Ghost of Tsushima PS4 release date update – when is the samurai epic coming out, when is it set and is there gameplay?
GHOST OF TSUSHIMA was revealed in October of 2017, three and a half years after developer Sucker Punch published their previous game.
Gameplay was shown off at E3 2018, and while little has been seen of the samurai epic since, we know it's going to come out for PlayStation 4.
When and where is it set?
Ghost of Tsushima is set at a very specific moment in history -- just after the Mongol invasion of Japan in 1274.
It is set on the very real island of Tsushima, which is found between the southern Japanese island of Kyushu and the Korean peninsula.
It pits you as Jin, one of a handful of samurai who survived the first wave of that invasion, looking to reclaim his homeland.
What has been shown off so far?
The demo shown off at E3 2018 showed off a side mission in the main story, and some of the open world you need to ride through to get to it.
The amber waves of grain rippling in the same wind that's fanning the flames on a distant temple in the opening moments of that demo betray the game's debt to Kurasawa, as the developers freely admit. It's so pretty it's easy to forget you're in an open world that will let you run through those fields and go check out that temple on the horizon.
That demo just showed a tiny slice of one side story off to the side of the main thrust of the game. The combat within looks polished, and the main story about a Samurai's struggle to adapt to asymmetric warfare looks likely to be compelling too.
The combat looks slick, grisly and solid too. Severed limbs and arcs of blood frozen in mid air show it's just not just the environment that Sucker Punch have been focused on getting right. If its supported by a great story, then the game's combat with real tension and genuine peril at every turn looks to have the makings of a classic.
If the idea of stepping into the world of Kurasawa with three feet of sharpened steel in your hand appeals, then Ghost of Tsushima will be the game for you. As a bonus for those looking for an even more authentic experience, Sucker Punch also confirmed to Sun Online that you'll be able to play through the entire game with Japanese dialogue and English subtitles.
When and how is it coming out?
We do know the game is being published by Sony Computer Entertainment, and is going to be a PlayStation exclusive.
The demos at E3 2018 showed it running on PS4 Pro hardware, so it's safe to assume you won't have to wait for the PlayStation 5 to play it.
That was confirmed when Sony briefed investors on the future of PlayStation in May 2019, making it clear that the PS4 was going to be "the engine of engagement and profitability" until at least 2022, and that Ghost of Tsushima was one of a number of exclusive games still to come out for the platform.
That doesn't mean it won't come out for PS5 too, though, with several games expected to span both generations.
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