Ghost Of Tsushima - Embodying The Myths Of Tsushima

Ghost Of Tsushima is quickly becoming one of my favorite games. One aspect of Sucker Punch’s Samurai period piece that is so enticing is the ability to uncover Mythic armor and learn Mythic techniques to defeat your enemies. These powerful techniques perfectly embody Jin’s transformation from tradition-bound Samurai into the enigmatic folktale character of “The Ghost.”

There are several legends to uncover across Tsushima. The one defining factor they have is their connection to a singular individual: Yamato the Musician. Yamato is a traveler, and more importantly, a storyteller. Whenever Jin finds Yamato, be it freezing in the frigid north of Tsushima, placating crowds in the stubborn town of Yarikawa, or cowering in the pirate den of Umagi Cove, he always has a story to share.

Yamato is an important step in Jin’s journey, but he never does anything directly. Yamato is just a purveyor of information. Jin will come across him, say, sitting amongst a few dead bodies, and Yamato will tell him how an angry warrior killed the men amidst his search for the mythic Heavenly Strike, a sword technique so quick it was unstoppable in combat. This sends Jin on a journey to defeat this raging swordsman before he can learn the ability or teach it to his new Mongol allies.

All in all, there are four mythic techniques and three sets of mythic armor. The techniques are the aforementioned Heavenly Strike, the Exploding Arrow, the Dance of Wrath, and the Way of the Flame. Heavenly Strike and Exploding Arrow can be unlocked in Act One, Dance of Wrath can be unlocked in Act Two, and the Way of the Flame can be unlocked in Act Three. The armor pieces are Tadayori’s Armor, found in Act One; Gosaku’s Armor, found in Act Two; and the Kensei Armor, also found in Act Two.

But what do all of these do? Well, if you really want to know, I’ll tell you.

Heavenly Strike I’ve already described, its a quick strike that deals a good amount of damage at the cost of One Resolve. Exploding Arrow is a ranged attack using a Longbow that can stun or terrify enemies with... well, an exploding arrow. Dance of Wrath is another quick strike, but instead of hitting once, you swing with three quick attacks that can be chained between enemies, gaining a chance to terrify nearby foes with every kill. Lastly, there is the Way of the Flame. This is one of the most unique Mythic Techniques, as it allows you to light your Katana on fire for unblockable attacks.

The three pieces of armor, on the other hand, each have a few unique abilities. The first set you can unlock, Tadayori’s Armor, is focused on Archery. The armor gives you incredible speed, reduces the cooldown of your Concentration, and can refill your Concentration bar with Headshots. Gosaku’s Armor is one of the strongest offensive sets in the game. It increases your health, the Stagger Damage you deal,  and gives you health if you kill a Staggered enemy. Lastly is the Kensei Armor, which is a major boost to your Ghost abilities and resolve. The Kensei Armor increase the damage of your Ghost Weapons, increases your Resolve Gains, and gives your Ghost Weapons a unique buff: enemies struck with Ghost Weapons deal less damage and take more damage.

If you can, you need to complete the Mythic Tales that unlock these techniques and pieces of armor. The ability to get your hands on not only powerful pieces of armor that can change the tide of battle, but also on four powerful techniques that can quickly kill enemies and strike fear into their hearts. You have no reason to ignore Yamato’s Mythic Tales, and you;re only making the game more difficult by not pursuing them.

Tyler Krasnai
Editor, NoobFeed
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