Released in 2020, Ghost of Tsushima is an action-adventure game developed by Sucker Punch Productions and published by Sony. The game is set during the first Mongol invasion of Japan. The players control Jin Sakai, a samurai on Tsushima Island. As Jin, players have the option to either abide by the warrior code and fight honorably or to use stealth tactics, thereby lowering casualties but abandoning the path of honor.
The game features an open world that players can traverse on foot or horseback. Jin Sakai has the ability to switch between different combat stances, with each stance being effective against different types of enemies. Encounters with enemies offer the choice of direct confrontation using Jin Sakai’s katana and melee skills, or to become the stealthy Ghost. The protagonist can also use a bow and arrow to dispatch enemies at range.
The game is based on the actual Tsushima Island, located between mainland Japan and South Korea. Although it isn’t an exact geographical replica, it does have a similar shape and other related features. The game is set in the historical atmosphere of feudal Japan, where Mongols have invaded the lands. As in real life, the lands of Tsushima feature various environments from lush forests to epic mountains with many secrets hiding off the paths.
Cheats in Ghost of Tsushima
Like many modern console and PC games, Ghost of Tsushima doesn’t have actual cheats. This means that there is no way for the player to access godlike powers, move through walls, or access all items with a simple press of a button.
There’s no way in the game to enter cheat codes, which means that gamers have to find a way to empower the characters in regular ways. However, the game does have a difficulty setting, which might give a player an easier way to progress through the game.
Although the game prompts the player to choose a difficulty setting when they start, this isn’t locked in for the rest of the game. If you are playing on a harder difficulty, you can change the difficulty setting to an easier one, or vice versa, during the game.
There are three difficulty modes: Easy, Medium, and Hard. For beginners, and those who want to explore the world with as little resistance as possible, the Easy setting is preferred. Thankfully, changing the setting doesn’t affect achievements, known as trophies on PlayStation. All 52 trophies in Ghost of Tsushima are accessible with Easy difficulty. In essence, this might seem like a cheat if you’ve been playing on harder difficulties.
Trick to Finding Points of Interest
While there aren’t actual cheats available in Ghost of Tsushima, there are ways to make the game and accessing the trophies easier. These include birds that guide the player to hidden locations. Taking note of these songbirds can help the player find secret locations, write haikus to access custom gear, get their hands on the Mongol Artifacts, and much more.
Yellow Songbirds
There’s a unique feature in Ghost of Tsushima that guides players in their adventures on the island. Instead of a UI element that tells where the player might find treasure, there are special yellow songbirds that appear to hint to the player.
Listen to and take note of the sounds of the birds when roaming the lands of Tsushima. If you hear one, it can guide you to a place of interest. You can also activate Focused Hearing if you can’t seem to locate the bird.
Depending on the location, the birds can take you to Mongol encampments, haiku locations, or side quests, among other things. The birds are a valuable way to make exploring important locations faster in Ghost of Tsushima.
Haiku Locations
Speaking of haikus, the game has a poem feature, allowing players to acquire special gear. Players must compose haikus in special locations, often hidden away, to acquire custom headgear. Accessing each of these locations can be hard, but the help of the yellow songbirds and knowing the general location can make it easier. Here are the locations of the haikus.
Izuhara – Act 1:
- Shigeroni’s Peak: Kashine Haiku (Headband of Fear)
- Ohama Fishing Village: Tsutsu Haiku (Headband of Death)
- Lake Izuhara: Ariake Haiku (Headband of Refuge)
- Kuta Grasslands: Azamo Haiku (Headband of The Invasion)
- Wolf Cub Falls: Komoda Haiku (Headband of Defeat)
- Old Woodman’s Canopy: Hiyoshi Haiku (Headband of Peace)
- Hiyoshi Springs: Hiyoshi Haiku #2 (Headband of Serenity)
- Black Sands Inlet: Komatsu Haiku (Headband of Strife)
Toyotama – Act 2:
- Old Kanazawa Marsh: Akashima Haiku (Headband of Uncertainty)
- Field of the Equinox Flower: Umugi Haiku (Headband of Perseverance)
- Benkei’s Falls: Kushi Haiku (Headband of Preservation)
- Musashi Coast: Otsuna Haiku (Headband of Survival)
- Omi Lake: Kubara Haiku (Headband of Rebirth)
Kamiagata – Act 3:
- Guardian’s Ridge: Sago Haiku (Headband of Hope)
- North of Kin Sanctuary: Kin Haiku (Headband of Ruin)
- Whaler’s Coast: Jogaku Haiku (Headband of Strength)
In addition to these 16 locations, three haikus are done as a part of a quest. Two of these are in the main storyline and one is in the Tales of Tsushima questline after the main storyline.
Other Tips
There are many other ways to make achieving everything in the game easier. Learning how to use the stance system is a major upgrade to just randomly hacking and slashing. If enemies seem too tough, you might not be using parry enough. However, some hints help with specific trophies. Some trophies are hard to come by if you don’t know where to look or what to do. Here are a few tips to access some of the trophies.
A Moment in Time: This is one of the simpler ones to cross off your trophy list. Simply open up the in-game Photo Mode and you’ve achieved the trophy.
Dirge of Fallen Forge: This is an easy trophy once you know where to access it. It only requires the player to play Lament of the Storm on a flute at a specific grave. You’ll need to find the friend’s grave, which is located to the east of Yarikawa, on the cliff edge. Remember, to access this, you must complete the Act 2 quest A Reckoning in Blood.
Cooper Clan Cosplay: To access this trophy, the player needs to dress up as Sly Cooper from the developer’s platformer franchise. Players need to access the specific set of items and wear them at the same time. The items are Crooked Kama Headband, Thief’s Wrap, Gosaku’s Armour with Ocean’s Guardian dye, and Sly Tanuki.
Monochrome Masters: You just need to buy a dye from the White Dye Merchant and the Black Dye Merchant. The former is found to the southeast of Komoda and the latter to the north of Yarikawa.
FAQ
Does Ghost of Tsushima have a PC release planned?
While there is no release date for a Ghost of Tsushima port, the developer is planning on releasing it on PC eventually. This likely means that in the near future, perhaps by late 2023 or early 2024, we might be able to acquire it on Steam.
Is Ghost of Tsushima based on real events?
Ghost of Tsushima has an original story that is loosely based on historical events. The island of Tsushima really exists, and there indeed was a Mongol invasion on the island in the 13th century.
Is Ghost of Tsushima friendly for beginners?
The game can definitely be challenging and sometimes even brutally unforgiving. However, players can choose between three difficulties to try and meet their skill level. Also, by using combat mechanics like parrying and appropriate stances, players should be able to advance.