Venture around Japan’s island of Tsushima as you ride horseback through realistic forests and mountains. Watch history unfold as you take part in this picturesque, adventure-based video game set in feudal Japan during the 13th century. For those interested in Japanese culture and history and especially those who like samurai films, here’s why you should play Ghost of Tsushima.

What is Ghost of Tsushima about? Beyond its visually appealing set-up and adventure through feudal Japan, you play the game as Jin Sakai, a samurai who reinvents himself as a dark, mysterious figure known as “The Ghost.” His main mission is to help liberate the island from Mongolian occupation.

It’s almost like a Japanese-based version of games like Assassin’s Creed or Red Dead Redemption where open-world action and plot meet incredible graphics and open terrain.

Explore the island of Tsushima, Japan

Ghost of Tsushima is like a walking tour through Tsushima in the 13th century. Its highly accurate depiction of life, landscape, and events is enough to take any historian or traveler on an interesting, virtual adventure. You’ll navigate along the Genkai Sea, enjoy life-like sunsets, venture through fields of vivid pink flowers, uncover Shinto shrines and soak in an onsen, a natural hot spring bath.

As you play the game, you’ll come across a number of tourist locations. This virtual tour will take you to Komoda Beach, a historical spot where Mongols made their first attack back in 1274. In the game, you can stand over Mt. Shiratake, looking down at the highly-detailed terrain, buildings, and sea that surround it.

Ghost of Tsushima has also created its own version of the Watadumi Shrine. This shrine is dedicated to deities from Japanese mythology. Two of the five torii shrine gates are built in the sea and, at high tide, the sea water surrounding the shrine is reminiscent of the palace of the Dragon God. However, during low tide, the first torii gate is accessible on foot.

There are several other spots to discover virtually while playing this impressive game. Take a visit to the Kaneda Fortress Ruins, which date back 1,350 years and have since largely been reclaimed by nature. Plus, see the Banshouin Temple, Kaneishi Castle Ruins, and beautiful Mount Ariake while exploring more of feudal Japan along the way.

Your travels around Tsushima are complemented by traditional Japanese music and instruments like the shakuhachi flute playing softly in the background during stealth missions and the thundering taiko drums playing during combat.

Another aspect of Japanese culture comes into play with Ghost of Tsushima: haiku poems. Throughout the game, the player constructs haikus from prewritten lines while contemplating nature and is rewarded with various headbands upon completion.

Players get to take part in historical events

In the 13th century, the Mongol Empire destroyed entire nations along their vigorous mission to conquer the East. As it happens, Tsushima Island is all that stands between mainland Japan and a massive Mongol invasion fleet led by Khotun Khan, the main antagonist in Ghost of Tsushima. As the island suffers from the first attack by the Mongols, Jin is one of the last surviving members of his clan. He must take on the fight for the freedom of Tsushima.

When you first start playing, the mission is quite simple. You must rescue Jin’s uncle, captured by the Mongols, who happens to be the leader of the Tsushima samurai. Eventually, things become more intense and historical as you must lead the resistance against the Mongol army and stop the invasion from spreading to mainland Japan. The events that transpire in Ghost of Tsushima pull from real history dating back to feudal Japan in 1274. Mongols did invade Tsushima Island, quickly overwhelming the awaiting samurai on Komoda Beach.

This is a video game though, and as with movies and TV series, it does not accurately depict historical events, but it does a good job of taking players back in time to what life could have looked like for a samurai in the 13th century.

The major historical difference within the game is that the characters depicted in Ghost of Tsushima never existed in history. No single samurai took on the Mongolian Invasion of Japan, and the armor isn’t quite accurate. However, you will still be in for a good look at history while enjoying this video game.

The spiritual philosophy of Zen Buddhism influenced the samurai and Japanese culture. For example, Zen meditation was important to the samurai because it taught them to calm the mind. Japanese culture such as tea ceremonies, monochrome ink painting, rock gardens and haikus originated with the samurai. As you play Ghost of Tsushima many of these historical aspects will feel relevant.

It’s a great game for those who love samurai films

If you are interested in samurai films, you will have a good time playing Ghost of Tsushima. You will basically be placing yourself inside a classic samurai movie. Take on the Mongolian military with fantastically detailed sword fights in feudal Japan—even in cinematic black and white.

Ghost of Tsushima offers a variety of customization options like “cinematic mode” where players can drop themselves in a Kurosawa movie with a nostalgic, film-grained, black-and-white filter over the game. This will give the sword fighting scenes even more of a classic feeling.

Even without the cinematic filter, the game is almost a samurai film in itself. The graphics feel real with even the smallest of details accounted for, making you feel like your’e fighting and living in a samurai film yourself.

This is a game that should interest travel, history, and samurai enthusiasts alike. Its high-quality graphics of feudal Japan, striking terrain and scenery, plus its samurai fighting scenes are sure to be enjoyed by anyone looking for a unique gaming experience. 

Ghost of Tsushima is available on PS5