Sucker Punch Productions came out with Infamous: Second Son early in the PS4's lifespan and then quietly kept their heads down while working on their next project, the open-world samurai epic, Ghost of Tsushima.
Jin Sakai's quest to stop the Mongolian invasion takes him to every corner of the island of Tsushima, where he steadily acquires a sizable arsenal of weaponry, both for stealth and face-to-face combat. For those who have a little trouble deciding what skills to go for when upgrading the character or what already available tools to use, the following list details the best of the best among Jin's toys.
Updated on August 25th, 2021, by Jason Wojnar: By now players are more than accustomed to Ghost of Tsushima's gameplay and the way Jin Sakai controls. Sucker Punch Productions is not done with the 2020 historical epic, however, since it just released Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut. In addition to small quality-of-life improvements, the re-release also adds a new story chapter taking place on a different map. Because Jin Sakai earns new moves during his quest on Iki Island, it seemed appropriate to revisit this list and discuss some more fantastic tools players can use during their time with Ghost of Tsushima.
14 Horse Charge
This technique is entirely new to the director's cut version. Jin learns it early on in the DLC expansion. Just hold L1 and the horse will charge into enemies, knocking them aside and clearing a path.
While it is satisfying to do, just remember that it uses a lot of Jin's resolve. Best of all, Jin and his horse can take this technique to the main game, potentially changing up a lot of battle strategies.
13 Guiding Wind
The Guiding Wind helps Jin reach any waypoint or objective. The developer was nice enough to let players track bonus objectives and collectibles like bamboo strikes and shrines simply by purchasing an upgrade with technique points.
This is an ingenious addition for any completionist. Looking through a guide is often tedious, but having the game point players in the right direction still lets them do some of the work and doesn't feel like cheating.
12 Perfect Dodge
Parries are an invaluable tool for any samurai but don't forget to similarly upgrade dodges. Not every move by an enemy can be parried, so sometimes Jin has no choice but to step out of the way.
With the right upgrade, the dodge can turn into a deadly counterattack. It might not kill the enemy, but it certainly turns the tide of any fight. Once the timing is mastered, Jin is untouchable. Ghost of Tsushima provides Jin with many tools and skills, so it is important to make full use of all of them.
11 Mounted Strike
This is another move involving Jin's trusted equestrian companion. When riding into battle, it is possible to jump directly from the horse and attack an enemy. If it doesn't kill the foe outright, then it definitely leaves them on the brink of death.
It also just looks incredibly cool to leap off a horse and right onto an enemy. This is a great way to make an entrance into battle for those disinterested in standoffs.
10 Stronger Parries
Most of the combat is reactive, meaning players will want to wait for opponents to make a move before deciding what to do themselves. With this in mind, it is recommended to purchase upgrades that let Jin parry stronger attacks.
Spear attacks, for instance, start off invulnerable to parries, but a technique allows the player to easily counter these. With this, previously difficult enemies become cakewalks.
9 Explosive Arrows
The bow & arrow is found early in the campaign and are useful tools for stealth. Jin comes equipped with more than just a regular old tipped point. Just like Ellie in The Last of Us Part II, another PS4 exclusive, he can use explosive arrows to take out whole groups from afar without perfect accuracy.
Unlike Ellie, his bows do not blow enemies to visible chunks, sending arms and legs flying in different directions.
8 Kunai
Jin has more than just his Katana when it comes to blades. Kunai are small daggers he quickly whips out to throw at enemies. They are most ideal for escaping hairy situations.
When fully upgraded they affect several foes at once, momentarily stunning them and leaving them open for attack. The honor of this weapon is questionable, but that matters little when faced with certain death.
Kunai become even more helpful in the Iki Island expansion. The DLC throws more enemies at the player, making Kunai a valuable tool to prevent enemies from ganging up on Jin.
7 Ghost Stance
In the middle of the second act, Jin unlocks the Ghost Stance in a particularly brutal fashion, beheading a Mongol leader in front of their comrades to terrify them into retreating. The move lets the player kill three foes instantly, regardless of the enemy type. The one thing holding it back is how difficult it can be to obtain. One can only activate after reaching a certain amount of kills without taking damage.
Even though Iki Island is unlocked after the first act is completed, it is not recommended to start it until at least after unlocking Ghost Stance. It is a particularly effective way to end a streak of kills during battle.
6 Black Powder Bomb
The Black Powder Bomb by itself is useful, but fully upgrading it and earning Concussive Blast is particularly helpful. Instead of simply unleashing a cloud of smoke, the Concussive Blast also knocks down enemies within its radius.
While Black Powder Bombs were initially made for escaping confrontations, this added technique can also make this a more offensive item. While guns were not available in the thirteenth century, at least explosives were around to help Jin get out of binds.
5 Way Of The Flame
Way of the Flame is earned through a Mythic Tale in Act III. Players have to climb a freezing mountain, periodically resting at fires to warm up before continuing their ascent.
Once at the top, they have to duel a samurai to learn the technique. The actual move is not used to keep one warm in cold environments, but instead makes Jin's attacks extremely powerful and sets enemies aflame. Some enemies can also set their swords aflame, so be wary of this.
4 Concentration
While aiming with the bow is not the easiest thing in the world, Concentration helps those who have problems with accuracy. It temporarily slows down the action, giving players more time to set up shots. It can also be used to help with parrying. When an enemy is close, go into concentration to better see when the foe is going to attack. When they lift their sword to strike, exit concentration and immediately block to parry.
The Iki Island expansion offers an opportunity to further increase the time spent in Concentration. The archery challenges spread throughout the DLC island steadily make a charm that increases Concentration more powerful. Unlike a lot of bonus activities, there are three tiers of victory for each archery challenge.
3 Heavenly Strike
One of the first optional techniques to unlock, Heavenly Strike is a quick slash that players can use which almost always lands. If one is low on health and needs to quickly thin the herd to end a battle before death, a few of these will do the trick. It also comes in handy during duels.
Maybe a certain foe's move is difficult to block or parry, so Heavenly Strike makes it much easier to land a hit during these moments.
2 Chain Assassinations
When in stealth, players are initially only able to execute one enemy at a time while attacking from the shadows. Later on, they are able to expand this, something which comes highly recommended. Situations that would normally be impossible to resolve stealthily become more manageable.
Additionally, the ability to take out more enemies during standoffs is similarly desirable, letting the players end battles before they really begin.
1 Dance Of Wrath
Not only is the quest to obtain the Dance of Wrath one of the more interesting optional stories, but the technique itself is also an extremely valuable tool.
For just three circles of Resolve, Jin can unleash three powerful attacks. Against regular cannon fodder, he can take out three foes instantly. Against more powerful opponents it usually takes out one or two without effort. Unlike Ghost Stance, it can be used as long as the Resolve is there.