It’s Open World Gameplay, Without the Intrusive HUD
One of the real key highlights in Ghost of Tsushima for us was the fact that while the game does opt for some standard open world gameplay tropes, its minimalistic HUD and design breathes some fresh air into what would otherwise be stagnant gameplay tropes.
For example, rather than simply looking for a Hidden Shrine marker on your map — something that unlocks additional charm slots for Jin — you’ll instead need to keep an eye out for foxes. Follow a fox and it’ll lead you to its den, which in turn will take you to a nearby Hidden Shrine.
You can also pet the fox. 5/5 – would buy 10 times.
Jokes aside, even Ghost of Tsushima’s waypoint system has a minimalistic feel to it, allowing players to really soak up all that stunningly cinematic gameplay. Rather than having a glaring colored marker or arrow guiding you to your destination, players will instead have Guiding Wind, acting like a natural GPS.
If open world games have got you fatigued, Ghost of Tsushima might be worth picking up anyway. These fresh and novel approaches to stale mechanics helps them to feel less like a chore and more like an exciting surprise each time you spontaneously stumble upon one.
