Ghost of Tsushima features an expansive and beautiful world that was purposely designed by developer Sucker Punch Productions to encourage exploration. What players need to know is that going far and beyond the main campaign will have its rewards. Ghost of Tsushima literally hides loot of significance like notable weapons behind the prospect of exploration.
Speaking with Press-Start in a recent interview, game director Nate Fox stated that Ghost of Tsushima is about story and exploration, not about loot drops. Simply following the path set forth by the main campaign will not give access to all of the weapons and abilities. To be completely decked out with the most powerful weapons, for example, players will need to explore every nook and cranny of the in-game world.
If you go on Jin’s journey from Samurai to Ghost, you’ll get access to some abilities and some weapons but if you really want the full diversity of possibilities, you have to explore, you have to meet side characters, you have to go places that you know you’re not really even told exist. That’s why the world is rewarding right. We want to make sure that if you take the time you get something from it, that allows you to modify the play style. To get more diversity, and how you go after solving problems.
Hence, the exploration-heavy design will also add to replay value. Unless players get it right the first time, they will most probably miss out on a lot of loot that will mean a second or more play-throughs.
One of the big challenges of making a game like this, where we’re looking to capture that wandering Samurai experience is being okay with the fact that not all of the things that we make whether it be missions or abilities are going to be seen by every player. That is the nature of giving people freedom.
Previously, Sucker Punch Productions confirmed that Ghost of Tsushima will have no waypoints to guide players and nor will there be any arrows of sorts to indicate the shortest path to their next destination. Instead, it will be the “landmarks and your knowledge of the world” that the developer claimed will help players navigate.
Ghost of Tsushima is scheduled to release exclusively for PlayStation 4 on July 17, 2020. The game was previously tagged for June 26, 2020, but challenges brought forth by COVID-19 resulted in a month-long delay.
