Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut Review – The Best Just Got Better

Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut Review

Given that Ghost of Tsushima was our choice for 2020 ‘Game of the Year,’ I had no doubt that going into the newly minted ‘Director’s Cut‘ was going to be every bit as enjoyable as the first time through. But I’m ecstatic to say that my expectations have wholeheartedly been smashed. If you’ve been itching to jump back into Jin Sakai’s shoes, or if you’ve yet to take the plunge, I implore you to wait no longer. One of the best games of the decade just got better, and Tsushima island awaits.

I don’t want to spend too much time covering what COGconnected’s own James Paley said about the game upon its initial release. He hit the nail on the head. Ghost of Tsushima is an incredible journey highlighted by stunning visuals, intense, addictive gameplay, and performances from its cast that will make you weep. It’s utterly brilliant and a complete triumph for Sucker Punch Productions.

Most impressive, maybe, has been the shocking amount of post-launch DLC that’s been served up to us on a silver platter. For starters, and unbeknownst to all of us, Sucker Punch had an in-depth multiplayer mode cooking in the kitchen the entire time they were promoting the game. And when they dropped the news that we were going to be able to hack and slash and chop our way through missions designed for up to four of your closest friends, fans rejoiced. Then it launched and it was fantastic.

Surprise, Surprise

Now fast forward almost a year later and we’re getting another major update to Ghost of Tsushima in the way of the Director’s Cut. Included you’ll now find that both the game running at a buttery smooth 60 frames per second and a crystal clear 4K resolution awaits. I can’t stress enough how unbelievably gorgeous the environments look. They’re truly something everyone should experience for themselves.

While your surroundings may be the star of the show, I need to commend Sucker Punch’s implementation of the DualSense controller. The haptic feedback and adaptive triggers showcase what the DualSense is capable of much better than most games that have come along since the PS5’s release. And they use the speaker within the controller more effectively than any other game I’ve played. The ways in which the clashing of blades, the howling of the wind, or the melody of the flute resonates from my palms add a level of immersion that simply wasn’t there prior to the Director’s Cut.

Speaking of some of those new goodies found in the Director’s Cut, the Iki Island expansion has been breathtaking. Everything from the searing beaches to the wistful plains that echo the memories of Jin’s past is tremendously enticing to explore. It’s been a treat to dive deeper into the Sakai Clan history, especially given that the events surrounding the death of Jin’s father were left relatively untouched the first time around. Toss in a few minigames, a handful of fresh abilities – including a sweet horse-charge attack – and a piece or two of state-of-the-art armor, and you quickly realize that Iki Island is an ingredient list outlining how to properly bake downloadable content.

With Honor

As was the case upon launch, issues do pop up relatively infrequently but expect to find yourself a handful of audio and visual bugs. Nothing was ever bad enough to detract from my experience with Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut, but it’s worth mentioning that as well fleshed out as this remaster is, it does still bear a few of the burdens that the original carried.

Most concerning was the number of crashes I had to battle through. I’ve been kicked out to my home screen more times in the few days I’ve been playing the new content than I did the entire way through the game on PS4. And rarely does there ever seem to be any rhyme or reason as to why this is occurring. In any case, save often, and you’ll be fine. Though, if your save file becomes corrupted, that just means you get to play more Ghost of Tsushima. I’m not mad at that.

My words will never do justice for Ghost of Tsushima’s brilliance. James Paley summed it up better than I ever could: “[Ghost of Tsushima] revealed itself as a compelling, masterful work of art. Nothing feels useless or extraneous. The story wastes little time, the fights are all exuberant and engaging, the exploration is addicting, and the entire game is gorgeous.” I couldn’t agree more. And the Director’s Cut is miles ahead of the original. Go get it.

*** PS5 game code was provided by the publisher***