In order to bring authenticity to Ghost of Tsushima, an action-adventure game set in 13th century Japan, Sucker Punch Productions has recruited real-life samurai to help with their research. The game focuses on a samurai called Jin who is navigating the bloodshed of the first Mongol invasion of Japan, and features a sprawling open world set on the island of Tsushima.
Sucker Punch's previous titles include the Infamous franchise, which also featured open-world gameplay, though in modern cities rather than feudal Japan. The Infamous games are about people with superpowers, and as such the combat was often focused on big destruction, taking out groups of enemies using power moves, and quickly traversing the landscape. In Ghost of Tsushima Sucker Punch is slowing things down a bit, offering beautiful Japanese vistas, horseback riding, and an emphasis on one-on-one combat.
Related: Don't Worry, Ghost Of Tsushima Isn't As Challenging As Bloodborne
No one knows more about one-on-one samurai combat than actual samurai, so Sucker Punch invited Kuwami Masakumo and Ide Ryusetsu from the Tenshinryu Dojo to offer them guidance on bringing traditional fighting styles to life in the game. Sucker Punch shared photos from the visit on social media, joking about the "dangerous" part of their jobs. Check out some photos below.
While Sucker Punch are going pretty deep with their research for Ghost of Tsushima, the developer noted at E3 2018 that it's not intended to be a 100% historically accurate experience. Creative director Nate Fox explained, "This is a game inspired by history; we are not recreating history stone by stone." The combat system itself is based around three words: mud, blood and steel, and the gameplay footage shown at E3 also offered a glimpse of some of the stealth elements, which will allow players to take out enemies when they're outnumbered, or if a quiet approach is needed.
Jin has been described as a "samurai commando," so while he will demonstrate plenty of traditional combat techniques, he'll also have an array of other skills and tools he can use - like a grapping hook. The game features a progression system that allows players to pick up skills along the way, eventually transforming Jin into the legendary "Ghost" of the game's title. We're definitely eager to see more from Ghost of Tsushima's development as the game inches closer to its eventual release... whenever that might be.
More: Everything We Learned About Ghost of Tsushima At E3 2018
Ghost of Tsushima will be available exclusively for PS4, though it doesn't yet have a release date.
Source: Sucker Punch