Ghost of Tsushima 2020

Is it still worth playing?

During the first Mongol invasion of Japan, the samurai Jin Sakai fights to protect Tsushima Island in this 2020 open world action game for the PlayStation 4. He can face enemies head on with his katana or kill them unseen, and the story asks the same question: fight with honor, or with methods that are dishonorable but cost fewer lives. In a fight you switch between four stances, each made for one kind of enemy, such as shielded soldiers or spearmen, and you break an enemy's guard or parry before the killing blows. For stealth there are a bow, a short blade, wind chimes and firecrackers to distract, smoke bombs and kunai. There is no minimap: the wind blows toward your goal, and yellow birds lead you to places such as hot springs that raise your maximum health. Its sword fights still make it worth playing: each one asks you to read the enemy, pick the stance for it and break its guard.