Before its much-hyped release on the 17th of July, Ghost of Tsushima reviews are set to come pouring in from critics. With an embargo of 3PM BST on July 14th, it gives plenty of time for players to weigh up critic opinions before the game’s release.
As expected, many of the reviews praise the game’s visuals, which must be absolutely draining every bit of power from the over half a decade old PlayStation 4. What about the game overall, though? Is it in an open world worth exploring? Is Jin’s quest for revenge as enthralling as pre-release trailers have suggested?
Read on to discover the thoughts of critics ahead of Ghost of Tsushima’s release.
Push Square – Robert Ramsey – 9/10
“Ghost of Tsushima is a joy to play and a joy to behold. Sucker Punch has crafted one of the most memorable open world games of this generation, buoyed by an immensely satisfying combat system and an engaging, dramatic story. Unlike many of its open world peers, it’s a refined and focused experience — gripping and immaculately presented at its best. A fitting first-party swansong for the PS4.”
Glitched – Marco Cocomello – 9.5/10
“There’s a lot to love about Ghost of Tsushima. Even after I completed the main game I had Haikus to compile, gear to obtain and upgrade which improved by stats and abilities and much more. I had side quests to dive into and shrines to reach in the far distance. The game is an extraordinary combination of great storytelling and combat set in a remarkable world. We have not had an open-world Japanese-based game that allowed us to dive into the history and culture as much as this. There’s so much to enjoy here, so many characters to love and hate and a story you’ll never forget.”
VGC – Jon Bailes – 3/5
“While the studio has clearly studied this recent history, and incorporates many of its lessons, Ghost remains weighed down by the genre’s more perfunctory tropes. The combat almost lifts the whole experience, and the luscious expanses of wilderness are frequently wondrous. But the game needs something more engaging to frame that action and fill that space. No quantity of foxes can compensate for that.”
Gamespot – Edmond Tran – 7/10
“Ghost of Tsushima is at its best when you’re riding your horse and taking in the beautiful world on your own terms, armed with a sword and a screenshot button, allowing the environmental cues and your own curiosity to guide you. It’s not quite a Criterion classic, but a lot of the time it sure looks like one.”
The Sixth Axis – Aran Suddi – 8/10
“Ghost of Tsushima is an artistic triumph, capturing a real cinematic feel through its visuals, immersive world and soundtrack. However, Jin is a serviceable main character and he and his journey to save Tsushima is often overshadowed by secondary characters and smaller, more personal stories found in the side quests. Throw in some formulaic missions and an awkward user interface, and Ghost of Tsushima is at times more style than substance.”
COGConnected – James Paley – 90/100
“Once I successfully reconciled my expectations with my reality, the game revealed itself as a compelling, masterful work of art. Nothing feels useless or extraneous. The story wastes little time, the fights are all exuberant and engaging, the exploration is addicting, and the entire game is gorgeous. I can think of no better game to be the swan song for the PS4.”
GamesRadar – Rachel Weber – 4.5/5
“It would be understandable for developer Sucker Punch to feel nervous about releasing a game so close to the critically-acclaimed The Last of Us 2, and as PS5 glimmers on the horizon, but it shouldn’t. This is a worthy swan song for the PS4, and a tribute to the Japanese culture it so clearly reveres.”
PSU – John-Paul Jones – 9/10
“Ghost of Tsushima elevates the existing open world adventure template with a fantasy-free Samurai adventure that deftly pays loving homage to the Samurai cinema of old. While your mileage may vary according to your level of open world fatigue, Ghost of Tsushima undoubtedly remains not only one of the best open world romps money can buy and a stunning PlayStation 4 exclusive, but also Sucker Punch Productions finest effort to date.”
Destructoid – Chris Carter – 9.5/10
“With Ghost of Tsushima under its belt, Sucker Punch deserves to be in the same conversation as Insomniac, Naughty Dog, and Sony Santa Monica. If this generation is to wrap up soon, it’s fitting that it’ll end with Tsushima: one of its most beautiful games thus far.”
The game currently sits at 84/100 on Metacritic from 48 reviews at this time of writing, though that is bound to change. It has quite a few 10/10 scores with there also being quiet a few 6/10 scores. We didn’t receive early review code, so expect our thoughts sometime next week.
Ghost of Tsushima releases on July 17th as arguably the biggest PlayStation 4 exclusive left before we move into the new generation. Check out the games to play before it comes out, as well as what it would look like as an original PlayStation game.
Some of the coverage you find on Cultured Vultures contains affiliate links, which provide us with small commissions based on purchases made from visiting our site. We cover gaming news, movie reviews, wrestling and much more.
