The artwork/visual design that went into creating Ghost of Tsushima is one of the most impressive aspects of the game, whether playing with the vibrant color pallet or the stark black and white cinematic mode. However, the process was much more involved than simply throwing some assets into a program, and according to Sucker Punch Productions' Lead Concept Artist Ian Jun Wei Chiew, Ghost of Tsushima's development was a massive undertaking.
This latest inside look comes from a PlayStation blog post in which Chiew describes the steps the went into creating the concept art for Ghost of Tsushima, including the major inspirations for much of the game. The new insight also comes alongside a host of new concept art images, some showcasing many of protagonist Jin's most iconic gear, and others giving a look at the stellar landscapes that make up the in-game island of Tsushima.
According to Chiew, Jin's gear specifically was designed with armor from both the Kamakura period and the Haien period. The primary focus came from Jin's transformation from the honorable samurai to a more dishonorable type of ninja, even though Ghost of Tsushima's style of assassin hadn't quite existed at the time. This is what leads to the Ghost outfit incorporating armor pieces onto it alongside the stealth function, in order to bridge the gap between the two versions of the protagonist and ground the character in a more realistic world.
Similarly, Chiew goes into great detail about additional characters and NPCs, including both Jin's allies and the Mongols players fight throughout Ghost of Tsushima. Much of the process for designing the enemy soldiers seems to hint at gameplay, with the general idea having risen from making sure that each new Mongol the player encounters feels stronger and more imposing as they progress. Needless to say, the research and delving into the timely inspirations was a massive part of making sure that Sucker Punch got the look and feel of the Mongol Invasion of Tsushima just right.
From the massive success that Sucker Punch has already seen with this title, and a Ghost of Tsushima 2 likely on the way, it would appear that the concept artist certainly succeeded in capturing the period in an appealing way. Of course, the intense gameplay is also a factor on that success, but Ian Jun Wei Chiew and the rest of the art team definitely deserve their credit for grabbing players' attention from when the game was first shown off until release.
Ghost of Tsushima is available now for PS4.
Source: PlayStation Blog