I have more to say about Ghost of Tsushima (Sucker Punch Productions). Here is my last (first) post about the game. I was musing about the combat when I wrapped up the first post on this game. I don’t love it, but I know that is me rather than the game. Or rather, it’s my ability issues. And this game is so not accessibility-accommodating. As I read it, when it first came out, there was no lock-on. After a big outcry, they slapped one into the game, but made it as unintuitive and terrible as possible. Yes, I talked about it in yesterday’s post, but I have to say it again: You have to flick up on the D-pad (which is also the way to call for a standoff) and then it automatically locks on whatever enemy it wants to lock on. And, yes, you can flick between enemies, but they’re often clustered so tightly, the lock-on won’t go to the one I want.
This was so frustrating, I gave up on lock-on. Lock-off is going ok except I can’t get the hang of moving the camera as Iym trynig to battle. And having a fucking archer in every mini-group is annoying as fuck. I cannot react to the whistle in time, not when I’m doing a million other things simultaneously. It’s roughly two seconds before my brain actually registers that there has been a noise and by then, it’s too late to crouch. Also, as I said in the last post, I can’t get used to crouch being on the right stick instead of the left.
The combat looks flashy and as slick as hell. When it actually works, it feels–eh. Because, and this is my problem with many action games, I am pretty much guessing on the timing. Will I get it right? Maybe! Will I ever be able to figure out why or how I got it right? Nope! I spent hours trying to parry the Silver Knights of Anor Londo in Dark Souls, and by the end, I was able to do it correctly roughly 75% of the time. Oh, and that was only the Silver Knights with the swords, not the spears.
That’s one enemy. Every group of enemies has a different parry window, as does different categories of shields. That meant that I had mastered (kinda) one enemy. After hours of practice.
I gave up on it and I rarely parry in FromSoft games. If I managed to get a parry, it’s usually by accident. Sekiro was bad times for me, and now after my medical crisis, I doubt I could ever finish it again. In fact, I tried to battle my nemesis for an hour or so about a year after I got out of the hospital; I didn’t even get close. Well, I did make it to the second phase once, but then quickly died.
People in the RKG Discord are clamoring for a sequel. I don’t think it’s going to happen for several reasons, but if it does, I probably won’t be playing it.
I have known–never mind for now. This is not yet another FromSoft post. Back to Ghost of Tsushima.
The combat is my least-favorite part of the game. Again, I know that’s a me-thing, but it’s really frustrating. I have a grasp on the different stances right now, but there are only two. I know there will be more, and I know that I will not be able to remember them.
I tried really hard with Nioh (Team Ninja) to learn all the systems, but I gave up. This is not a ‘git gud’ situation; I literally could not do it.
It’s the same with this game. My brain screeches to a halt when I do more than three things at a time, especially when it’s not all of the same type. What I mean is that I can do the combat buttons, but then adding in sound (the whistle when the fucking archer is fucking sniping me) and having to manually spin the camera around, my brain refuses.
A positive: I really appreciate how women are portrayed in this game. I don’t know if it’s a historically-accurate portrayal, but they are strong, take-no-shit, and more than capable. I’ve met two who have held their own in dicey situations. One of the baddies is a woman, too (the apprentice to a master bowman). I have not met her yet, but I’m anticipating that she will be as tough as nails.
Speaking of characters, though, Jin Sakai, the main character, is meh at best. I know he’s supposed to be a blank slate and to reflect the world around him, but he’s too bland for me. I’m hoping that when he gets his ghost abilities, he’ll get a bit more personality. I’m not huge on honor and tradition so I can’t really relate to him right now. Plus, for whatever reason, his face isn’t quite right. I don’t know why. The other characters’ faces are great–his is just of a bit. And, as is the case with uncanny valley, it’s way more off-putting than if his face was completely wrong.
The singular best thing about this game is wandering around and exploring. The environments are so vibrant, and the colors really pop. I love just cantering about on Kage, looking at everything around me. I get irritated when I get interrupted in order to do a combat, which is probably not what the game is going for.
I was at a dojo that had been taken over by the Mongols. The first objective was to steal three banners. There were so many enemies and placed in such a way that I could not see them all at the same time. As in From games, if you get killed, they respawn. However, if you do the objectives, they will stick for the next round.
You can probably see where I’m going with this.
After dying to the same group of enemies several times in a row, I gave up and started racing for the three banners. They are marked so that you can see them as you scan the environment. I just ran from banner to banner, yoinking them as I ran. I had so many enemies running after me as I went, cursing at them while I raced to find the next banner. Once I got all three, I had to find a black powder keg and light it up.
I did the same thing. I ran around, scanning the environment for the marker. When I found it, I did thet thing and exploded the black powder keg. I had been hacking and slashing along the way and had no heals. After that, it was time for the boss (of the dojo) fight. I was not ready for that. I was resigned to doing it again because as I said, I had no heals. However, fighting one big lumbering boss was infinitely easier than four or five faster guys who were swarming me, and I got him in one.
Was that the way I was supposed to do it? no. Did I have any remorse over doing it that way? No.
I’m done for today. I will have one more post about it tomorrow.