Ghost of Tsushima is About People

How Sucker Punch told their story through individual characters rather than sweeping narrative

While Ghost of Tsushima is recieving rave reviews for its action-packed gameplay and stunning visual representation of ancient Japan, I’ve been surprised to see so few people talking about its storyline. While on the surface Ghost of Tsushima’s story can be dismissed as a somewhat typical revenge-by-numbers tale, and its protagonist Jin Sakai hand-waved as a relatively one-note action hero, I don’t think that’s all there is in the tale Tsushima tells.

The reason, I think, that people are missing the depth that Tsushima has to offer is because it doesn’t tell its most important stories during the main plot. Jin’s hunt for Kotun Khan is the bombastic, action set-piece that sits atop a narrative that is driven through it’s accompanying characters. Likewise, while Jin is likeable enough and has a relatively strong character arc, even his own story is more told in his relationships and how he is reflected in those around him.

The reason, I think, that people are missing the depth that Tsushima has to offer is because it doesn’t tell its most important stories during the main plot.