Sucker Punch Production’s newest title Ghost of Tsushima has been praised for its various opportunities for customization, but players may not realize how forgiving the game is when it comes to their transportation. As players travel the open world environment of Ghost of Tsushima, they'll inevitably end up wanting to ride around on a horse instead of walking everywhere, and thankfully the game makes this process much easier than it has been in other titles.
Early on in Ghost of Tsushima, players have the option to choose between three different horses and three different names. This initial choice has an important bearing on the rest of the game, as this is the horse that will be with the protagonist Jin Sakai throughout Ghost of Tsushima's story. Unlike other open world video games featuring horse travel and horse combat, Jin's horse is special for one simple reason: it can't die in gameplay.
Ghost of Tsushima's player horse is invincible during exploration and gameplay. Even if the player attempts to jump off a cliff or slash their horse with a sword, the horse cannot die or be wounded, and it will instead simply run off for a moment. If Jin comes across a battle, the horse will flee when he dismounts, but once the combat is over the horse will quickly return. This takes a huge burden off players who may otherwise be consumed with worrying whether their horse will die in combat if they’re not careful enough. Thankfully, in Ghost of Tsushima Jin's horse won't abandon him, and it can always be instantly summoned with a whistle.
How Transportation In Ghost Of Tsushima Is Better
Ghost of Tsushima’s treatment of exploration and horses is one of its best features, as it makes transportation in the game reliable and stress-free. One of the most frustrating things that can happen in a video game – especially when it’s open world – is when the mode of transportation gets ruined. It’s even worse when the player has spent time and virtual money to customize their ride.
Take a game like Red Dead Redemption 2, for example. Players can steal a horse or they can spend a decent penny on buying a horse from a stable. But in the end, spending money on a horse is a waste because it can so easily die. Players can only keep a limited supply of horse reviver on them at a time, and they often need to be near a town in order to purchase it in the first place. So, if a player is out of horse reviver, and something happens out of nowhere, their poor horse dies. It’s even worse if the player dies along with the horse, because then there’s often no opportunity to revive it. It makes customizing or buying a horse seem completely pointless. Even if money wasn’t the issue, it’s still frustrating when the horse dies and the player is stranded in the middle of nowhere with few options for transportation.
In Red Dead Redemption 2, such situations force players to walk on foot to the nearest road to hijack a horse, wasting their time and energy. But the fact that Ghost of Tsushima's gameplay is so forgiving when it comes to the lifespan of its horses gives it an advantage. While one could make the argument that it reduces the realism of the game, this is countered by the fact that it reduces player frustration and allows them to focus on enjoying the gameplay. All in all, Ghost of Tsushima’s liberty with horses works in the game and player’s favor.
