The allure of samurai warfare in video games never gets old. In Ghost of Tsushima, that pull has reached a new height. Initially a 2020 PlayStation exclusive, and by all accounts a spectacular action adventure, the Director’s Cut of the game is now on the cusp of its PC debut, replete with platform-specific bells and whistles. PC players will soon be able to seize the sword of Jin Sakai, and slice through the Mongol hordes seeking to take Tsushima Island for their own. It’s fair to say there’s a good deal of excitement among PC-owning samurai fans right now.
Ghost of Tsushima is a third-person open-world action adventure that immerses players in the role of a samurai facing tough choices on his mission to protect the island of the game’s title. Will you uphold the ancient code, fight with honor, and leave the battlefield with your head held high? Or will you seek less honorable but undeniably more practical ways to defeat your foes, using stealth and assassination techniques on the quest for “Ghost” status? Whichever path you walk — or ride — you’re in for a cinematic treat. The game world takes its cues from the endlessly evocative samurai cinema created by auteurs such as Akira Kurosawa, and, perhaps surprisingly, the classic rabbit ronin comic book series Usagi Yojimbo. However, despite their putative power to inspire, fluffy death bunnies are conspicuously absent from Ghost of Tsushima.
Developed by Sony studio Sucker Punch Productions, and brought to PC by another Sony team, Nixxes Software, Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut is rolling out the red carpet to PC gamers. In terms of content, the PC Director’s Cut contains everything released so far, including the Iki Island expansion with its extended story, new mini games, and additional enemies, plus the Legends online co-op mode, with different options for up to four players. It’s in the realm of technical performance enhancements that the PC Director’s Cut really shines, promising to deliver the best-looking, most buttery-smooth version of the game to date.
Visual Feast
There’s a sliding scale of graphics options available in the PC version of Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut, ensuring an optimized experience across a wide range of different hardware setups, from high-end desktops to backpack-friendly laptops. The game also has unlocked framerates and is fully optimized for ultra-wide monitor support, including 21:9, 32:9, all the way up to 48:9 for those who won’t tolerate any fewer than three screens.
Intel XeSS Performance
Nixxes Software has collaborated with Intel to implement Intel Xe Super Sampling (XeSS) in Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut for PC, delivering hardware-efficient AI-enhanced upscaling for optimal visual fidelity, whatever hardware the game runs on.
Play Your Way
The PC version gives players the choice of haptic feedback when using a DualSense controller (ideally, wired), ramping up sensory immersion in the experience. You can even use the adaptive trigger resistance of a wired DualSense controller to improve your accuracy with a bow and arrow. For mouse and keyboard fans, the controls are, of course, fully customizable.
Pre-order Treats
Last but not least, players who can be persuaded to take the purchase plunge early will be rewarded with a robust shopping list of in-game unlocks: the New Game Plus Horse travel companion, Traveler’s Attire outfit, and Broken Armor dyes from Baku’s shop. Completionists take note.
