If you need more of a kick for your game selection this year, The Ghost of Tsushima, developed by Sucker Punch Productions, if right up you alley. Bonus points if you like action-adventure, stealth, open world history games too. For a while now the game has been hyped up to be somewhat difficult with a one-strike kill battle system. This has overshadowed other parts of the game. None the less, this game offers players a different environment to enjoy.
The Ghost of Tsushima is based in the 13th century where real events truly did happen. Although the game is based on true history, game director Nate Fox chose not to depict most of the characters on the truth due to the bad image it would portray. You play as a samurai warrior named Jin Sakai that is involved in a Mongolian invasion set in 1274 on Tsushima Island. The invasion ends very badly and Jin is almost the only one left alive. With his determination, Jin sets off to find others to fight the Mongols that have taken over.
Set as a third-person perspective, you follow Jin through a diverse environment. The world consists of mountains, shrines, ancient forests, villages and more. Players can explore any way they choose and can interact with NPCs along the way without the game keeping you to a specific task. The widely used weapon is the katana and players can use smoke bombs and more to distract enemies on top of using stealth. A grappling hook becomes a necessity to reach higher places along the way too. If you want to get to a new area faster, then simply get on your horse and take off. Suddenly the game feels a lot like Zelda Breath of the Wild.
Taking on the type of scope would be challenging for any studio. The game has a very distinct style that hearkens back to samurai films of the past, especially Akira Kurosawa. This is not a run and gun type of game. You have to plan out how you are going to fight. There is a choice you must make and it has all to do with honor. A samurai does not sneak attack, they will face their enemy head on. The side quests are different from other games, but you might find some to get repetitive.
Saying that, does not make this a bad game at all. The dueling is a lot of fun. You can duel one-on-one with NPCs and work on your fatal strike combos as well. Ghost of Tsushima immerses players and is easily one of the best game so far. This is literally the historical Japanese game players have been wanting for years. You get sweet revenge, you are in an ancient place, and you feel rewarded by the time you get to the end of this 50 hour game.
9/10
Available on PS4