Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Tsushima offers players the satisfying opportunity to engage in a standoff with their enemies. The advantages players get from successfully completing a standoff coupled with the quality of animations make this one of the most fulfilling and unique elements in the game.
In Ghost of Tsushima, players assume the role of Jin Sakai as he tries to win back the island of Tsushima from Mongol invaders. The game offers players plenty of chances to learn new skills and upgrade old ones, including standoff mode.
When a player encounters an enemy, an icon on the screen will instruct them to press up to begin the encounter. From there, players will have the chance to slay up to five enemies (depending on upgrades and their current outfit) in an intense, fast-paced succession of moves. If they’re successful, they gain the upper hand as well as an increase in resolve. But if not, their health goes down as well as their chances of winning.
The Best Elements of Ghost of Tsushima’s Stand-Off Mode
Perhaps the best part of stand-off mode is that it allows players to gain the upper hand easily. It’s not just that it allows players to quickly take out an enemy (or multiples) in a few swipes of their sword. It’s also that the mode allows players to kill bigger enemies, like brutes and leaders, that would otherwise take more effort. At first, players will only be able to kill up to two players in stand-off mode. But with upgrades, players will eventually be able to take down up to five enemies at once. This makes it all the easier to take out Mongol patrols, groups of bandits, or Ronin that players may encounter on route to their location. Similarly, a successful standoff gives players more resolve, giving them another advantage in the fight. As players upgrade their skills, they’ll be able to unlock more resolve, which allows them to heal and revive themselves after falling in battle.
It also helps that Ghost of Tsushima's combat animations themselves are impressive, and it's very satisfying watching the blade pierce the enemy in slow motion. The game itself is heavily inspired by classic samurai movies, so everything from the angle of the camera to the reactions of the enemies is meant to be realistic and entertaining, making standoff mode all the more satisfying.
Granted, standoff mode may be criticized for not being challenging, at least once players get the hang of it. But the point of it is not to be overly difficult. Rather, it provides a satisfying alternative to regular combat that provides several advantages in addition to its entertainment aspect. Players don’t have to choose to engage in combat, although they should give it a try, given that it’s one of Ghost of Tsushima’s most fulfilling elements.