Summary
WhenGhost of Tsushimalaunched on the PS4 in 2020, it was something of an outlier in the world of AAA gaming. Most of that year’s most popular blockbuster titles were part of established franchises,Ghost of Tsushimawas a bombastic, confident new property that took players to a virtual recreation of 13th-century Japan. As the gaming community awaits thenext big thing from Sucker Punch, other developers should draw inspiration from the historical action game.
Ghost of Tsushimaquickly established itself as a must-buy for PlayStation 4 owners for a number of reasons. The technical achievements of the game are perhaps the most immediately apparent upon first booting it up, asGhost of Tsushima’s wide-open, picturesque map is a sight to behold even three years on. Looking a bit deeper, the game also offers satisfying combat and a solid, dramatic narrative that centers on real events from Japan’s history. WhileGhost of Tsushima’s grounded Japanese settingis part of what makes it special, other games should adopt a similar approach, giving players action RPG experiences with different historical backdrops.
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The Potential of Games Like Ghost of Tsushima
Video games, especially those made with modern technology and large budgets, have the power to take players just about anywhere. Despite this, there is a surprisingly small number of historical fiction video games in the current era. Many games will take inspiration from certain time periods or cultures, but games that attempt to tell stories that relate to real-world figures, events, or ancient societies, a laGhost of Tsushima, are relatively rare.
More Than Assassin’s Creed
Of course, when many gamers hear “historical action adventure game,” they will immediately think ofAssassin’s Creed. Ubisoft’s flagship franchise is certainly the most notable of this subgenre, but while some entries seem committed to the idea of historical fiction, such as the upcomingAssassin’s Creed Codename Redand its alleged protagonistbased on a real-world samurai, the franchise as a whole is largely detached from it. Most of the games, especially post-Syndicate, feature a number of fantasy elements that can, at times, reduce the well-realized historical settings to mere set dressing.
Ghost of Tsushimashows what can be accomplished in a game that takes a realistic approach to its setting. There are definitely elements ofGhost of Tsushimathat are unrealistic, such as Jin’s many implausible feats of strength and agility, but the game stays away from things like magic, supernatural beings, and explicitly fantastical character powers.Ghost of Tsushima’s combatis weighty and deliberate, its story is believable, and its environmental design is grounded without losing its beauty.Assassin’s Creedis a series that has its merits, certainly, but the games are somewhat lacking when it comes to delivering a realistic and engaging historical experience due to their decidedly fantasy elements. More competition in the market of action games with settings from real-world history would lead to better, more varied gaming experiences.
The Future of Historical Action RPGs
If more games were to follow the example set byGhost of Tsushima(which, in all fairness, would likely not exist withoutAssassin’s Creed), then there could be any number of engaging experiences focused on any number of historical settings. Some potential untapped settings include:
It’s likely that aGhost of Tsushimafollow-up will arrivesooner or later, but that game will almost certainly take players to ancient Japan—one of gaming’s most frequented destinations. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but games that can draw inspiration fromGhost of Tsushima’s unabashed commitment to historical realism, coupled with its solid gameplay and light RPG mechanics, could open a world of opportunity.
Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut
WHERE TO PLAY
In the late 13th century, the Mongol empire has laid waste to entire nations along their campaign to conquer the East. Tsushima Island is all that stands between mainland Japan and a massive Mongol invasion fleet led by the ruthless and cunning general, Khotun Khan.As the island burns in the wake of the first wave of the Mongol assault, courageous samurai warrior Jin Sakai stands resolute. As one of the last surviving members of his clan, Jin is resolved to do whatever it takes, at any cost, to protect his people and reclaim his home. He must set aside the traditions that have shaped him as a warrior to forge a new path, the path of the Ghost, and wage an unconventional war for the freedom of Tsushima.
