I’m…maybe close to the end of the DLC for Ghost of Tsushima (Sucker Punch Productions), and I will say that I hope so because I’m so wiped out. I want to go back to the–oh yeah.
*SPOILER WARNING*
fight with the Khan. I mentioned in my last post that my uncle ostensibly helped me with the Khan fight (by bringing his samurai to the stronghold). Why do I say ostensibly? Beccause I didn’t really see him or his samurai doing jackshit. And, as I mentioned, I had to kep an eye on my allies because if they fell, then I had to revive them.
Back to the DLC. I have included Skill Up’s video on the Director’s Cut edition below. He talks about the improvements which did not matter to me because I play on the PC and I hate haptics. He’s right on the content, though. It’s thin on the ground and very similar to the main game. I’m glad I waited until after the main game to play it because while I could have played it at any point…I want to say as soon as I got into the second act–but definitely before I got into the third act.
I’m not into the story of the DLC, but at least I get to see bits of the main story in a different way. But, yes, there are references to my duel with my uncle and other late-game happenings. I do wonder if they simply don’t show up if you haven’t done them yet. They aren’t cutscenes or anything like that. You find different dead bodies around the island and when you examine them, the antagonist taunts you and shows you scenes from your past, but superimposed with them saying negative things to you (or the antagonist saying negative things about you).
My irritation with the DLC continued with a scrpited death–er capture. I knew the enemies were harder in the DLC than in the main game so when I went to Camp Sakai and had to take on the enemy, I wasn’t surprised that I couldn’t get them in one or two hits. I was surprised, though, that I could not get any block. I’m not trying to get parries even though they are easier than in From games, but I could at least block. I don’t think I could use my ghost tricks, either. after I kept losing health and could not actually block for the fifth or sixth time, I realized that I was supposed to die or be captured. I gave up and just let them do their thing.
I was taken to their lair, met up with the big bad, and made to drink poison. (There were plenty of signs/hints/actual words that posion was going to be a big thing. I maanged to get free, but the poison apparently stayed with me. Not all the time, but just now and again. I’m glad it’s not all the time, but it doesn’t really make sense that it would only show up periodically.
I hate this big baddie because of the narcissism on display. I have the hardest time with people whot hink they are the shit and cannot be dissuaded on this point. The ones who if you’re not for them, then you are against them–there is no in between. It’s even worse when they say that they’re doing whatever they’re doing for your own good.
Positives for the DLC: monkey sanctuaries, cat sanctuaries, and deer sanctuaries. I don’t like having to play the flute (keeping a green dot between two wavy green lines as they go by), but it’s very generous with what ‘keep the ball between the lines’ means. Although it would have been nice if they actually explained the mini-game at any one of the sanctuaries. The best part is that after I purify the sanctuaries, I get to pet the animals! Petting the cats instantly gives the game an extra point. (Not really, but I did like it.)
Other than that, though, it really is just more of the same. The scenery is just as gorgeous as the main game, but there isn’t much new to it. There is one new armor for me and one new armor for my horse, and I quietly resent that they refrigerated Kage in the third act of the main game even though Kaze is really good, too. But Kage would have looked so badass in the demon armor. *sigh*.
There are four shrines, each one dedicated to another PlayStation game. One of which is Bloodborne. Once you figure out the puzzle for each shrine, you get an armor set that fits the theme of that game. Which is cool, I guess, but not that big a deal and figuring out the shrines was too frustrating. I had to look them up because my brain just could not get it.
It’s interesting thinking about this game in comparison with Lies of Pi (Round8 Studio and NEOWIZ). Both of these games got really high acclaim almost universally. I did not like Lies of Pi at all and only finished it out of stubborn pride. I did not think it was that great in part because it was such a one-trick pony–and that trick did not click with me. Plus, the level design was shit, and having to use throwables on the second phase of every goddamn boss fight meant that the wins were so hollow.
I bring it up because I think I ended up giving it a 6 or a 6.5. Around Act 2 of this game, I gave it a 7.5/8. I think if I were to give it a number now, it would be a 7. Yes, I’d knock it down that much, but still put it above Lies of P–in terms of enjoyment for me. That’s my basis for a review, except Sekiro. I did not enjoy it at all, but I recognize that’s it’s an incredible game. Also, a FromSoft game automatically gets a 9 as a base number (which is what I would give Sekiro). I have had more enjoyment from this game than I did playing Liesof P. I don’t know how I would compare the two games to each other, so it’s fortunate that I don’t rate games based on that.
I will finish the DLC, and I’ll be exhausted when I do. I really wish I were better at pacing myself, but I know that’s not going to happen. I’m not mad at this game because I enjoyed it for many, many hours. Yes, I started hating it at the end of the second act, but some of that was on me. And at least I like Jin Sakai better now than when I first started the main game.