Is Ghost of Tsushima Like Dark Souls? Answered

Ghost of Tsushima is finally here, an enthralling samurai action game in which players take control of Jin Sakai, one of the last samurais defending the Mongol invasion of his homeland. Anyone who paid attention in history class knows were not a group to mess around with during that time! Ibut if you’re here, then you’re probably more concerned about whether the combat of the Ghost of Tsushima is like Dark Souls.

Ghost of Tsushima’s Combat: Is it Like Dark Souls?

For our money, the combat in Ghost of Tsushima is more akin to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice than it is Dark Souls. There is the same focus on parry and riposte, forcing players to learn how to counter-attack first and foremost.

But Ghost of Tsushima is far more forgiving than Sekiro. The window for parrying is much wider, and there isn’t a stamina gauge to contend with, either.

Where Ghost of Tsushima does compare to Dark Souls is during its duel encounters. These 1v1 boss battles certainly have an air of FromSoftware about them; the camera moves in to a closer, more intimate position, and mistakes are punished more severely for mistiming parries and attacks.

Further, you’ll really need to learn the attack patterns of bosses to understand when to press forward and when to avoid engagements.

But as Ghost of Tsushima progresses, outside of duels you should find the combat becomes increasingly more arcadey and akin to a hack-and-slash game. By the time you enter the late game, you’ll have unlocked new weapons, weapon stances, and special combat arts to wreck groups of enemies.

So in other words, earlier on it may have a bit of Sekiro and Souls-like elements to it mixed in with hack-n-slash combat, but as the game moves on, it becomes faster pace and is firmly in arcade/hack-n-slash territory.

That’s all you need to know about the combat of Ghost of Tsushima and whether or not it is like Dark Souls. Hopefully you now know what you’re getting yourself into by picking the game, and are prepared for some fast-paced, but still strategic combat.

For more tips, tricks, and frequently asked questions answered, be sure to check out our wiki guide, which is filled with helpful and to the point guides for Ghost of Tsushima. Also, be sure to check out our full review.