Sucker Punch’s upcoming samurai title,Ghost of Tsushima, is stacking up to look like a perfect send off for the final year of the PS4’s life cycle. Thanks to the recentPlayStation State of Play, players have been given a more in-depth look at protagonist Jin and how he will look and control when the game releases in July.
One thing that players have noticed and has been a fairly large topic of discussion among fans lately is how muchGhost of Tsushimalooks like theAssassin’s Creedfranchise. Some even look at Sucker Punch’s newest title for how itcan deliver whatAssassin’s Creedcan’t, with a heavy emphasis on Japanese history and allusions to eastern cinema.
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There are a number of comparisons betweenGhost of Tsushimaand theAssassin’s Creedseries from a surface level, especially when looking at how the former approaches combat through the “dishonorable” method of fighting. While mostAssassin’s Creedgames generally include this as the primary form of combat, with face to face combat avoided more often than not, the way the two handle stealth feel very similar, especially with theiconic assassinations. However, even the way that players can face their enemies in the “honorable” style of combat is reminiscent of the standard order of waiting in a circle of enemies and fighting primarily through parries and counters.
Assassinations and Chain Assassinations
As recentAssassin’s Creedtitles begun leaning more heavily on RPG style leveling systems, along with a grind that thankfullywon’t be included inAssassin’s Creed: Valhalla, the iconic assassination command has changed. This change is most notable inOdyssey, where getting a sneak attack on an enemy didn’t always result in an instant kill, often injuring the target instead and leading directly into combat.Ghost of Tsushimaseems to take notes for how this technique will work from earlier games, not only making the action an instant kill, but also opening up opportunities to use stealth to kill multiple enemies.
As early in the franchise asAssassin’s Creed 2, Ezio was given two hidden blades, both of which could be used simultaneously in order to dispatch two enemies at the same time. While there was no specific action to chain these together, if the player was fast enough, they could move through a group of enemies, eliminating targets as they walked. The dishonorable combat inGhost of Tsushimarewards players in a similar way, where speed and stealth result in quickly dispatching enemy combatants at a lower risk to the player dying in combat.
Counters and Parries
Keeping an eye on combat, the similarities extend beyond just the way the two games handle stealth, but also in howGhost of Tsushimawill handle the head-on combat. Namely, it’s the way that honorable combat will revolve greatly around countering and parrying enemies in order to break past their defenses and take advantage of the opportunities that a wild swing gives the player. Supposedly, thiscombat will be brutally difficult, requiring precise timing in order to stay alive as it will be possible for enemies to cut the player down in only a few strikes.
To a degree, this combat might be more similar to games likeSekiroandJedi: Fallen Orderas well, but the concept of facing off against a group of enemies and waiting for the perfect opportunity to counter is a core mechanic forAssassin’s Creedas well. There are plenty of games that implement a parry system, but in most cases relying on timing like this is an optional measure added to games to offer a risky way for players to test their skills with high rewards. So, whileGhost of Tsushimadoes have its own way of deviating from the games that inspired it, when viewed on a surface level while players are properly performing counters, it certainly maintains the appearance ofAssassin’s Creed.
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Helpful Animals
Animals, specifically birds like the eagle, have a long history in theAssassin’s Creedseries by helping to indicate locations for scouting out an area or indicating which ledges are safe to jump from. Birds and foxes are seen to offer a similar helping hand inGhost of Tsushima, leading players to hidden treasures and events that begin side quests and other adventures. Even the ability to pet animals like the foxes is afeature ofAssassin’s Creedtitles that was unfortunately removed forOdyssey, and likely won’t be returning forValhalla.
This isn’t necessarily a mechanic that is unique toAssassin’s Creed, nor is it unique when appearing inGhost of Tsushima. However, it should be noted that the Assassins have largely been tied to nature and animals, with the ability to instantly tame horses and call upon eagle vision. So, giving Jin this deep connection with animals and nature only deepens the ties between his skills and abilities and those of the Assassin Brotherhood.
The Differences Will Define The Game
While the comparisons are easy to make, callingGhost of TsushimatheJapaneseAssassin’s Creedthat fans have been waiting for, it’s the differences that look to make the upcoming release such a standout PS4 exclusive. The minimalist HUD design, relying on the above mentioned animals and calling on the wind to give direction rather than waypoints or a flashy radar, is a strikingly original concept for an open world title. Compare that to the stylish way that the Science Fiction framing of theAssassin’s Creedfranchise has determined the HUD in the past, and looking at two screenshots side by side couldn’t be more different.
Similarly, whileGhost of Tsushimalacks a karma systemthat Sucker Punch had previously made standard for many of the company’s previous releases, giving the player a choice in how to approach combat opens the game more thanAssassin’s Creedtitles. This means that, while actions will likely have consequences, players won’t be constrained to the same limits of who they can kill and how. So, even with the surface level similarities that really makesGhost of Tsushimalook like anAssassin’s Creed, players will likely find exactly how different they can be while playing.
Ghost of Tsushimais set to release on July 17, for PS4.
