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Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut Review on PS5

September 8, 2021

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The PlayStation 4 blockbuster has returned bigger and better in Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut. Developer Sucker Punch Productions has added to samurai warrior Jin Sakai’s original adventure with story and technical enhancements. The Directors Cut includes the original full game, digital bonus content, a co-op Legends mode and a brand-new region to explore. There are some key differences between the PS4 and PS5 versions that I’ll outline to help with your purchasing decision.

Whether this your first time adventuring through the game, or your fifth, let’s explore if revisiting Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut is worth your time.

Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut Details

Platforms: PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5
Reviewed on: PlayStation 5
Developer: Sucker Punch Productions
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Genre: Action Role-Playing Game
Game mode available: Single Player and Multiplayer
ESRB ranking: M (Mature, 17 years and over)

The Legend of Jin Sakai

You’ll take on the role as Jin Sakai, a samurai warrior defending his homeland, Tsushima Island. The game takes place during the Mongol invasion of 1274 and the events following the incursion. The first wave of the attack leaves your forces broken and scattered. It’s up to you to rally support around the island and create a guerilla army to take back your home. Once you gather your team of warriors you can finally take on Mongolian General Khotu in a final showdown.

Ghost of Tsushima’s story unfolds across a visually stunning open-world environment. The setting becomes part of the story, revealing new side quests and breathtaking scenery the more it is explored.

Ghost of Tsushima was released on PlayStation 4 in July 2020, Best Buy Canada’s own Jon Scarr completed a detailed review of the base game, be sure to check it out.

A new location in Iki Island

In the Director’s Cut, there is an entirely new region to explore. After reaching the second act of the game, Iki Island becomes available to adventure through. The island features new story beats and challenging foes that add hours of playtime to the experience.

Iki is controlled by a new Mongol tribe leader, Ankhsar Khatun, aka, “The Eagle.” Khatun poses all new threats to the Sakai and his people, adding hallucinogenic poison to the islander’s arsenal. In addition to this, the Eagle tribe has eyes in the sky. They can spot and track you using Eagles as reconnaissance aides making it harder to employ stealth tactics. Jin recognizes this new threat, and heads to the island to stop the tribe from reaching Tsushima. Here, he will be faced with physical and psychological challenges as he meets this new danger head-on.

Key differences between Ghost of Tsushima on PS4 and PS5 versions

The Director’s Cut is available on the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, but the PS5 version has the biggest changes. Both versions feature the full game, a “Hero of Tsushima” skin set, Hachiman’s Favor charm, a Technique Point, digital mini art book, and director’s commentary. They also both have the “Legends mode,” a co-operative multiplayer experience that lets you take on new missions inspired by Japanese mythology.

The PlayStation 5 version is a cut above

The PS5 Director’s Cut enjoys many benefits that only the power of the new hardware can provide. It boasts faster load times, DualSense haptic feedback, 3D Audio Support and a Japanese lip-sync option. The latter audio option is possible because the PS5 has the horsepower to render voice data in real-time. The fully lip-synced Japanese audio tracks really add a new level of authenticity to the experience. This sound option was one of the most requested features, it was great to see it make the cut on PS5.

Ghost of Tsushima’s visual performance on PS5

The visuals on the PS5 are also worth noting, as it takes an already beautiful game and makes it even more stunning. The next-gen hardware employs dynamic 4K resolution while targeting 60 fps. You also are given an option for the visuals, by selecting either Resolutionor Performance. Resolution dials up the visual detail while lowering the framerate. Performance on the other hand dials up framerate and lowers resolution, it was great to have the option. I picked the Resolution option to squeeze more detail out of the stellar photo mode.

Overall thoughts on Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut

Whether you are returning to Tsushima Island, or visiting for the first time, the Director’s Cutis worthwhile. Sucker Punch Productions listened to fan feedback and included many performance and quality of life upgrades to further streamline an already great experience.

This is especially apparent on the PS5 with the real-time lip-synced Japanese audio tracks. It’s a real testament to the commitment Sucker Punch made to respecting the era and samurai experience. On top of these additions, a brand-new region to explore in Iki Island was also included. From graphical upgrades, gameplay improvements and the inclusion of new bonus content this is the best, most comprehensive edition of a PlayStation classic. I highly recommend joining Jin Sakai again for another breathtaking adventure, you won’t regret it.

+ Epic storytelling narrative
+ Deep supporting characters
+ Beautiful, open world environments
+ Gameplay is very precise from combat to traversal

– Enemy AI still needs improvement
– Side quests could use a little more variety
– Japanese lip syncing isn’t perfect on PS5