Ghost of Tsushima

Ghost of Tsushima is an open-world action-adventure from Sucker Punch Productions. Samurai Jin Sakai defends his home island of Tsushima during the Mongol invasion. The central conflict of the game arises between the views of his uncle Shimura and the increasingly unconventional methods of “Ghost”.

Sword fights, stealth sections, exploration and narrated side stories alternate in the open world. The later Director’s Cut includes Iki Island, a large story expansion, as well as the separate, cooperative Legends mode. The story is fictional and cannot be equated with historical documentation.

The first release of Ghost of Tsushima on PS4 took place on July 17, 2020. The Director’s Cut came out on August 20, 2021 on PS4 and, as a standalone native version, on PS5. This bundles the Iki expansion and offers, among other things, improved loading times, support for DualSense features and Japanese lip-sync in real-time sequences.

On May 16, 2024, PlayStation released the Windows version implemented by Nixxes as the Director’s Cut. The PC port includes the main campaign, Iki Island and Legends. The original version, editions and platform releases must not be counted as different games on the same platform.

PS4 carries the original release and the later Director’s Cut. PS5 has had its own native Director’s Cut version since August 2021 – not just the PS4 version via backward compatibility. PC received a standalone Windows port in May 2024.

PS5 players benefit from haptic feedback, adaptive triggers and additional audio options. The PC version offers various graphics presets, ultrawide support and configurable inputs. Cloud versions and compatibility features do not create an additional native platform.

Jin Sakai can fight enemies in open katana duels or proceed with stealth and targeted surprise attacks. These different approaches are woven into the narrative: the conflict between traditional samurai honor and Jin's Ghost tactics shapes his path. Timing, parries, dodging and various techniques define direct fights; other options open up from ambush.

Beyond the main story, exploration and side stories lead through the open island world. Landscape, weather and cinematic presentation are essential parts of the experience. The optional Kurosawa mode uses a black-and-white aesthetic inspired by classic samurai films, without replacing the campaign with a separate storyline.

The large expansion Iki Island sends Jin to a neighboring island and confronts him with his own past. The story brings new characters, enemy types and areas, as well as additional armor, techniques and exploration content. On PlayStation, Iki is accessible after sufficient progress in the main story.

The Director’s Cut combines the main game and expansion. On PS4, alongside the original release, there are also upgrade paths to the Director’s Cut; the native PS5 version and the Windows port are offered as separate versions. When comparing editions, you should distinguish the content: bonus items or upgrades are not complete alternatives to the main game.

The official minimum configuration for Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut targets 720p at 30 frames per second: Intel Core i3-7100 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200, GeForce GTX 960 with 4 GB or Radeon RX 5500 XT, 8 GB RAM and 75 GB storage. Windows 10 64-bit is required, and an SSD is already recommended at the entry level.

For the mid-range profile at 1080p at 60 FPS, PlayStation lists Core i5-8600 or Ryzen 5 3600, RTX 2060 or Radeon RX 5600 XT, 16 GB RAM and 75 GB SSD. Higher settings for 1440p or 4K require more powerful hardware. These details specifically concern the 2024 PC port, not the original PS4 version.

Ghost of Tsushima: Legends is a separate multiplayer mode alongside Jin’s story campaign. It offers shared story missions for two players, four-player survival groups and the competitive Rivals mode with two teams of two players each. Samurai, Ronin, Hunter and Assassin differ in their roles and abilities; Legends bases its atmosphere on Japanese mythology.

The mode is included in the Director’s Cut but also appears in the PlayStation Store as a standalone purchase. On PC, online access requires a PlayStation account. Cross-platform invites between PC, PS4 and PS5 are officially documented; the originally released crossplay method is labeled as beta. A co-op mode for the regular Jin Sakai campaign is not meant here.

The Windows version by Nixxes supports ultrawide formats such as 21:9, 32:9 and even 48:9, including across multiple screens. Freely adjustable frame rates, various graphics presets, mouse and keyboard mapping, and NVIDIA DLSS 3, AMD FSR 3 and Intel XeSS are among the documented PC features.

Controllers are fully supported via the PC version; when used wired, a DualSense can provide haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. Certain friends and trophy functions can also be reached via the PlayStation overlay. For the single-player campaign, using the overlay is optional, while the separate Legends online mode has its own sign-in requirements.

The Windows version offers various settings for usability and readability. According to PlayStation Support, subtitle colors, names, backgrounds and a large text display can be adjusted. The visibility of the leading wind as well as hints for parrying and dodging can be improved.

Further options simplify individual minigames, allow toggling of actions that would otherwise require holding a button, and offer target assist or indicators for ranged attacks. The effect of certain flash weapons can also be changed. The Kurosawa mode remains a cinematic black-and-white presentation and does not replace any of these accessibility features.

The name Ghost of Tsushima can refer to the original PS4 version or the expanded Director’s Cut. The key difference is Iki Island: the story expansion is included in the Director’s Cut edition. The native PS5 Director’s Cut adds certain technical features, while the Windows version includes the main game along with Iki and Legends.

Upgrade and bonus items are not standalone base games. Likewise, Legends on PlayStation refers to a separately available multiplayer area, but not the full single-player campaign. The price comparison therefore covers only the native base game versions on PC, PS4 and PS5.