Ghost of Tsushima is a labor of love. From its loving rendition of the real island of Tsushima to its Akira Kurosawa-inspired combat, the player can feel the blood, sweat, and tears that went into the game's development.
It took Sucker Punch 6 years to perfect Ghost of Tsushima's combat, and that dedication shows. Ghost ofTsushima's standoffs are tense one-on-one staredowns, where players can end opponents in one well-timed swing.
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The standoffs are one of Ghost of Tsushima's best features, but they can be frustrating to start. At a glance, it's simple. As the player approaches the enemy, they just press up on the D-pad when the standoff prompt appears. But there are certain preconditions that the player needs to meet before the game will show them that prompt.
Getting the Drop on The Opponent
Ghost of Tsushima offers players a good amount of tools for stealth. Paradoxically, a bit of stealth is required to start a standoff, but starting a standoff will alert the surrounding enemies to the player's presence.
The player has to approach a group of enemies while they are completely unaware of their presence. If the player has alerted the enemies but is in hiding, then it's far too late to start a standoff. As the player approaches, the standoff prompt will appear, and Jin will call out to the opponent, challenging them to a one-on-one duel.
There are ways this can go wrong, however. If Jin gets too close too quickly, the enemy will be startled before the player has a chance to challenge them. Make sure to approach slowly.
The prompt also seems more likely to pop up if the enemy has a possible clear line of sight with Jin as he approaches. They're most likely to get standoffs in open areas like Mongol territory entrances, stronghold fronts, and roads.
Improving Standoff Chances
Ghost of Tsushima offers the player plenty of upgrades, in the form of techniques, gear, and charms. The player can also increase their standoff streak by investing in "Standoff Streak" and "Improved Standoff Streak" in the techniques list. This allows them to perform multiple standoffs in a row.
For armor, the Ronin Attire and Ghost armor decrease enemy detection speed, which may help with the approach. The Sakai Clan armor increases the player's standoff streak and gives the player a chance to terrify enemies with each successful standoff.
Since standoffs cause quick kills, the player might want to invest in charms that activate with each kill. The Charm of Amaterasu heals with each kill, while the Charm of Takemikazuchi gives a damage buff.
Ghost of Tsushima is available now for PS4 and PS5.
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