State Of Play Offers An In-Depth Look At Ghost of Tsushima’s Stunning Open-World

PlayStation and developer Sucker Punch Productions have treated us to a brand new look at upcoming PS4 exclusive, Ghost of Tsushima.

Running at just over 18 minutes, the latest episode of State of Play offered an extended look at the gorgeous feudal Japanese open-world of the titular island of Tsushima ahead of the game’s release on July 17th. While we’ve known about Ghost of Tsushima for a good few years now, this is the first sustained look at what the game offers from the player’s perspective. And, based on what was on display, fans won’t be disappointed.

In particular, the showcase featured some of the core pillars of the game, namely exploration and combat. Conscious not to overburden players with the glut of points of interest that have come to define the open-world action-adventure genre, Sucker Punch aims to promote curiosity as an impetus for exploration.

Subtle environmental hints from wildlife and background clues will invite players to uncover the mysteries of the island. Alongside, players can pinpoint a specific location on the map and have the guiding winds chart a path, which the player then follows.

Turning to combat, Ghost of Tsushima adopts a two-tiered approach with distinct combat styles. On the one hand, players can employ the economy and frugal attack style of the samurai, or instead channel the more underhanded tactics of the game’s titular ghost with stealth, smoke bombs, distractions, assassinations, and even fear to bring down the Mongol invaders.

Sucker Punch also touched on customization, which instead of being a purely cosmetic addition to the game, will also shape combat and give certain mechanical advantages to ‘accent a play style.’ For example, one armor will be more suited to all-guns blazing attacks, while another may favor a more measured approach. As the game progresses, players will be able to improve and customize their gear further with charms and techniques.

The showcase also revealed that Ghost of Tsushima would include a Samurai Cinema mode, which blankets the whole game with a grainy grayscale to replicate the classic Japanese cinematic genre – a major inspiration behind the tone and setting for the game.

Like previous Sucker Punch efforts, Ghost of Tsushima includes a highly customizable photo mode with a wealth of tinkering options (color grading, depth of field, focus, music, particles, etc.) for players to capture the subtle natural beauty of Ghost of Tsushima’s grand open-world.

Ghost of Tsushima will feature a full Japanese voice track with subtitles to add a sense of immersion for those that want to play the game as Sucker Punch intended.

Overall, there’s much to be excited about here. Fortunately, there’s not too long to wait before the game launches in July, discounting, of course, any unforeseen delays linked to the coronavirus pandemic.