Ghost of Yōtei and Ghost of Tsushima

So today I started ACT III, and there was one part where I actually laughed because not only was it easy (and made the rest of the mission...easier) but it was actually fun. I just sat in the grass and picked off- oh it must have been at least a dozen Mongols with poison darts, halluncingens and arrows and they never saw me. They literally didn't know what hit them. Then when it was over...I emerged from the grass and there was literally a pile of bodies that I had to move around in order to progress.

I just sat there picking them off one by one for several minutes watching them drop like flies, meanwhile I'm giggling to myself how easy they're making it for me.

Well, I finished the Main Story of Ghost of Tsushima. Took me 74 hours and 20 minutes, and this I have to say (with pride) is my very first Completionist run, or as near a perfect completionist run as I can make it. I tried my best to hit every spot on the map, I don't think I left very many, no more than five I would say if that. What an absolutely beautiful game! I don't think there was anything at all that I didn't like about it or that I didn't enjoy. I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed every moment of that game! Even the smaller beats, the less important side quests were enjoyable and I was totally absorbed in the story- especially considering that it's actually based around a real-world historical event. Such a stellar game! I can see why players of the original version on PS4 praised it so highly. This was definitely an emotional ride. There were times I was made a bit angry, there were times when I pumped my first in confidence and celebration. THere were times I pumped my fist in an andrenaline rush, feeling the thrill and celebration of a hard-fought victory. There were at least 2x I was gob-smacked and slack-jawed with shock and disappointment, and there were at least 4x that I actually teared-up and got a little weepy.

So many wonderul, adventurous story moments. Excellent voice acting by the cast (English dialogue and subtitles because I'm HoH), stunning Art Direction- very cinematic and the landscapes and use of colour were at times, breath-taking. And I am listening to the OST more and more, remembering parts of the game that go with the music and appreciating the beautiful score with each track.

I'm not finished yet....still clearing out the smaller settlements of any Mongol presence before I venture on to Iki Island, but if the game/story actually ended where it did (without the NG+ or DLC) I would be completely satisfied with my experience. And one other thing is absoultely certain: There has never been any other game that I've ever played where I have taken more screen captures, or anything even close to what I took for Ghost of Tsushima. 515 in total, and that's just for the main game. I'm sure there will be more to come once I venture onto Iki Island.

As much as I like B&W movies and enjoy Akira Kirosawa's movies I don't think I will ever attempt the "Kirasawa Mode" which makes EVERYTHING black/white because that would make the gameplay exceedingly difficult even on the easiest settings due to the fact that there is no colour defintion. It would be monochromatic which would be difficult to play with.

I think for my next PT, I am going to opt for the Japanese language track with English subs.

1st XP Final Verdict 10++/10