Game review – Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut (PS5)
Ghost of Tsushimacame out exclusively for the PS4 console in 2020 and it was easily one of the best games released for that particular year. Well now an expanded version of the game is out called Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cutwhich is also available for the new PS5 console.
Ghost of Tsushimawas already a very beautiful looking game when I played it last year on my PS4 Pro, but the PS5 version looks even better. I feel the colours are brighter on the PS5 version, plus you can prioritize 60 fps over graphical fidelity too.
As for the loading times, you didn't have to wait long for the game boot up on the PS4 version from last year. Well now the loading times are pretty nonexistent because the game loads up instantly when I played it on PS5. When you die, the game has no waiting times when you start it up again!
Aside from faster loading times and better visuals, the PS5 version also includes haptic feedback when you are playing on the newer controller. You can now feel the subtle vibrations when you are wielding a bow and arrow in the game.
While Ghost of Tsushimais a beautiful looking game, I'm happy to say the gameplay is just as good as the visuals are. The samurai style combat is both accessible for casual gamers, but the gameplay is also deep enough to challenge hardcore players too.
Unlike Demon's Souls or Dark Souls, Ghost of Tsushima offers various different difficulty settings so players don't have to worry about not being able to finish the game. The enemies are quite satisfying to beat once you get a hang of the controls and gameplay.
I talked more about the base game in my review that was posted last year. I went in depth about the story and premise, plus I further talked about the excellent gameplay. The rest of this review will discuss the newer content in this 'Director's Cut'.
Probably the biggest reason to revisit this game again is to experience the new content that is on offer here. The Director's Cut adds a whole new place for you to explore called Iki Island. It's not just a new environment to experience because a new story is also unlocked here.
It's worth mentioning though if you have not played Ghost of Tsushimabefore, you won't be able to access the new area from the get go. You will need to have played until Act 2 in the main game before you can go there. However, previous players can transfer their PS4 save to PS5 to access it immediately.
In terms of the story, Iki Island has a profound effect on the main character of Jin Sakai. He experienced a traumatic event when he was younger, but now he's back in the place that still haunts his dreams. The only reason he's back on the island is to stop the Mongols from invading the mainland.
The Mongols are now being led by a new enemy that calls herself The Eagle. The Mongols are so hated; Jin Sakai needs to team up with Raiders in order to get rid of them. Sakai also hates the Raiders, although the Mongols are still a bigger threat to him and his people.
While I won't spoil the story for you, there are a lot of big reveals in the plot. The DLC's narrate is just as engaging as the main story, albeit it's much shorter. I managed to finish the main story in around three hours, although you can prolong your adventure by doing side quests and other tasks littered throughout the island. You can expect well over 10 hours of additional gameplay if you want to 100% everything.
Jin Sakai also can use his horse to charge through enemies as a new skill. It can be very funny and satisfying seeing the horse run through a whole group of enemies while it's charging around the island. Another cool thing about animals in the game is that you can now pet cats too!
Overall, Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut is the definitive version of the game, and you must play it if you didn't pick it up last year. Not to mention playing the PS5 version is the best way to experience the game. The only downside is the main story is kind of short, but other than that the additional content is still fun to play.
Verdict: 9.0/10
