The unique setting is brimming with gorgeous vistas, side quests, and secrets. The gameplay, while not always difficult, provides plenty of variety in both exploration and combat. Because of how involved it is, some simple tricks might pass players by. Fortunately, there are many secret maneuvers and strategies some might have ignored or did not realize they could do in Ghost of Tsushima.
Updated on August 27th, 2021, by Jason Wojnar: As if an extensive open-world game taking anywhere between 25 and 50 hours to beat is not enough, Sucker Punch Productions recently re-released Ghost of Tsushima in the form of a director’s cut.
This new edition includes a new play area and story expansion called Iki Island. For anybody either revisiting this game or jumping into it for the first time, we decided to add more entries to this list of things you might not realize you can do during the campaign.
13 Returning To Tsushima From Iki Island Through Fast Travel
Before heading out to Iki Island, the game warns the player about the increased challenge ahead. It even lets players turn back after this message. Some players might still forge ahead regardless of their power or skill level.
Fortunately, anybody who finds themselves out of their league can always return to Tsushima via fast travel after the first couple of missions. On the PS5 the change between islands is instant. Even those playing on PS4 are met with surprisingly fast load times during fast travel.
12 Make The Game Easier With Accessibility Options
The director’s cut comes with more accessibility options than the original release. It is still not as extensive as other Sony exclusives like The Last of Us Part II, but it definitely is a step up from the original PS4 version.
Accessibility options are always great for gamers who otherwise not be able to play the game without them. There’s also nothing stopping any other players from using them to make the game a little more manageable. At the end of the day, everybody should play a single-player game the way they want.
11 Bowing At Certain Objects
Some gamers might be wondering what bowing is for, as the game never really explains the mechanic. Mostly, bowing in certain areas unveils easter eggs. Several places on the map clearly mark where Jin should bow for something to happen, such as unlocking extra dialogue or having animals react.
Others are not indicated and were pretty much discovered by chance. They don’t turn the tide in the war against the invading Mongol army, but it is amusing to spawn a bunch of frogs near a statue.
10 Fast Travel To Incomplete Objectives
Many games with checklists might only let players fast travel to these places once the goal is complete. Fortunately, this PS4 exclusive allows players to warp to any objective instantly once they discover it.
This way, even if one is disinterested in bonus activities, they can still use the markers to quickly zip around the map. It also makes cleaning up side activities for one hundred percent completion less of a chore. The same strategy works on Iki Island, especially since the main quest of the DLC barely uncovers the whole map.
9 Find New Side Quests By Talking To People In Town
Towns and camps are not only useful for upgrading equipment; the residents of these settlements also interact with the player.
The game will occasionally tell the player to press the right trigger, which will activate a small cutscene where an NPC directs Jin to a side quest. The player does not have to do them, but it is good to at least know their location.
Not only do people in towns lead Jin to new discoveries, but prisoners being held by the Mongol army do the same. Jin comes across them while traversing the world and the group is often easy to dispose of.
8 Sell Materials For Supplies
Supplies are valuable, but they are not only collectible Jin needs to upgrade his wares. Depending on where one’s priorities are, they may want more of one raw material than another. Those disinterested in linen, for example, can collect and sell them to vendors for Supplies, which act as the game’s main currency. Just be careful not to sell anything too valuable or desirable.
During the course of the Iki Island expansion, Jin earns the ability to store goods on his horse when the inventory is full. This means either having more resources saves up or more supplies from selling them all.
7 Go Back Into Stealth After Standoffs
Standoffs are the honorable way to approach an encounter and are dramatically stylish. Initiating one at a more populated camp does not mean the rest of the battle needs to be a loud, haphazard bout.
If the enemies are separated from the rest of the camp, Jin can go back into stealth mode after winning a standoff, and can even initiate a second standoff in the same area. At first, Jin can only take out an enemy during a standoff, but through upgrades and armor, the number grows higher, making this a more realistic technique.
6 Pet Foxes
This one is not so much a game-changer while exploring the island, but is a beautiful detail in which most gamers will likely indulge. Foxes lead Jin to Inari shrines. Afterward, the player can thank these wild animals by petting them. Simply go near them and press the right trigger. The animation is adorable and a relaxing respite from the threat of annihilation at the hands of invaders.
On Iki Island Jin can rest at animal sanctuaries and play his flute. Here he can charm other animals like cats and deer. The cats are as adorable as one would expect and probably friendlier to strangers than most real felines.
5 Change The Weather With The Flute
Part of the world’s beauty comes from how alive it feels. Weather is a large contributor to this, with thunderstorms raising tension and beautiful dawns easing anxiety.
The flute can change the weather. Through the menu, Jin can equip one of several songs which then influences the environment. Collecting crickets unlocks more tunes. Changing the weather with an instrument might not be realistic, but it is a wonderful detail and showcase for the game’s tech.
4 Follow Golden Birds
Foxes may lead to shrines, but they are not the only animal who guides Jin to bonuses. While riding on the horse, one will no doubt spot birds flying overhead. These also direct the player to objectives and other goodies. Those interested in exploring will easily become sidetracked by the number of bonus activities thrown at them while simply riding along to the next story mission.
3 Change The Weather With Gameplay
The internal conflict between the way of the samurai and the desire to do anything to save one’s home drives the plot. Whether the player mainly plays stealthily or with honor has little bearing on how the story plays out, but it does affect the world in more subtle ways.
If Jin acts more like the Ghost instead of a samurai, the world will be populated by more thunderstorms, perhaps implying Jin is upsetting the island’s balance of nature.
2 Block Arrows
This one is not immediately available, but it is a helpful technique that makes dealing with archers a little less of a headache. Progress far enough into the skill trees and Jin eventually gains the ability to block arrows.
During a battle, he should always go for these pesky sharpshooters first, and blocking their shots makes approaching them easier. Additionally, he can also shoot them from afar with his own bow and arrow.
1 Kill Up To Five Enemies In A Standoff
At first, Jin can only dispose of one enemy in a standoff. Spending technique points allows for an additional two enemies to die afterward. With his clan family armor upgraded, another two victims can fall to his blade during these moments.
All in all, Jin will be able to take out a maximum of five opponents with the right upgrades, making successful standoffs a huge advantage for the protagonist. This is particularly helpful in the DLC expansion where heavier enemies are more frequent. No matter their status, standoffs always take them out immediately.
Next: Mistakes Newbies Make In Ghost Of Tsushima (And How To Fix Them)
