Ghost of Tsushima was released over a year ago now to widespread praise and adoration. Despite an impressive array of PlayStation 4 exclusives, it came out as one of the major hits of the previous generation. It’s easy to see why gamers were such big fans of the game, it has stunning visuals, and one of the most polished combat systems on the market. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that while Ghost of Tsushima is still a relatively recent title, it is set to receive a PlayStation 5 upgrade in the form of Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut.
This PlayStation 5 upgrade will include a new Ghost of Tsushima expansion in Iki Island, as well as an online co-op mode and a number of digital bonuses. But what will be of particular interest to PlayStation 5 owners are the improvements that will be packaged in the PS5 version of the game. While the expected boost to 4K 60 FPS is coming with Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut, this is by no means the only improvement for PS5 owners. The PS5 version of the game comes with a range of benefits over its previous-gen counterpart, which may make it particularly exciting for owners of the next-gen console.
How Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut Will Use the PS5’s Controller and Headset
In Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut, the PS5 Controller will have DualSense haptic feedback and trigger resistance to make the combat feel weightier and the exploration of the in-game world feel more immersive. Examples of how haptic feedback can be used to enhance the game experience can be seen through Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart. For the PS5, Rift Apart was one of the first console exclusive titles, and as such, it made good use of some of the PlayStation 5’s best features.
Most notably, in Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, as Ratchet walks, his footsteps are synced up to the controller which gives off ever so slight vibrations on each side of the controller. These vibrations are linked to each corresponding leg, so as Ratchet plants his left leg, a vibration will be emitted on the left side of the controller and vice versa. In Ratchet and Clank, haptic feedback is also used to indicate when the player should attack an enemy, which could prove useful in Ghost of Tsushima. Adaptive triggers are also made use of in Ratchet and Clank, with pulling the trigger all the way producing a different attack to only pulling it halfway. The inclusion of Haptic feedback in Ghost of Tsushima could suggest a new control scheme is on the way, as it’s hard to imagine it would be of much currently.
The console's specially designed headset, meanwhile, will be able to provide 3D audio. One of the most popular PS5 accessories at launch was the new wireless Pulse 3D PS5 headset, and for good reason. Sony’s new 3D audio technology aims to place the player within the game world, making sounds around them feel as though they’re happening in real life, and adding an all-new level of intensity. What this means for next-gen Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut players is that the game’s level of immersion will be cranked up a level, not only through the obvious graphical enhancements but through the auditory experience. For example, players will be able to pinpoint exactly where an enemy is approaching from by the sound of their footsteps alone.
Performance and Visual upgrades in Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut
As was expected, and widely requested by fans, Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut will bring with it some significant performance advantages for the PS5. For starters, the PS5 will make use of its SSD, allowing for drastically faster load times in Ghost of Tsushima. Of course, Ghost of Tsushima notoriously nerfed its load times to allow players to read tip screens, so it will be interesting to see what this will look like on PS5. The PS5 version will also be able to run at 4K, 60 FPS as expected, making full use of the PlayStation 5’s hardware.
When Ghost of Tsushima launched, a number of players chose to play the game with Japanese dubbing. While this helped make the experience feel more authentic, problems arose as the game was initially made in English, and the lip-syncing felt off because of that. This is set to be remedied in Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut, however, as the PS5 version of the game will receive Japanese lip-syncing. Unfortunately, this is only available on the PS5 version of the game due to the freedom offered by the console's SSD, but it’s a nice feature for fans who might want to replay the game in the Japanese language.
Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut launches August 20, 2021 for PS4 and PS5.