Island of opportunities
The original Ghost of Tsushima is still one of my favorite games on the PlayStation 4. Sucker Punch did an excellent job of crafting one of the most polished open-world adventures of the last generation. When I heard they were bringing that experience to PS5 with a host of new features as well as a full new area to explore I was excited. Any excuse to return to the world of Tsushima is a good one. With the PS5 release not only do we get expanded content, but the game also takes advantage of the new hardware in a variety of ways. The real question is it enough to warrant the introductory price tag.
Let’s get this out of the way first. Getting Ghost of Tsushima on PS5 (or the new content on PS4) involves a few methods. Players wanting Iki Island for PS4 can pay $19.99 for the expansion alone. If they want to upgrade to the PS5 version with Iki Island, it is $29.99. The standalone Director’s Cut for those that don’t own the PS4 version is a standard $69.99. So, however players want to experience this expansion, there are options available for all.
MSRP: $69.99 (PS5) $59.99 (PS4) $19.99 (DLC)
Platforms: PlayStation
Price I’d Pay: $69.99
First let’s talk about the PS5-specific updates. Owners of the PS4 version who owned a PS5 have already received a patch to implement 60fps in the original game. This new version offers up a graphics and performance option. The performance mode remains my go-to, especially now with the even less impactful hit to resolution. Sucker Punch has also taken full advantage of the Dual Sense controller. The haptic feedback is evident right from the title screen. The wind whooshing by can be felt subtly in the controller. Everything makes a dynamic impact from petting foxes to clashing steel. The immersion is really well done.
The speaker also comes into play in various moments. The sound of the wind as well as the voices inside Jin’s head in certain sequences really leave an impact. There is a new horse mechanic where Jin can ram into enemies and the effect on the Dual Sense is really great. The triggers also feature feedback in the instance of using the bow. Pulling back requires a little extra force to get a full extension. It is a subtle touch, but it works fantastically.
Getting into the heart of this update though is the new area Iki Island. This new part of the map opens up after gaining access to Act 2. I do recommend waiting to tackle this until the main story of the game is complete though. It just feels like it belongs there. Luckily, I was able to bring over my save from the PS4 version. It is also great that players don’t have to have it installed or re-download it to gain access to the save. It just needs to exist in the cloud.
The new area has a few new progression upgrades to obtain, and progress is separate from the main area. Outside of that it feels like a good extension of the main areas in the game. There are moments of brilliance on this new island while plenty of familiar designs as well. Ghost of Tsushima was already a stunning game on PS4 and things don’t change much here. One of the biggest disappointments of the original game was the lip syncing with the Japanese track. That has been updated here and now when using the original language, the lips match up. It still feels a bit off, but it is much better than seeing the Japanese track as a dub.
Iki Island is one of the most difficult areas of Tsushima. The game even warns players before venturing to it to be prepared. It didn’t help that it had been a while since I played the original, so I had to get myself back into the swing of combat. There are new enemy types, but the most impactful are the Shamans. These characters lay in the backline and chant to buff your opponents. This adds a new layer of strategy to work to the backline and take them out first to make the regular enemies less stressful. It is a small change that makes a huge difference in combat.
Iki Island is a nice addition to an already amazing game. For anyone who hasn’t experienced Ghost of Tsushima you are in for a treat. For players like me returning to the world it is worthy content. The expansion can last anywhere from 5-10 hours depending on your completion mentality. It is a worthy expansion worth the price of admission and as good of an excuse as any to revisit one of the best games of last generation.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
