Ghost Of Tsushima: Director’s Cut
Jin up, Sony’s pricey upgrade justifies its cost
You can’t help raising an eyebrow at Sony’s decision to lock PS5-enhanced features behind a paywall. With multiple options for buying Ghost Of Tsushima, from digital upgrades to a full-price physical edition, it can be confusing. But that shouldn’t overshadow the fact this is the definitive edition of a great game, boosted by PS5 features.
We’ll leave the politics of paying for others to fight over on message boards. So, here’s why Ghost Of Tsushima: Director’s Cut should be in your PS5 collection, whichever way you get there (a £24.99 upgrade or £69.99 for the full game). The game wraps its arms around the SSD and hugs the *blorp* out of it. An open-world adventure where you can fast travel anywhere in less than a second? That’s a gift. Other features, such as 3D audio and haptic feedback come into their own; you can physically feel Jin’s sword unsheathing, and the clip-clop of your horse’s hooves changes in feel as you cross sand and rock. Best of all is Sucker Punch’s use of the DualSense’s speaker to play ambient sounds and songs, made particularly unnerving as the Eagle’s nightmare visions swirl from the TV into your hands.
Which brings us to Director’s Cut’s biggest addition (aside from compiling the previously released free multiplayer co-op mode, Legends): the Iki island expansion. At the start of Act 2 Jin can travel from Tsushima to connect with his own tragic past, come to terms with his father’s death, and confront a new Mongol enemy, a witch called the Eagle.
A CUT ABOVE
The core action remains intact, with Jin’s four-stance fighting style enabling him to counter different enemy attacks, learn new Ghost techniques (your horse can now charge into groups of enemies) and take part in more minigames – calm the cats and deer of Iki with motion-controlled flute challenges. This expansion doesn’t distract from Jin’s main quest to oust the Mongols from Tsushima, and even presents a clever MacGuffin to reset the game’s reputation-based challenges: Jin’s clan is hated as its members were responsible for a previous massacre. Iki plays like a condensed version of the main game, complete with new heroes, sidekicks, and a buff-enabled armour – a monkey-pirate themed set for counter-attack enthusiasts.
There’s enough fresh material to justify the upgrade fee, but more importantly Director’s Cut’s PS5 features offer the originality missing in the PS4 game. The result is that last year’s solid adventure now feels fresher and more vital.
The PS4 original is enhanced in clever ways on PS5, and what you do on Iki island builds on the lore and ideas of the main game in clever ways. A must-play on PS5. Ian Dean