Ghost of Tsushima DIRECTOR'S Cut

POSTED: 29 MAYI've long awaited playing this game on PC to the point where I avoided watching or reading anything about it until I could play it myself.The open world aspect of the game is pretty solid, there's plenty of exploration to do that are optional but if you don't explore, the map can feel a bit small compared to other open world games. I personally don't think it's that small and there's plenty of things to keep you busy.The story is pretty solid and I enjoyed playing it. There's great moments that I really enjoy and there aren't many issues with it aside from how short it feels. If you only focus on doing the story quests, you will complete it fairly quickly.The game also comes with the DLC which also holds the same quality as the base game aside from ... MorePOSTED: 29 MAYI've long awaited playing this game on PC to the point where I avoided watching or reading anything about it until I could play it myself.The open world aspect of the game is pretty solid, there's plenty of exploration to do that are optional but if you don't explore, the map can feel a bit small compared to other open world games. I personally don't think it's that small and there's plenty of things to keep you busy.The story is pretty solid and I enjoyed playing it. There's great moments that I really enjoy and there aren't many issues with it aside from how short it feels. If you only focus on doing the story quests, you will complete it fairly quickly.The game also comes with the DLC which also holds the same quality as the base game aside from the area being smaller than the main game (which is a given) but I bring it up because the price of the game feels a lot more reasonable if you get access to everything with no additional purchases

[Rewarded Review] Arden Fair location

Note: this review is for the Arden Fair Best Buy in Sacramento. They quickly got this game ready for me to pick up and they were the only store to carry this title. Really saved my holiday season shopping wish list for my nephew as I was not expecting to find Ghost of Tsushima on PS5, and not looking forward to breaking that news to him. Granted, I waited a bit long after hearing about the special Black Friday $40 of this game, but this location saved the day.The Game: very good and epic cut scenes with vibrant colors that really pop on the screen. Originally, I got Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and IMO, Ghost blows that game out of the water. I was really excited to play Valhalla, but did not spend more than one day playing, and finding it very boring.Ghost however, ... MoreNote: this review is for the Arden Fair Best Buy in Sacramento. They quickly got this game ready for me to pick up and they were the only store to carry this title. Really saved my holiday season shopping wish list for my nephew as I was not expecting to find Ghost of Tsushima on PS5, and not looking forward to breaking that news to him. Granted, I waited a bit long after hearing about the special Black Friday $40 of this game, but this location saved the day.The Game: very good and epic cut scenes with vibrant colors that really pop on the screen. Originally, I got Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and IMO, Ghost blows that game out of the water. I was really excited to play Valhalla, but did not spend more than one day playing, and finding it very boring.Ghost however, has very good fight sequences, and just the right balance of hard and easy so it’s pretty engaging.

[Rewarded Review] Could Have Been Game of the Year

I thought this game wasn’t for me when it was first released on the PS4. However, I have recently been trying to find games to play and open my mind a bit and since I knew this was popular I thought I would give it a go. It’s now been about 2 weeks since I bought it and I already finished the main story and finish the main trophy list to get the platinum. I started on the expansion yesterday and when that’s complete, I’ll finish the New Game +. Definitely worth playing. Nothing is perfect but I didn’t have too many issues with the game. I think the only problem I’ve come across is the “stats” are off. You do several side quests type of things like honoring shrines and lighting up lighthouses, etc but only one of them was accurate. Luckily it didn’t prevent from ... MoreI thought this game wasn’t for me when it was first released on the PS4. However, I have recently been trying to find games to play and open my mind a bit and since I knew this was popular I thought I would give it a go. It’s now been about 2 weeks since I bought it and I already finished the main story and finish the main trophy list to get the platinum. I started on the expansion yesterday and when that’s complete, I’ll finish the New Game +. Definitely worth playing. Nothing is perfect but I didn’t have too many issues with the game. I think the only problem I’ve come across is the “stats” are off. You do several side quests type of things like honoring shrines and lighting up lighthouses, etc but only one of them was accurate. Luckily it didn’t prevent from finishing trophies but maybe that is how they fixed the earlier issues but adjusting them under just in case.

[Rewarded Review] Instead, Buy Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.

As a preface, if you enjoy the game, enjoy it. Don't let me or anyone else ruin your experience. With that out of the way, here are my thoughts on this game.I found this game to be like playing Red Dead Redemption 2 as low honor with no option to play as high honor. The character you play as, Jin Sakai seems to make bad decisions simply so that the plot can move forward. And with the game being made by non-Japanese, some of the ideas seem too western and feels out of place in the setting. and they often kill off characters you are attached to for no reason but to try and make you feel sad.As for gameplay, at least on lethal difficulty, it is like a watered down Sekiro. you will often be killed by things you feel like you had no control over how to prevent ... MoreAs a preface, if you enjoy the game, enjoy it. Don't let me or anyone else ruin your experience. With that out of the way, here are my thoughts on this game.I found this game to be like playing Red Dead Redemption 2 as low honor with no option to play as high honor. The character you play as, Jin Sakai seems to make bad decisions simply so that the plot can move forward. And with the game being made by non-Japanese, some of the ideas seem too western and feels out of place in the setting. and they often kill off characters you are attached to for no reason but to try and make you feel sad.As for gameplay, at least on lethal difficulty, it is like a watered down Sekiro. you will often be killed by things you feel like you had no control over how to prevent it.The game is open-world, but it feels like the game should have been linear like traditional story games. In the open world there is nothing unique to find other than hats or sword styles. It feels like they made the game open world just to pad your playtime long enough for the return window to close.In regards for visuals, I feel like the developers thought "saturated leaf trees = beauty" and I feel they could have done betterOverall if you want a game set in historic Japan, with engaging gameplay, I recommend forgetting this game's existence and purchasing Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.

[Rewarded Review] Love it

Great title game mechanics. The animation is bar none other than TLOU2 but since they both are PS exclusives I'd be splitting hairs. The art direction is beautiful! From bamboo leaves to lotus blossoms spinning in the wind it's an incredible site to behold. In fact the island of Tsushima is the most detailed open world I've seen. HZD and Wild Hunt are in the conversation though. Speaking of looks the graphics are the best I've seen other than TLOU2. I can't believe this is running on my Pro. The checkerboard rendering is better than even the most cutting edge 4K HDR rig. The HDR is some of the best I've seen implemented into a game. It literally takes my breath away. I find myself just exploring because of its beauty. I've been playing since launch and I'm still ... MoreGreat title game mechanics. The animation is bar none other than TLOU2 but since they both are PS exclusives I'd be splitting hairs. The art direction is beautiful! From bamboo leaves to lotus blossoms spinning in the wind it's an incredible site to behold. In fact the island of Tsushima is the most detailed open world I've seen. HZD and Wild Hunt are in the conversation though. Speaking of looks the graphics are the best I've seen other than TLOU2. I can't believe this is running on my Pro. The checkerboard rendering is better than even the most cutting edge 4K HDR rig. The HDR is some of the best I've seen implemented into a game. It literally takes my breath away. I find myself just exploring because of its beauty. I've been playing since launch and I'm still amazed by how great it looks. Sometimes the honeymoon wears off and you stop noticing but not here!

[Rewarded Review] Masterpiece

I've been gaming for over thirty years and this is easily in my personal top ten games of all time. Long, engaging and emotional story with amazing art direction. There's so many side quests and the map itself is huge, so you have a ton to explore and discover. The controls are tight and the combat is fun. The voice acting is incredible too these guys put so much emotion and passion into bringing these characters to life. The controls are tight and the combat is fun. The PS5 directors cut improves the games overall performance like loading times, visuals, and framerate from the PS4. It also includes the dlc which adds an entirely new area to explore. Just an amazing journey you need to experience for yourself. Highly recommend playing.

[Rewarded Review] Narrative Dissonance

This game is average at best. The game is pretty good looking and has great music. Although it isn't the best looking PlayStation game it's art style really helps it.The story is a mixed bag unfortunately. The relationship between Jin Sakai (the main character) and his uncle (Lord Shimura) is the best part of the story. They differ on their views of how to deal the Mongols during the invasion of their homeland. Jin supports using dishonorable (Ghost combat) methods of warfare while Lord Shimura, being a Samurai, prefers only that which is considered honorable in the Samurai code. The rest of the side characters are pretty forgettable with some moments of their storylines being interesting.Unfortunately, the gameplay aspect of the game doesn't match the story ... MoreThis game is average at best. The game is pretty good looking and has great music. Although it isn't the best looking PlayStation game it's art style really helps it.The story is a mixed bag unfortunately. The relationship between Jin Sakai (the main character) and his uncle (Lord Shimura) is the best part of the story. They differ on their views of how to deal the Mongols during the invasion of their homeland. Jin supports using dishonorable (Ghost combat) methods of warfare while Lord Shimura, being a Samurai, prefers only that which is considered honorable in the Samurai code. The rest of the side characters are pretty forgettable with some moments of their storylines being interesting.Unfortunately, the gameplay aspect of the game doesn't match the story they are pushing causing narrative dissonance. I played the game and enjoyed it more using the Samurai method of combat. I liked it that much more that I didn't really use the Ghost combat weapons. So, when the narrative tells you are being dishonorable it really takes you out of the story if you prefer to play it the honorable way.The other main thing I did not like about this game were the fox dens and hot springs. You can easily run across the map for around two hours and go to every spot and max out your health and stamina and charms.The last main thing I did not like about the game was that every side mission involves tracking. And these tracking side missions follow two plots usually.1. You meet someone who needs help saving their family, you have to track their footprints from wherever they came from, and after getting to your destination you find out no one in their family survived.2. You need to track someone because they are doing something in secret; and you find out they have a good reason or they don't, and you can maybe choose what happens to them.The DLC story was not that great either. They try to flesh out some stuff with Jin's father, but it fell flat for me.They also made the Mongols a lot stronger by allowing them to change what type of weapon they use. (Whatever weapon they use you need to change your Samurai stance to effectively deal with them.)The problem I had with this is that the enemies will magically change their weapons when you are about to strike them in one stance, and you realize you are not dealing enough damage or are taking too much. The animation needs to be longer for the weapon changes, so it's easily seen.I would recommend this game if it were half price.

[Rewarded Review] One of the best games I have played

Both the visuals and audio are amazing. Walking through the woods hearing the trees and bamboo creaking in the wind is crazy. A storm brewing in the distance off the coast even has a delay between the time you see the lightening and heard the thunder. The music is straight out of a movie. It adds to the drama. When enemies are close it gets more suspenseful.I love the gameplay. It’s a little hack and slashy, but I love just being able to get lost in it all.The story, so far has been absolutely amazing. I highly recommend this game, especially if you are a fan of Assissins Creed. Very similar gameplay and story telling.

[Rewarded Review] Very similar to Assassin's Creed

First off, the story of this game is top notch. Your character is a samurai who barely makes it out of a war with his life. You travel the countryside to save your uncle, who was captured during the battle.The battle system is pretty typical. You start off with a few basic moves and SLOWLY upgrade your skills to become a more deadly samurai. One major downside of it is focusing on an enemy. It came easy during the tutorial, but didn't seem to work very well after that. The same thing happened with "standoffs" where you challenge your opponent to a 1 on 1 battle. You hit the triangle button and release it at just the right time for a one hit kill. I did very well the first few times the game gave prompts. After that, I ALWAYS lost to the point where I won't engage ... MoreFirst off, the story of this game is top notch. Your character is a samurai who barely makes it out of a war with his life. You travel the countryside to save your uncle, who was captured during the battle.The battle system is pretty typical. You start off with a few basic moves and SLOWLY upgrade your skills to become a more deadly samurai. One major downside of it is focusing on an enemy. It came easy during the tutorial, but didn't seem to work very well after that. The same thing happened with "standoffs" where you challenge your opponent to a 1 on 1 battle. You hit the triangle button and release it at just the right time for a one hit kill. I did very well the first few times the game gave prompts. After that, I ALWAYS lost to the point where I won't engage in a standoff to literally save my life. Sad.The parallels to Assassin's creed are strong. Hide in bushes, take out enemies one at a time, go from town to town completing missions. It's not as new and inventive as the creators would like to make you think.The visuals alone make this game worth a try. I have a feeling I'll eventually grow tired of the complicated battle system and give up when I can no longer defeat stronger enemies. Until that point. I'll bask in the vast storytelling this game has to offer.