CHENNAI: In a world, saturated with multiple options for online gaming; the sounds of in-game explosions so infinite, and indistinguishable from each other, that you hear them as a constant background hum. Does it matter if I review just another? But Ghost of Tsushima Legends is not your typical online game (it has sword clashing sounds as opposed to gunshots).
Or at least, PS4 owners who bought the offline game on release will tell you that. ‘Legends’ is the new free update to owners of the game. But calling it an ‘update’ is underplaying it. ‘Legends’ has a story sufficient to exist as a standalone game. The game allows you to choose from one of four warrior styles, with each of them having a superpower associated with their best-known abilities.
The Assassin releases very stealthy attacks, the Hunter unleashes arrow shots on enemy heads, the Samurai’s fury causes multiple enemies to collapse at sight, and the Ronin can conjure a dog Patronus of sorts (and can also revive fallen enemies). You do not need to spend too much time thinking about the class to choose, as each has their advantage, and you can unlock the others over time.
The game has two modes of online play. The first is missions based on stories, which can be played by two players in a co-op style. An ominous voice narrates the stories, which describe dark mystic events that disrupt life in Tsushima. Even the visuals are terrifyingly beautiful. The single-player mode allowed us to appreciate the visual diversity by showing us the varied terrain in Tsushima, light streaming in and making blades of grass gleam as we called the wind to guide us.
The co-op mode just showed us how haunting the same terrain could be, with constant darkness, red clouds in the sky, and surrealistic elements inserted. But weirdly enough, it is a feelgood sort of darkness. The second mode is called ‘Survival’ — an intense, fastpaced battle where the four different warrior styles coordinate to fight against waves of incoming enemies. The wait between waves reduces over time, and you must take on as many enemies as you can before the team falls.
Unlike more punishing online games, it is not tough to be a good teammate in Legends. Just leave your healing drums unbeaten for your low health friend and try to stay safe if you are unable to revive them when they are knocked out. I give Legends a ‘Ghost’ rating — which is also the highest rank that a Samurai hopes to achieve.
Anusha Ganapathi @quaffle_waffle (This economics graduate spends her leisure time preparing for the zombie apocalypse)