Ghost of Tsushima "side stories" have "some of the best rewards in the game"

By Heidi Nicholas,

Sucker Punch has now released a wave of new Ghost of Tsushima info based on questions about the latest gameplay footage, including details about side missions, weapons, and the difficulty levels.

On the most recent PlayStation Blog post, Sucker Punch's Jason Connell addressed questions about Jin's weapons. Jin's katana, a "family heirloom", will be with him throughout the whole game and is his "main weapon", but you'll be able to improve its stats and appearance. Jin will also rely on other weapons such as bows like the Halfbow and the Longbow, "throwable kunai", smoke-bombs, and assassination tactics.

The game has "no karma system". When asked about consequences for fighting as the Ghost or as the Samurai, and of a "good/evil" system, Sucker Punch's Nate Fox says, "there’s one story we’re telling here, one journey for Jin... As for the player making a choice, we want to be clear that there isn’t a binary choice for the player, it’s more about the player having freedom to play through any encounter in the style they prefer and wearing whichever armor they prefer". You can mix and match armour sets, and fighting in entirely Ghost armour, for instance, won't stop you using Samurai tactics such as the "standoff" feature we saw in the gameplay footage. Likewise, you can still use throwable weapons as the Samurai. "This is a story of Jin growing to become a new kind of warrior, who uses every weapon he has to save his home", says Fox. "No matter what your preferred means of attack, be it swords or stealth, the legend of the Ghost will grow."

Whether you play on Easy, Normal, or Hard mode, enemy health is never increased — "this is to maintain the lethality of the katana", explains Fox. There's dynamic weather and a day and night cycle, with some weather conditions "tied to specific regions" or to the story. As you travel along the main story and explore the world, Jin will encounter "an anthology" of side stories. You'll have the option to "dive deep" into these side stories, gaining both "a greater perspective on the invasion", and "some of the best rewards in the game". Connell says all content "outside of the main story offers a variety of rewards" such as resources, charms, or even armour sets. There'll also be vendors scattered throughout the towns, suggesting we'll be able to purchase more items there.

When asked about the length of the game, Fox says "Players should expect a scope that’s markedly larger than our previous work… If you’re the type who’ll occasionally get distracted by something in the distance, or nearby commotion, you’re going to find a world you can get lost in and spend dozens of hours within." Fox adds that it's a "hard/impossible question to answer for an open-world game" like Ghost of Tsushima. "Let’s put it another way", he adds. "Most of our play testers would spend a full week on Ghost and not finish the storyline. We know everyone wants a number, but we’re confident to say that if you want a satisfying story in a big, content-rich world with lots to do and see and lots of characters to get to know, you’ll find what you’re looking for in Ghost of Tsushima."

Jin was briefly shown to be playing the flute, and Fox says you can have Jin do this "whenever you like" in the game. Actions such as healing or powerful attacks cost "Resolve", which players will have to manage throughout combat. It sounds as though Jin will have just the one horse — but you'll get the option to choose which horse you want earlier in the game. You're able to collect "upgrade resources" from predators, while other animals will help Jin discover secrets locations in the world.

Lastly, when asked about the possibility of different endings, Fox says, "the game tells the human story about Jin’s sacrifice to become the Ghost. Players can choose to primarily fight with a sword, bow or stealth; either way Jin becomes a legend to the people of Tsushima, and a terror to the Mongol Invaders." There's less than two month to go until Ghost of Tsushima releases, on July 17th.

More Ghost of Tsushima stories:

PlayStation 4

Written by Heidi Nicholas

Hey, I'm Heidi! I've just finished studying a Masters in English Literature, but I've been obsessed with gaming since long before then. I began on the PS2 with Spyro, before graduating to the Xbox 360 and disappearing into Skyrim. I'm now a loyal RPG fan, but I still like to explore other genres — when I'm not playing Assassin's Creed Odyssey, or being lured back into Red Dead Redemption 2 or The Witcher 3!