Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut: When Accessibility Becomes Part of the Journey

If you came across the Ghost of Yotei trailer and were fascinated by its gameplay, then you absolutely cannot miss the “father” chapter: Ghost of Tsushima , by Sucker Punch, an epic journey through feudal Japan, between honor, revenge and freedom, which laid the foundations for what is today its spiritual legacy.

''Screenshot of Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut, © Sucker Punch Productions/Nixxes Software''

The great Mongol army has invaded the Japanese island of Tsushima and exterminated the Japanese army, ready to conquer the land of the Rising Sun and finally unify its power. Jin Sakai, a samurai belonging to the shogunate , must gather as much aid as possible and try to drive the Mongols from his island in what will be a tortuous journey filled with friendships lost, others gained, and difficult decisions to make: will he uphold the honor of the shogunate like a true samurai, or will he embrace the path of the Ghost and do everything to drive out the Khan's Mongols? All that remains is to pick up the controller and find out for yourself.

Sucker Punch—already renowned for the Sly Cooper and inFAMOUS sagas —this time transports us to feudal Japan with Ghost of Tsushima, a visually breathtaking, cinematic third-person open-world action game reminiscent of great Asian cinema: vast landscapes, winds caressing wheat fields, and tense duels. As Jin Sakai, the player can engage enemies with a variety of styles and approaches: traditional samurai combat—with fair duels and precise swordplay—or more stealthy, devious approaches typical of the Ghost's path, such as ambushes, silent assassinations, and the use of ninja-style tools.

''Screenshot of Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut, © Sucker Punch Productions/Nixxes Software''

Accessibility and controls

After an analysis of the basic mechanics, let's move on to the heart of the article: accessibility.

Since its launch on PS4, Ghost of Tsushima has received numerous updates , many of which were dedicated to improving accessibility. With the Director's Cut, released in August 2021 , the system has been further expanded and refined, and it is this version that we will be analyzing.

Assassinating Mongol leaders, infiltrating settlements, and moving nimbly across rooftops are just some of the possible interactions, so precise and customizable control is essential to fully immerse yourself in the feudal Japan of Tsushima. With this in mind, Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut on PC offers a comprehensive key remapping system , allowing you to adapt every command to your needs: from basic actions like attacking and parrying, to advanced techniques like using the bow, smoke bombs, or the final ability, Wraith Form . The latter, however, requires the use of a macro : it must be activated by simultaneously pressing the key assigned to the assignable special ability and the non-assignable Ctrl key , so finding the right assignment for your needs requires a bit of ingenuity.

As for the use of the pad , however, it is not possible to freely customize the buttons: only a few presets are available , including one dedicated to left-handed people that inverts the layout of the controls, and other presets that could be useful for those with motor difficulties.

''Screenshot of Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut, © Sucker Punch Productions/Nixxes Software''

Game facilities

From a gameplay accessibility standpoint, some actions can be set to a single press rather than a long press—such as running, galloping, aiming, or shooting an arrow—to make the experience more comfortable.

Among the various minigames, the bamboo-splitting challenge stands out , in which you have to hit a sequence of bamboo canes in a limited time by rapidly pressing an increasing combination of buttons.

For those who have difficulty with reaction times, there is the “Simplified minigame controls” option , which disables the time limit and allows you to complete the sequence without stress.

''Screenshot of Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut, © Sucker Punch Productions/Nixxes Software''

Interface and visual cues

Other accessibility options include enlarging the interface text and subtitles. For the latter, you can add the name of the speaking character , change the text color , and activate a background to improve readability.

Ghost of Tsushima 's gameplay relies heavily on close-range combat, with two distinct types of enemy attacks: blockable and non-blockable , highlighted by a blue and red glow, respectively. This visual effect can be increased in size via the “Increased Combat Aid” option . For ranged attacks, however, a visual indicator is available that signals the exact moment you are about to be hit.

''Screenshot of Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut, © Sucker Punch Productions/Nixxes Software''

The wind guides

A distinctive feature of Ghost of Tsushima's open world is its navigation system, which lacks a traditional minimap. Instead, we find a guiding wind, a visual current that blows toward our destination, elegantly integrating with the game environment. While it's possible to increase visibility for a clearer direction, this solution can be counterintuitive for those with orientation difficulties, due to the lack of a fixed indicator or traditional compass.

''Screenshot of Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut, © Sucker Punch Productions/Nixxes Software''

Absences

Visually and auditorily, there are no color filters for color blindness, no visual cues to replace audio cues, and no sound descriptions in subtitles, making the experience more difficult for those with sensory impairments.

Conclusion

Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut is not only a visual and narrative masterpiece, but also an example of how a AAA title can evolve to be more inclusive and accessible to an ever-wider audience, albeit still with some limitations.

Tsushima, with its guiding winds and sunset duels, remains a deeply immersive experience and respectful of the culture it represents, capable of uniting aesthetics and narrative, a journey that everyone should undertake, if only to discover that, sometimes, honor and freedom can follow different but equally memorable paths.

NB:This review was written while playing Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut on PC with mouse and keyboard, so it may differ from other reviews.

Editor's note:This article was written independently by the ForAllWe editorial team. The trademarks cited belong to their respective owners. Any future collaborations will always be disclosed transparently.