Infamous studio Sucker Punch Productions, Ghost of Tsushima is an open-world action game where stealthy samurai Jin Sakai battles against invading forces in Feudal Japan. The game is the last major exclusive release for Sony's PlayStation 4, and fans are flocking to see the console off in style.
Ghost of Tsushima's Jin isn't just limited to his skills with a katana (though he's certainly not lacking in that department). His arsenal ranges from black powder bombs to stealth kills from rooftops. He has elemental stances to power him up, and he can slay hundreds of men without breaking a sweat. Like many other historically minded open-world games before it, Ghost of Tsushima seemingly bends the rules of history in order to give players a more fulfilling experience. However, the game seemingly leans more towards Rurouni Kenshin than Samurai Champloo, presenting itself as somewhat stone-faced and embedded in historical accuracy.
In an in-depth interview with samurai historian Paul O’Brien, time in which Ghost of Tsushima's set. He explained, "At the time of the invasion of Tsushima, the samurai didn’t wear a katana, and certainly not in the belt with the edge upturned as Jin does. That didn’t really come into fashion until about the 1400s."
O'Brien also mentioned that Jin wouldn't have been able to use black powder bombs and other explosives, as the invading Mongol forces he fights in the game were the ones who introduced it to Japan. However, at least some of his elemental stances are based on real-world martial arts, although they don't actually give you alternate abilities like on the PS4. Also in the accurate category is the fact that Jin finishes off the opponents he injures on the field of battle. O'Brien recalled being taught a similar technique during his martial arts training, and said it was to prevent cursing the opposition with a slow death caused by gangrene.
Whether historically accurate or not, Ghost of Tsushima clearly lets players delve into an ancient past and explore at their own pace. The full interview is full of incredible insight from the samurai expert. While it's good to think critically about any creative medium, it's also important to let creators play around with history to create a better product, so long as they don't do so to the subject's and players' detriment. Just because gunpowder couldn't actually be part of Jin's arsenal, it doesn't mean that Ghost of Tsushima is any less fun or valuable as an interactive experience.
Ghost of Tsushima is available now on PlayStation 4.
Source: TheSixthAxis
