I think last year (2020) my pick for Game of the Year was Ghost of Tsushima on the PlayStation 4. Probably the best game of that console’s generation.
This year (2021) I didn’t play much console AAA games, this was mostly a Nintendo Switch year. Except for at the beginning of the year, in which I played the heck out of Assassin's Creed Valhalla, a little over 140 hours of it.
Sometime this gear I traded all my current consoles and games, in hope of getting a PlayStation 5, which I did get sometime in November. With it, I got Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut. Even though I had played GoT like 4 times already, I knew I wanted to play it again but on the PS5. I wanted to see this already beautiful and gorgeous game on the new generation console. Plus, I knew that with the Director’s Cut edition, there would be more content.
This is the game I have been playing since late November. So far, I have got somewhere around 99 hours into it. The biggest take ways this time around are just not the graphics and the game’s performance but the additional content of the Iki Island expansion.
You unlock Iki Island at the beginning of Act II (the main game has 3 acts). It begins when Jin discovers a village suffering from a mysterious mental affliction. Then you learn about another Mongol clan led by a shaman named Anshar Khatoun, known by her followers as The Eagle. It also happens that on this island this, It’s where Jin watched his father die. I was very intrigued to know more about this part of the Sakai clan’s story. The island is pretty tough, in a way, I didn’t even start it until I was pretty much done with Act III. I wanted to make sure I was well-prepared for it, just in case. The mongols here are bigger and much more powerful than the ones in Tsushima island. Then you also have the Shamans, these are beings that do this Mongolian throat singing, or Tuvan throat singing. Which gives the other soldiers some extra, almost super-natural protection. And, if you want to kick ass, you’d need to tackle these shamans first.
Iki island is not just a 2 to 3 hours expansion, it feels like a whole other game. You gain more abilities and techniques, which is cool. I have already finished the main storyline, and the main storyline for Iki island.
Last night, I started a New Game + play through. I want to replay this game all super-powered up and take on Iki Island in Act II instead. This play through should go shorter in a way, as I can skip all cutscenes, but will do more exploring, and complete certain challenges, and Platinum this game — again.
Because of the new and improved experience of the game, Ghost of Tsushima, once again, get my peak for Game of The Year, in 2021.
