While fans of the upcoming Ghost of Tsushima were unhappy about the delayed release, the additional time has allowed the development staff to interact with PlayStation community. On Thursday, Ghost of Tsushima director Nate Fox sat down with Famitsu and revealed exclusive details about the gameplay, history, and lore. Let’s dive in.
An Epic Samurai Drama
To say that Ghost of Tsushima is intriguing for the PlayStation community is an understatement. Fans across multiple contents are clamoring for the open-world samurai game. But for the longest time, supporters of Sucker Punch Productions knew little about the gameplay and lore. Last week, Sony featured Ghost of Tsushima in its State of Play update. This week, lead developer Nate Fox sat down with Famitsu for an in depth discussion.
While the State of Play went in-depth on the gameplay, Nate Fox divulged many details about the lore surrounding the Ghost of Tsushima. Here are the main takeaways from the discussion. Enjoy!
Lore Details
- Nate Fox’s goal was to create a Japanese world which still contained the power and elegance of the samurai. When researching the history of Japan, Fox became fascinated by Mongolian invasion of the Tsushima island.
- Upon learning that the power of Mongolia overwhelmed the residents of Tsushima, Fox asked the question, “What if a samurai survived the invasion?” Thus, the story behind Ghost of Tsushima was born.
- Central to the game’s lore is the Japanese term of “Genki.” Simply put, Genki is a form of original power that an individual derives from the depths of the earth and one’s own mind. Wanting the world to understand the importance of this often misunderstood term, Fox decided to forego a traditional HUD in favor of a more immersive and atmospheric approach. For example, woodland creatures will lead players to key areas, and wind direction replaces traditional waypoints. Simply put, let the environment be your guide!
- In an effort to learn more about Japanese culture, Nate Fox visited the island of Tsushima. Until that point, the western developer knew little about the differences between the Asian cultures. Armed with a cultural guide, Fox learned the difference between the Chinese temples and Japanese shrines. That history lesson aided Sucker Punch Productions in creating an authentic samurai game.
Gameplay Reveals
- Now for the Ghost of Tsushima gameplay reveals. Fox hints that players can execute a sort of timed attack that responds like a Sekiro “death blow” to enemies. This “one-shot” technique appears fundamental to Tsushima’s combat.
- Finally, Ghost of Tsushima releases with the option to choose between Japanese and English voice acting. Despite being a western studio based in Washington state, Nate Fox wants players to experience the game in Japanese. The reason? While western players may not be able to comprehend the language, the Japanese voice acting is immersive and properly sets the mood. Much like FromSoftware’s Sekiro, we encourage players to experience the game as the developer’s intended: in the local language.
Conclusion
We continue to be impressed by Sucker Punch Productions and the studio’s gameplay decisions for Ghost of Tsushima. It should come as no surprise that the game is an appropriate “swan-song” for the PlayStation 4. In contract to Sekiro and Nioh 2, which focus on linearity and combat, Ghost of Tsushima is the open-world samurai experience that fans have been waiting for. While open-world gameplay without a HUD was initially concerning, the presentation from the latest “State of Play” has us sold.
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