Ghost of Tsushima - open world game set in feudal Japan

[Silva]

Yeah, this game is a little weird, in that I do absolutely like the base combat (amazing swordfighting if you use parries, perfect parries, dodges/perfect dodges and such, fun archery), and I love the setting and the aesthetics, the beautiful world, and the dialogue and cutscenes are well done minus the occasional woke stuff, and even the stealth stuff can be fun at times. But there is that Ubisoft elephant in the room, overall the gameplay is just not good, because instead of a wholesome integrated experience as in games like Gothic 1/2, Risen, ELEX, FNV, KCD, BotW, here it just feels like a giant list of chores.

Huh, nope. The basic systems here/combat and stealth are already popamole and decline.

 

[Fedora Master]

By the way I recommend for more proper Honorabu Samurai gameplay.
You can watch a couple commit suicide and write a haiku about it.

 

[PorkyThePaladin]

Our brains are fairly good at detecting meaning. So when you play a handcrafted open world game, and are kinda going through unique stuff that's intricately tied to other stuff going on, your brain feels like it's doing something worthwhile, and all the right pleasure centers are stimulated (minus the g spot of course). Ubisoft games and others like them (like GoT) are the opposite of that, our brains quickly pick up on the fact that you are just doing a bunch of same repetitive ultimately meaningless shit, and it's really hard to get much enjoyment.

 

[Fedora Master]

What is it with these subtitles? I may not speak Japanese but I do know "Sayonara" doesn't mean "Thank you".

 

[ERYFKRAD]

What is it with these subtitles? I may not speak Japanese but I do know "Sayonara" doesn't mean "Thank you".

It does if you've done them a solid.
Subtitles are generally nuts anyway. Not just for Tsushima-

 

[Fedora Master]

If they had a bit more faith in the player the game would have been better. Take for example the "survey" mechanic. It's just meaningless, because you always get a few very obvious options. Instead they should have left it up to the player to figure out where to look and maybe give out of the way options that you DON'T immediately see.

 

[PorkyThePaladin]

It's all pointless busywork.

Beautiful visuals, great looking world, love the aesthetics, love the base combat, but god, the gameplay is just utter trash. Everything feels like doing homework.

 

[Tyranicon]

It's all pointless busywork.

Beautiful visuals, great looking world, love the aesthetics, love the base combat, but god, the gameplay is just utter trash. Everything feels like doing homework.

It's an Ubisoft-style collectathon with the real meat of the game being basically a few hours of story content.

Still better than 99% of AAA games, but that really isn't a high bar.

 

[Fedora Master]

Gotta appreciate the dedication of American devs to have a turret section in their 101% 10.000x folded historical samurai game.

 

[Ash]

You guys do have standards after all. Proud of you.

 

[TheKing01]

Ubi-slop disguised as a Sony first-party exclusive.

Apt piece of virtual tourism, though.

 

[PorkyThePaladin]

The thing about it is, there is a fucking great game to be made along the lines of GoT, but they just haven't done it. You can see it peeking through the crap at times, like for example, many of the side stories are actually rather dark and complex in terms of plot, but the main storyline is like bleh bleh, evil Mongols, must kill. And then the collectathon and the Ubisoft gameplay. They will never do it of course, but imagine if Sucker Punch released powerful modding tools for GoT, and someone made a legit RPG using the Black & White Kurosawa mode, with deep storylines and quests, C&C, removed all the crap that ruins combat, designed the world in a handcrafted way... One can dream.

 

[Elttharion]

Ubi-slop disguised as a Sony first-party exclusive.

Apt piece of virtual tourism, though.

Almost all Sony first party games are like this. Gamers will rage about the copy paste Ubishit template and then go soyface for the newest Sony slop.

 

[Fedora Master]

All this WE ARE HONORABU SAMURAI talk is becoming a bit grating. I understand the theme of course but they're packing it on thick. As someone else said, "honor" is for equals, not outsiders who ALREADY USED DISHONORABLE TACTICS AGAINST YOU.

 

[Reinhardt]

stop being part of the problem

 

[KeAShizuku]

Ubi-slop disguised as a Sony first-party exclusive.

Apt piece of virtual tourism, though.

Almost all Sony first party games are like this. Gamers will rage about the copy paste Ubishit template and then go soyface for the newest Sony slop.

I do find it interesting how some open world games are considered bad while others are praised.

Compare the reception of Ghostwire with Tsushima.

 

[VerSacrum]

All this WE ARE HONORABU SAMURAI talk is becoming a bit grating. I understand the theme of course but they're packing it on thick. As someone else said, "honor" is for equals, not outsiders who ALREADY USED DISHONORABLE TACTICS AGAINST YOU.

Yeah it's retarded and not historical. One of the most famous Samurai in history, Kusunoki Masashige, held up as the shining example of Samurai integrity, was known for waging a guerilla campaign against the Kamakura Shogunate in the name of the Emperor. Stuff like ambushes, night raids, the works. Jin says in the game that his uncle made him read Sun Tzu so he should be familiar with that shit.

 

[spectre]

I've read that some redditor took it upon xirself to play honorabu all the time, always come in loud, issue challenges whenever possible, no anal penetration with the tanto.
Uncle whasisface is still being obnoxious and the game doesn't recognize an honest effort. I get that all this dramatic tension is built into the story, but they could have done a better job
given the amount of shit the game gives you for... basically following what you're told in the tutorials.

Yeah it's retarded and not historical. One of the most famous Samurai in history, Kusunoki Masashige, held up as the shining example of Samurai integrity, was known for waging a guerilla campaign against the Kamakura Shogunate in the name of the Emperor. Stuff like ambushes, night raids, the works. Jin says in the game that his uncle made him read Sun Tzu so he should be familiar with that shit.

This was a bit jarring to me as well, I don't care much for kinky nippon history to know the details, but I reckon the issue is not with guerilla warfare. I haven't and probably won't play through the whole story, but at one point uncle whatsisface acknowledges that he has also meddled with a bunch of pirates in the past. I'd infer that his problem is that Jin actually gets his hands dirty and skulks about like a thief when it's something other people should be doing.
Unless it gets worse later, I've decided I've seen enough of the game after liberating the castle.

Overall, it's weird to me that they didn't go for the "your gameplay actions matter" route seeing how the game is an over the top samurai power fantasy with all the tropes you will want.

I do find it interesting how some open world games are considered bad while others are praised.

I think it boils down to this - does the sanbox allow you to scratch that particular itch and play out a fantasy? I'd say ghost of sushimi delivers.
They have all the pieces down to let you dweeb out as you'd like. And you don't even have to be particularly dweebish to appreciate the aesthetics.
Open world in itself is standard fare, repetitive activities (thankfully no tower climbing, but climbing shrines was enough to trigger some ptsd)
which you do when you want to postpone the main questline for a bit, or when you feel like enjoying some views.
It's something you can play for an hour, leave for a few days than easily pick up.
I'd say a lot of people actually wanted a game like this, it's basically what the upcoming assbandit's creed needed to be, but they decided otherwise.

As far as I'm concerned, I think the worst offence is that certain things you find will be locked out and inactive until you're on a specific quest to get them.
This makes exploration feel pointless, and unlocking all the crap basically makes an already easy game get easier, unless you're on highest difficulty and
need all the help you can get.

 

[Fedora Master]

I think the game actually could use a more hard RPG approach, where you can't max out every technique and where the choice between honorabu and shamefur dispray have more of an impact on the story. It overstays its welcome a little by the last third.

Unless it gets worse later, I've decided I've seen enough of the game after liberating the castle.

It was jarring to see your uncle go apeshit over you opening the gate and terrifying the Mongols. Especially since right before that Jin had his elderly caretaker make him fucking horrifying poisons.

 

[Sunri]

Watch 10 minutes cutscene follow npc for 5 minutes sit down somewhere and click space bar few times two minutes of cool fighting repeat (you left the story area)

 

[Reinhardt]

All this WE ARE HONORABU SAMURAI talk is becoming a bit grating. I understand the theme of course but they're packing it on thick. As someone else said, "honor" is for equals, not outsiders who ALREADY USED DISHONORABLE TACTICS AGAINST YOU.

Yeah it's retarded and not historical. One of the most famous Samurai in history, Kusunoki Masashige, held up as the shining example of Samurai integrity, was known for waging a guerilla campaign against the Kamakura Shogunate in the name of the Emperor. Stuff like ambushes, night raids, the works. Jin says in the game that his uncle made him read Sun Tzu so he should be familiar with that shit.

basically "honorabu" is what was expected from retainers. daimyo politicking was full backstabbing festival. only one rule - don't get caught, and if you got caught - be able to answer for your actions.

 

[Fedora Master]

and if you got caught - be able to answer for your actions.

Or have a patsy ready. You know, like your uncle suggests when he asks you to rat out Yuna.

 

[Hace El Oso]

The Japanese never believed there was anything dishonorable about fighting to win, and Samurai customs do not extend to those outside your class. The firearm was also a favourite weapon among Samurai, which would probably disappoint many a weaboo.

 

[Roguey]

Uncle whasisface is still being obnoxious and the game doesn't recognize an honest effort. I get that all this dramatic tension is built into the story, but they could have done a better job

He does congratulate you if you fight honorably in front of him (and chastise you if you use one of the forbidden techniques). But they had a particular story in mind to tell and the plot forces your character to fight dishonorably no matter how you act in combat.

 

[Fedora Master]

So there IS dismemberment, but only in Ghost Mode™