend several hours fighting, that’s guaranteed. On the other hand, it would be a mistake, at least in my opinion, to define the title of Sucker Punch solely by this aspect. Especially since doing so could probably disappoint some.

Thus, artificial intelligence, although solid most of the time, is not always perfect, particularly in the infiltration phase, and the fights against boss often end up turning out to be a little redundant.

But fortunately, these few flaws are forgiven in the context of a larger epic that brings together as many hemoglobin-covered confrontations as platforming moments and haiku composition (yes, really).

Instead, approach Ghost of Tsushima like a Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild for adults who left their puzzles in the locker room.

Or simply as the perfect adventure game to say a sweet goodbye to the PlayStation 4 and this generation of consoles.

Because it is with this in mind (and with a desire to explore its universe in depth) that you are likely to appreciate the most Ghost of Tsushima.

WE love:

• The absolutely stunning open world full of surprises
• Combat customization
• The atmosphere worthy of a classic samurai film

We like less:

• Some slightly repetitive passages
• Artificial intelligence can occasionally be improved

Note: 9/10

*The test was carried out on PS4 using a code provided kindly by PlayStation. Ghost of Tsushima will be released on July 17 on PS4.