Ghost of Tsushima follows several patterns that will be familiar to most gamers. Horse rides spent talking to ones companions like in Red Dead Redemption 2, side quests with depth and character definition like the Witcher 3, and the camp-clearing, island-liberating gameplay of Assassins Creed Odyssey. Like Odyssey, Jin can choose to approach his objectives head-on or using stealth and assassination tools. Unlike that game, however, Ghost of Tsushima brilliantly influences the gameplay decisions of the player through the story and characterization of Jin’s tactics, personality, and relationships, making the simple decision (especially early on in the game) of how to fight a key internal conflict for its’ main character and, vicariously, for the player as well.
