Fans of Dark Souls looking for a challenge may have been intrigued by Ghost of Tsushima. After all, it's the first title outside Sekiro and Nioh to focus on the strategic element of action-adventure titles. And while Ghost of Tsushima doesn't seem to be as brutal as the Souls series, it still boasts its challenges. Players used to light action titles might find themselves surprised with Ghost of Tsushima's learning curve. And thankfully, Souls players might have an edge.

RELATED: Dark Souls 3: Every Merchant In The Game (& Where To Find Them)

Players looking into Ghost of Tsushima carefully might realize that some insights from the Souls series might work with mastering its gameplay. And while the two games don't come from the same team, some principles seem to remain the same. Souls players might want to consider using these tips when playing Ghost of Tsushima:

Updated on 21 August 2021 by Rhenn Taguiam: Ghost of Tsushima remains strong a year after its 2020 release, courtesy of excellent gameplay and a remarkable array of post-launch content. With a Director’s Cut on its way, Ghost of Tsushima regained much-deserved hype for its compelling and immersive setting. Fans new and old will likely flock towards the title for its challenging gameplay similar to the Souls series, albeit with a unique take on combat styles and items. For gameplay savants who want to dominate Ghost of Tsushima very early on, they can actually apply some strategies from the Dark Souls series to ensure a smooth playthrough.

14 Lessen Numbers With Kunai First

Players about to use the Kunai while in stealth

Despite the efficiency of Jin’s Sword Stances, it’s his Ghost Stance – and his Ghost Weapons – that can give him a tremendous advantage when utilized properly. While players can go gung-ho and challenge their melee prowess versus multiple fighters, the more practical choice is to eliminate as many foes as possible with the least risk. Thankfully, the Kunai can make incursions easier against multiple foes.

At its core, the Kunai can become a devastatingly potent long-ranged weapon. With the right timing, players can kill enemy threats before a big confrontation. This strategy can help players eliminate unnecessary foes and focus on fighting foes they truly have to fight in an area confrontation.

13 Eliminate Archers First To Regain Advantage

An Archer and a Samurai poised for attack

Of all enemy types in the game, archers remain the most irritating to face. Unlike players, archers have great accuracy in their shots. Compared to melee foes, archers only have their screams to indicate when they will shoot. And from afar, a group of archers can whittle the player’s health in no time.

As such, players should prioritize eliminating archers in any encounter. Find a way to roll towards them the fastest, in order to outmaneuver them in melee. It’s also possible to whack them out from behind, as they don’t react as fast as their other companions.

12 Always Maintain Higher Ground

Jin kicking an enemy off the cliff

Players might notice that even enemies suffer from fall damage. The tightest space of an archery tower can become the momentum they need to turn the tide of combat. When cornered, players should try finding higher ground immediately.

Once players find a ladder, they can easily whack opponents out of commission as they try to climb up one by one. If players can’t find a ladder immediately, they can try looking for an archer, as they’re usually on higher ground. Alternatively, even cliffs can become handy killers, as players can kick foes to their deaths with the right timing.

11 Stagger Foes In Clusters To Even The Score

Jin fighting multiple foes at once

While players can deal with standoffs by finding an adequate combative Stance, facing multiple foes at once can get tricky. After all, switching Stances back and forth can get exhausting pretty quick. To avoid getting overwhelmed, players should whittle the opponent’s ranks by staggering them meticulously.

As players know, they can stagger or break through the enemy’s shields (white bar) via the Triangle button. Compared to typical standoffs, breaking shields via stagger makes enemies more vulnerable to Jin’s heavier attacks. Players shouldn’t hesitate to roll around and parry attacks to score stagger counters. That way, players can break shields and counter with fierce counter-aggressions to eliminate them quickly.

10 Master Sword Stances

When assassinations fail, Jin resorts to melee combat when fighting enemies. Thankfully, his training as a samurai allowed him to use his sword in different ways. Tsushima offers players Stances that offer different approaches when fighting certain enemies. While Dark Souls players might want to try mastering just one Stance against everyone, it's ideal to master not just all of the Stances but also switching in between them.

RELATED: Dark Souls: Hilarious "You Died" Memes That Are Too Funny

It's also important for players to memorize the dynamics between classes. Stone Stance works against Swordsmen and regular opponents. Meanwhile, Water and Wind Stances work against Shieldmen and Spearmen, respectively. Lastly, Moon Stance works against Brutes. This knowledge becomes extremely important later on, as bigger battles will have Jin face hordes of enemies of multiple types, necessitating style switching.

9 Jumping Adds Versatility

Fans of Dark Souls know that dodging and jumping can be two of the most vital parts of any combat strategy. In Tsushima, jumping can also expand the player's combat options. Players should start experimenting with jump dodges, which helps them dodge slashes and strikes with jumps. With the right timing, players can jump over most enemy attacks.

Using the jump dodge can be extremely useful, especially against attacks that Jin can't parry. Moreover, jump attacks still help Jin maneuver around the battlefield. As such, jump kicks and jump slashes not only reposition Jin but also deal a bit of damage to enemies.

8 Parries Break Combos

Whereas Dark Souls relies a lot on dodging attacks, Tsushima encourages players to attack enemies head-on. However, this advice doesn't mean attacking enemies carelessly. Thanks to the game's parry mechanics, Jin can place a well-timed parry in the middle of an enemy combo to disrupt their posture and zoom in for the kill.

Players experiencing a hard time pulling off parries and dodges should go to the Spring Falls Shrine and get the Mizu-no-Kami charm. Thanks to this charm, players have a wider window to fulfill basic parries as well as perfect dodges and perfect parries. Ideally, players should learn the timing without the charm's help, as there are other charms much more beneficial for other combat needs.

7 Concentration Slows Time

Thanks to Concentrate, Jin can slow time with his bow in order to aim towards enemies much easier. Ideally, players should use this to eliminate enemy archers from afar. However, this move does open them to attacks from nearby enemies. Thankfully, players can do a neat trick to circumvent this disadvantage.

Players should remember that releasing Concentrate will immediately put the bow away. However, there's almost no delay between unequipping the bow and initiating a guard. As such, Jin can almost always pull off perfect parries by timing the parry during Concentration.

6 Smoke Bombs Introduce Death

Unlike modern stealth games that rely on advanced gadgets, Tsushima uses both the environment and some unique tools to get the advantage in stealth missions. While the smoke bomb works as an escape tool, it can also be used to clock in some easy assassinations.

For instance, smoke bombs against unsuspecting enemies can grant enough room for a few stealth kills before having to retreat. This window gives a lot of time for Jin to plan his approach - whether to stealth kill and escape, or to stealth kill and fight the rest of the group.

5 Use The Horse For Easy Kills

Interestingly, certain gameplay elements can overlap to aid Jin dispatch enemies much faster and easier. For instance, NPCs don't treat horses by themselves as enemy combatants. As such, players mounting a horse can dismount within standoff range and do a neat trick to assassinate opponents.

RELATED: Ghost of Tsushima: Best Characters (& The Worst)

Players should do this trick after dismounting in a position that places Jin behind the horse. Afterward, they should whistle to urge enemies to come closer. This maneuver should give enough space between Jin and his opponents for chain assassinations.

4 Master The Typhoon Kick

Thanks to different Stances, Jin can easily alternate between fighting styles. However, these Stances also come with unique finishers that can add not just style but also more versatility to gameplay. However, of all finishers, players should consider mastering the Typhoon Kick from the Wind Stance.

This kick induces knockdown on most enemies, leaving them wide open for instant-kill attacks. Unfortunately, Typhoon Kick doesn't work on Brutes, and units may still be able to block this. However, mastering the timing of Typhoon Kick can definitely transform Jin into a juggernaut.

3 Always Have Resolve

Fans of Dark Souls know not having enough Stamina can become a death sentence. This principle works in the same way when talking about Resolve in Tsushima, as this is the second main stat in the game. Resolve allows Jin to perform more complex moves and maneuvers in combat, enabling players not just to execute combos but also be more agile in the process.

In a way, Resolve transforms Tsushima into a lite resource management game, as players aren't advised to enter combat without it. Thankfully, there are some ways players can earn Resolve much faster. Kills during standoffs, as well as killing terrified opponents, can increase Resolve much quickly. Of course, this factor also means players may need to adjust their fighting styles to ensure they constantly regenerate Resolve.

2 Hold Off On Armor Upgrades

Armor upgrades allow Jin to experience more benefits from a certain piece of armor - such as increasing the range of their unique perks. However, these upgrades cost certain supplies that Jin will find across the battlefield. Ideally, this factor means Jin can easily upgrade any armor he wishes. However, players should consider the potential perks of maxing out a piece of armor, as Jin will get more of them as he progresses through the story.

Moreover, all armors will likely cost a number of the same resources. As such, they might potentially waste resources on an earlier piece of armor that could benefit a better armor they have now.

This caveat will also force players to be more careful and mindful of their playstyle. Lacking the usual benefits of armor will make them much more vulnerable to attacks. Likewise, this disadvantage may also encourage mastery for players looking for a challenge.

1 Wait For Attacks

Players used to other action titles might itch to just button mash their way out of combat. Unfortunately, Tsushima doesn't work this way. Since enemies can also dodge and parry attacks, players might be surprised to find an enemy swordsman sidestepping from a player mid-assault and punish them with a deadly combo.

As such, players should ideally just opt for a set of two to three swings and wait for the enemy to respond. This pattern gives players the opportunity to time their parries and dodges better before rushing for the counterattack.

NEXT: Demon's Souls Remake: Reasons We Wish It Was Dark Souls 4 (& Reasons Why It's The Right Choice)