But thats not the real story here.
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Tsushimas game world isnt nearly as dense, detailed, or geographically diverse.
Its sparser… but not in a bad way.
The greatly romanticized vision of the island of Tsushima in that game is the definition of picturesque.
Watching samurai hero Jin Sakai ride his horse through the wheat fields will never get old.
WhereasShadowsat times feels overwhelming in its scope and variety,Tsushimafeels more distilled, considered, and pure.
In this instance,Ghost of Tsushimaekes out the win.
Edge:Ghost of Tsushima
Visuals
This is another tough category.
That being said, no handicaps are needed here: Even now,Tsushimais jaw-dropping.
Developer Sucker Punch used particle effects in arguably the most effective way theyve ever been used.
The blowing leaves, pouring rain, and rising embers add to the games atmosphere in every moment.
In a general sense,Tsushimais more painterly and expressionistic thanShadows.
Shadowsis less lyrical and poetic, but theres something touristic about how vivid its environments are.
The countless landmarks and vistas across the game world arent just pretty; they feel real.
Its another close call, butTsushimatakes this one.
Assassins Creed has been developing and refining its melee combat for years, andShadows melee is the best yet.
The combat inTsushimaisnt slow by any means, but its more methodical thanShadows.
As balanced and fine-tuned as both games combat systems are,Tsushimas enemy encounters just feel more consequential.
For that reason, its another one forTsushima.
Stealth
Heres where things get really interesting.
Before we get intoShadows stealth mechanics, lets considerTsushimas.
Stealth is a completely valid and enjoyable approach throughout the game, but is it as fun as combat?
If anything, it plays a supporting role to combat in that it offers an added layer of variety.
It should come as no surprise thatShadows stealth is phenomenal.
They now suggest a general awareness (they can definitely see you up on that roof!)
The thingShadowsdoes far better thanTsushimais the seamless transitioning between stealth and combat.
Its a valiant effort byTsushima, butShadowssneakily snatches the dub.
That being said, getting around inShadowsis better all around.
Characters
Theres a level of sophistication to the character work in both games.
Jin, Naoe, and Yasuke all have compelling character arcs with different messaging behind them.
Shadowsdeals with similar themes but on a grander scale with more content, characters, and plot developments.
Shadowsis by quite a large margin a more fully featured game, even if you includeTsushimas multiplayer mode.
Jins saga is a more potent parable, making it the victor in this battle.
WithGhost of Yoteion the horizon, well see if Sucker Punch can recapture the magic.
