Gaming

Ghost of Tsushima review: Making of a legend

A samurai’s journey

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Vengeful Samurai
Rids his land of invaders
Haunting. Like a ghost

Ghost of Tsushima is the last major PlayStation 4 exclusive before the PlayStation 5 hits the shelves. It has the unenviable task of closing a chapter in gaming, and it does so with a lot of heart and subtle flair.

You play as Jin Sakai — a samurai who survived the first confrontation against the Mongols. Among the samurais in the battlefield, it was only you and your uncle Lord Shimura who survived the attack, with many believing you had also fallen in battle.

KOMODO BEACH. Samurais clash against Mongols early in the game.

Your mission is to take the island back by any means necessary. Sometimes, that means going against the way of the samurai which you had dedicated your life to.

The story has several beats but the dilemma between tradition and progression is a constant theme. Many tales along the way reveal that people haven’t always stayed true to tradition, and how that’s not always necessarily a bad thing.

Fight like a samurai

Combat takes a lot of patience, discipline and precision. Especially during the early stages of the game where you’ll really have to rely on your skills to get through enemies.

I thought I had already learned to take my time in combat with a few previous games I played. However, my general lack of patience worked against me. Timing your parries can be hard even with visual cues from your opponents. Either that or my timing is just plain terrible.

Once you get the hang of combat, you’ll develop a thirst for battle. This is because the game does a good job of rewarding you with every successful execution.

You gain resolve with each kill. Resolve is what you use to replenish your health. So if you’re low on health and resolve, you’re actually encouraged to go into battle so you can live to fight another day.

You’ll also encounter different types of enemies. Each one can be dealt with more easily by using a certain sword stance.

You’ll acquire all four stances as you progress to the game, but you will definitely encounter foes you don’t have the exact stance for. This is where your parrying and dodging skills will really be put to test.

Stone, Water, Wind, and Moon – these are your fighting stances

There’s also a stand-off mode where you call out an opponent and you face each other head on. It’s pretty easy at first but, again, timing gets complicated when your opponent starts adding feints to throw you off.

Lastly, there are duels. It’s mostly reserved for key story moments or when acquiring certain mythic items. In terms of combat execution, it’s pretty much the same except your opponent won’t go down after a few thrusts and slashes.

Haunt like a ghost

You don’t always have to face your enemies head-on. You are, after all, trying to take down an entire invasion. Certain tales or missions require that you strike from the shadows. This is where your ghost skills and tools come in.

Much like the sword stances, it will take progressing through the game to unlock all the ghost skills and tools. Skills like focused hearing alter your surroundings so you can tell where each target is at. You move slowly at first but you earn skill points as you build your legend to unlock more skills.

The ghost tools are unlocked after certain points in the story. Some of them aid you in assassinations but some can be also used in direct combats. One especially useful tool is the smoke bomb.

You will inevitably face a horde of Mongols at certain points with a bunch of them attacking you almost simultaneously. Dropping a smoke bomb confuses your opponents and leaves them open to one slash or one thrust kills.

If you’ve played older Assassin’s Creed titles, raiding strongholds and assassinations will feel familiar in Ghost of Tsushima. Approaching from high ground, creating distractions to misdirect attention, all in the service of that slit-throat kill — all these come into play when attacking stealthily.

Every tale adds to your legend 

Ghost of Tsushima probably has the best side-quests in games released from the last two years. Everything you do in the island is interconnected and is aided by environmental cues.

To get to certain shrines you follow either a fox or a yellow bird. The fox only really guides you to the Inari shrines which help open up charm slots to aid you in battle.

Meanwhile, the bird guides you to mostly every other objective — be it an item you can retrieve, a spot to reflect and write a haiku, or the next tale to tackle to continue Jin’s journey.

The game offers a style of play where you rely solely on these things to progress. For an open-world game done as well as Ghost of Tsushima, that’s a perfect way to get lost in its world.

The island of Tsushima is divided into three main areas. The main story will have you progressing towards the north of the island to ultimately rid the place of Mongol forces. But progressing through the story is only half the fun.

The island is teeming with stories that range from gut-wrenching to light-hearted moments to help balance the general grief everyone in the island feels.

Ghost of Tsushima_20200708233214

The side quests do not seem like side quests at all. Each one feels like a small chapter in the bigger story that is being told. Tales from villagers will have you facing off against bandits or taking down Mongol strongholds.

There are also tales corresponding to key characters — allies in your battle to liberate Tsushima. All of which reveal an unexpected truth with each character. The way of the samurai is held in such high regard, but some of the tales will show how even those devoted to that path can stray from it.

Slay in subtle style

Everything about Ghost of Tsushima’s style and visuals is just absolutely stunning to me. Persona 5 was lauded for being a very loud and stylish depiction of modern Japan, this game should be lauded about style but for a different reason.

First, the environment. I’ve seen people talk about grass mechanics. Honestly, it’s not one of the things I usually look at when playing, but rest assured this game does it right just as well as the best ones.

It is, after all, built upon the idea that you can explore the island with a minimal game hub. This is so you can take in Tsushima in all its glory and explore every nook and cranny of the island to your heart’s desire.

The color palette of the game’s menu screen is also extremely satisfying. It’s mostly neutral colors highlighted with red or yellow/gold. It certainly took a minimalistic approach — a characteristic that most associate with Japan.

The Mythic Tales are also done exquisitely. These tales net you key items or techniques — all born from the legendary stories told amongst Tsushima’s inhabitants. In this case, you search the island for musicians who will tell the tale.

Each tale is told with the visual aid of Sumi-e or Japanese Ink Painting. Every tale feels epic as it is being told, and each item or technique learned in the pursuit of each tale proves incredibly useful in battle.

Everything flows seamlessly

Every single element in Ghost of Tsushima flows seamlessly. From combat to exploration, absolutely nothing feels out of place. It all makes sense within the confines of the story.

There are no mindless fetch quests or fighting for no reason. You roam different parts of the island with the ultimate goal of freeing it from the Mongols’ control. This, while also dealing with bandits and traitors — which also goes to show how not even a single, formidable enemy can unite a people.

You will deal with many emotions as you progress through the game. The constant tug of war between the traditional ways of the samurai and the necessity to fight in the shadows is reflected in many different tales of the story. It’s the theme that, at its facade, feels old and tired, but is given new life and deeper meaning in the story.

Being the sole surviving samurai following the initial Mongol siege, you turn into the de facto hero. Jin, naturally, was reluctant at first. But as his legend grows, so does the hope of the people that they can indeed fight back and reclaim what is rightfully theirs.

This hope is forged through your countless exploits around Tsushima. Freeing one area after another, taking down strongholds, and using both all you learned as a samurai and the ghost methods you’re forced into by necessity — all of it adds to one grand legend. The legend that is the Ghost of Tsushima.


Ghost of Tsushima will launch on the PS4 on July 17, 2020

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Star Wars: Galactic Racer launches October 6

Pre-orders now live

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Star Wars: Galactic Racer

Star Wars: Galactic Racer is set to launch on October 6, 2026, bringing a new high-speed twist to the Star Wars universe. The game is published by Secret Mode and developed by Fuse Games. It arrives on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC with support for up to 12 players.

Pre-orders are now open across Standard, Deluxe, and Collector’s Editions. Pricing starts at $59.99 for the Standard Edition, with both digital and physical versions available depending on platform.

A different kind of Star Wars story

Set in the lawless Outer Rim, the game introduces the Galactic League—an unsanctioned racing circuit where skill matters more than destiny. You play as a mysterious pilot named Shade, navigating a single-player campaign built on rivalries, alliances, and unfinished business.

There’s no Force or prophecy here. Instead, the focus is on build strategy and racing mastery. Players can customize three types of repulsorcraft and even take on classic podracers, blending familiar Star Wars elements with a more competitive, arcade-style edge.

Multiplayer supports online races where players can test their builds and driving skills against others.

Pre-order bonuses and editions

All pre-orders include a bonus livery usable across vehicles, with platform-specific colors, plus a Player Banner background for multiplayer.

The Deluxe Edition adds three extra vehicles, exclusive Arcade events, a livery pack, and cosmetic upgrades like new player banners and insignias. It also includes a digital art book featuring early designs of characters, locations, and vehicles.

Collector’s Edition for dedicated pilots

For collectors, the physical Collector’s Edition bundles a model of the Kor Sarun: Darc X landspeeder, themed patches, a printed art book, and a steel case housed in premium packaging. It also includes all Deluxe Edition digital content.

Star Wars: Galactic Racer launches on October 6, 2026, for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with pre-orders now available.

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PRAGMATA is not for the faint of heart

Already a Game of the Year contender for all the feels

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PRAGMATA

Six years and a few notable launch delays. That’s what it took for Capcom to finally introduce a new franchise in 2026. They already have legacy franchises getting new releases. However, the biggest question looming over their head was whether or not they dare to explore something new. What makes it more challenging is an entirely new team is working on its development. That comes with its own sets of risks and rewards.

This was the story of PRAGMATA, another exciting title finally getting its time in the spotlight on all modern platforms. Looking at trailers, screenshots, and even demo highlights, I already got the sense that this game may just be at par with a ton of sci-fi-inspired RPGs. The expectation on my end was clear: all action, all exploration, with a storyline that will tie everything together seamlessly.

I was not prepared for the storm of emotions and action that came my way.

Maximizing your brain power

PRAGMATA operates like most action-packed RPGs with how combat works: you point, you shoot. To set that up, you play as Hugh. He is an engineer sent to a moonbase called the Cradle to investigate comms being down. As you enter the Cradle, something already feels off. Before you even get a chance to blink, you’re already plunging into danger as the AI that keeps it safe has gone rogue. By the time you come to, you’re attacked by one of the bots that helped you out. From there, must fight your way throughout the game to survive.

Luckily for you, a support android named D-I-0336-7 fixes you up. The android willingly helps you fight the rogue AI by hacking through them. Not only will the hacking deal additional damage, but it will help you identify enemy weak spots to exploit. However, to achieve the perfect hack, you are required to solve a puzzle-like board with nodes mid-fight. Essentially, you’ll be doing two things at once to survive and fight your way through the Cradle.

PRAGMATA

It’s the kind of mechanic that feels unique as the level of difficulty escalates with every encounter. Oftentimes, the hacking and the shooting are separate mechanics that are done to calmly set you up for the fights. Now, it’s do-or-die with the hacking increasing your odds of success immensely. Enemies are hard to defeat simply on the gunplay alone. And you will need to keep that in mind as you progress through the game.

Expansive world to complete and unlock

Speaking of progression, as you get out of that initial skirmish alive with D-I-0336-7, who Hugh cutely gives the nickname “Diana” to, you end up in a tram to the Shelter. Effectively, the Shelter serves as both your base of operations and a rest spot to retool before combat. As you go through every area of the game, you unlock newer features. These are REM Replicators, upgrades to your health, firepower and hacking skills, and access to more weapon schematics and nodes. Also, you can even set up matching suits for Hugh and Diana before heading out into the world again!

Once you have everything you need, you will venture out into areas in the Cradle that need to be restored. A lot of the areas are incredibly expansive. This allows you to explore and grab as many freebies lying around as you can. From the Lunafilament used for upgrades to newer weapons at your disposal, the game scatters these for you to find and harvest from the overworld. Of course, you’ll run into the occasional swarm of enemies but you have Diana, and Diana has you!

Diana’s hacking even extends into these as you progressively acquire new skills. As you progress, you’ll be able to remove map hazards, clear traps, and scale structures effortlessly. This fully allows exploration to be less of a drag. There are newer pathways to areas you previously couldn’t explore or made it easier to backtrack. Plus, there are stations that can be activated as save points and hangars to return to the Shelter that Diana can activate.

It’s a large hub to explore. You’re encouraged to get and know everything because this next part will have you strapped.

Building bridges back to Earth

Without completely spoiling too much, PRAGMATA‘s storyline is one you gradually feel and resonate with. Earlier, I mentioned that the whole reason Hugh and his team were in the Cradle was to investigate its unresponsiveness. In an unfortunate turn of events, Hugh gets separated from his team and has to go through the entire Cradle looking for a way to get back to Earth. Along the way, Diana resurrects Hugh from certain death and accompanies him throughout the excursion mostly to be a guide and helping hand.

Throughout the game, Hugh and Diana develop a strong bond that already borders a father-daughter dynamic. Originally, Hugh didn’t really consider himself as a parental figure since he doesn’t have kids of his own. However, he goes out of his way to ensure Diana’s safety and overall wellbeing – effectively giving human compassion and love to an android. Oddly enough, Diana almost certainly feels more human and would even want to join him back to Earth.

As you explore throughout the game, you also pick up schematics of real Earth objects that are processed in the Shelter’s REM Replicators. These are neat trinkets that Diana actually gets to play with, even to a point of bonding with Hugh through them. It’s the kind of heartwarming moments in between the chaos that reflects the dynamic that many people will truly appreciate.

Struggles picked, sacrifices made

Remember how the game encourages you to explore to know everything? All of that was intentional for Hugh and Diana to get down to the bottom of what really happened at the Cradle. As it turns out, the AI mainframe of the Cradle, IDUS went into disarray after the moonquake that separated Hugh from his crew. Along the excursion through the Cradle, the pair discovers and meets up with another android called Eight who has the answers to effectively contain IDUS through Diana.

Only for them to realize that there are far graver dangers ahead. So now, the objective is to survive till the end, get back to Earth and stop anything that gets in the way. All throughout, you as Hugh will be tested on not only keeping Diana safe, but also ensuring that she gets to experience Earth with or without him. For the parents and parental figures out there, you know this feeling all too well.

A GamingMatch Made in Heaven?

No matter how you slice it, PRAGMATA nailed everything in my list of expectations: the right mix of exploration, easy-to-master combat mechanics, and an emotional story that transcends culture and hits right in the feels. It feels like Capcom continuously revitalizes the RPG experience with newer concepts and mechanics that truly test players at the core. Matching it with characters that allow you to have an emotional investment in, and the game hits right in the feels in more ways than one.

PRAGMATA

It’s a game that gradually keeps you engrossed in the experience from start to finish. From approaching tougher and larger enemies to traversing the overworld to collect resources, every instance feels wholly unique. Furthermore, the game incentivizes rest and reset without fully losing progress in your adventure.

More than anything, it offers a fresh take on character dynamics that will leave you in an emotional mess. Whether you like it or not. Admittedly, the bond between Hugh and Diana is one that a lot of people simply resonate and potentially aspire to have. It’s a reminder of how deep the human connection can truly transcend. And even be the ultimate key to survival against all olds.

Not only does PRAGMATA get a Swipe Right, but this game truly deserves to be up there for Game of the Year contention.

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The Blood of Dawnwalker launches September 3

With new gameplay, story details

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The Blood of Dawnwalker

Rebel Wolves and Bandai Namco Entertainment have revealed a fresh wave of details for The Blood of Dawnwalker, confirming its release on September 3, 2026.

The upcoming dark fantasy open-world action RPG is headed to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam, with pre-orders now live across digital storefronts and retail. The announcement came alongside the game’s “Road to Launch” event, which packed in new gameplay footage, story reveals, and system requirements.

Story, gameplay, and a deeper look at Vale Sangora

A new story trailer introduces key characters surrounding protagonist Coen, a Dawnwalker caught between humanity and vampirism. Set in the fictional Vale Sangora in the Carpathian Mountains, the game leans heavily into choice-driven storytelling, where allies, enemies, and outcomes shift depending on player decisions.

Rebel Wolves also showcased over 10 minutes of gameplay captured from a recent PC build. The footage highlights narrative-driven exploration, where uncovering secrets and completing activities can unlock abilities or alter how events unfold. The core idea is simple: every action carries consequences, shaping both the story and the state of the world.

Developers including Piotr Kucharski, Daria Bury-Zawada, Maciej Wiśniewski, and Dorota Rutkowska also broke down key systems and design philosophies in a new dev diary.

Motion capture, editions, and system requirements revealed

A behind-the-scenes segment featured former UFC champion Jan Błachowicz, who contributed motion capture work for Bakir, one of the game’s antagonists. His involvement adds a layer of realism to combat, with a focus on weight and impact in every strike.

Rebel Wolves also detailed multiple editions of the game. Alongside the standard digital version and retail Day One Edition, players can opt for the Eclipse Edition, which includes bonuses like a world compendium, soundtrack, and comic book. A Collector’s Edition will also be available in limited quantities.

Official PC system requirements were likewise shared during the event, giving players a clearer idea of what hardware they’ll need to run the game.

A dark fantasy journey shaped by choice

Set in 14th-century Europe during a time of war and plague, The Blood of Dawnwalker follows Coen’s struggle against Brencis, a powerful vampire lord ruling over Vale Sangora. As a Dawnwalker, Coen walks a fine line between two worlds, gaining unique abilities while dealing with the cost that comes with them.

Built on Unreal Engine 5, the game emphasizes player agency, blending open-world exploration with branching narrative paths. Whether forming alliances or facing off against enemies, every decision feeds back into how the story unfolds.

The Blood of Dawnwalker launches September 3 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.

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