Ghost of Tsushima's Side Quests Are One of My Favorite Things About the Game

After buying Ghost of Tsushima upon release, I've been having a blast enjoying all the game has to offer. It's quickly becoming my favorite game of this year, even with The Last of Us Part 2 coming out shortly before. I wouldn't be surprised if Ghost of Tsushima wins Game of the Year in many categories, an I'm aware that Cyberpunk 2077 has still to be released. But I don't feel most people will be able to fully explore what Cyberpunk has to offer well into next year.

When I first played Ghost of Tsushima, I thought of it most similar to Assassins Creed. They both immerse you in a fascinating historical time period, have dynamic action filled combat, and huge open worlds to explore. But one area that Ghosts of Tsushima stands above Assassins Creed are the quality of side quests. Side quests have generally been used to pad out the game, and give you something to do while taking a break from the main story missions.

While side quests can easily devolve into boring tasks that feels out of place, and many feel the need to complete them only for the rewards of experience/items that come along with it. In Ghosts of Tsushima the side quests are more similar to something found in The Witcher 3. By that I mean the types of side quests vary greatly, not just "go to location A and kill enemy B". Each person who initiates a side quest feels like they have a long backstory, and by the end of the quest it can take you in directions that you didn't expect.

There are also side quests called Mythic Tales, that while still completely optional, reward players with strong armor or skills that make your character feel much stronger after going through the effort. These Mythic Tales also begin with a short cut scene that looks like a traditional Japanese painting using thick brush strokes, which fit perfectly as all these quests play on the notion of folklore or myths that have been spread around by people adding to the story.

Another key feature that I thought was a neat addition after starting the game was the Japanese voice overs with English subtitles. The more I played I realized how much time, effort, and quality went into making sure it wasn't just a gimmick or some afterthought. I almost feel like this was the way the game was intended to be played, as all the Japanese voice actors are top tier and adds another level of immersion into the game.

Below I will leave a few examples of side quests I captured from Act 1, 2, and 3 These side quests do not contain story spoilers or feature main characters important to the story. They also do not include any of the Mythic Tales. They are definitely the most interesting side quests and I suggest you play them for yourself. Much of the combat and moving when between objectives have been edited out, and mainly focus on dialogue.

I hope you all enjoyed this post. Let me know if you are also enjoying the game as much as I am. Thanks for reading and/or checking out the videos.