7 crucial Ghost of Tsushima tips to help you get started

Ghost of Tsushima's world can be intimidating when you first start out on a wartorn island in the midst of a Mongol invasion unless you're already a legendary samurai, but who's got that talent? Luckily, everyone can learn the code of the samurai in Ghost of Tsushima, but if you're in need of some direction on this epic adventure, then look no further.

Let these seven essential tips guide your journey.

After a failed attempt to halt the Mongol invasion of Tsushima, samurai Jin Sakai awakens days later, ready to liberate his island. As Jin, the Ghost of Tsushima, you'll explore an open world, defeating Mongol troops to gradually taking back Tsushima. He'll gain allies and hone his skills over time, but because the Mongols have occupied the island, the entire map is covered in fog at the start of the game. Where do you even start?

That fog will be lifted as you explore and defeat foes, gradually revealing new goals and activities. Here are some tips to help you liberate Tsushuma as efficiently as possible.

7. Do as many random encounters as you can

As you explore Ghost of Tsushima's world, you'll regularly run into small enemy groups on the road. Don't avoid them. These groups are often holding a local peasant hostage, who will provide valuable information to you upon being rescued. This can lead you to unexplored Mongol-occupied territory or to a side mission you may have already missed. Random encounters will also grant you a small sum of XP.

6. Liberating land is the most important side activity you can do

Sure, it's Jin Sakai's goal to liberate Tsushima, but it should be yours as well. When you liberate a chunk of land, the fog surrounding it on the map will clear up. If you can liberate the whole district, the map will be clear, allowing you to see every optional objective location at once.

Additionally, when you liberate an area, it requires you to fight a Mongolian General. Every Mongolian General you defeat will make headway in unlocking a new combat stance. Each stance allows for easier combat against a specific enemy type like brutes, spearmen, swordsmen, and shielders. In terms of advancing Jin's skills, there's no better priority to have in the game.

5. After that, Mythic Tales should be done ASAP

If you're in-between missions or just want to try something else, do a Mythic Tales. These are short side-missions based on real-world Japanese legends. Completing them will earn you either a legendary item or a technique, which are just a bit stronger than your standard fare of moves. You can find new Mythic Talrss by conversing with the musician Yamato, who can be found all over Tsushima. Peasants met in random encounters will often provide hints to his current whereabouts.

In Act 1, you should look out for the Mythic Tale called "The Heavenly Strike." If you can complete it, you'll learn the Heavenly Strike attack, which is a powerful unblockable attack that can slay most enemies in a single slice.

4. Purchase the Traveler's Attire

Once you can start buying goods around the various shops in Tsushima like the Golden Temple, make sure to purchase the Traveler's Attire. At a base level, it allows you to detect nearby artifacts and will aide in clearing the fog from the overall map more efficiently, making the first few tips mentioned far easier to achieve.

3. Focus on the Deflection skill tree first

No matter if you're employing stealthy or aggressive tactics, you're definitely going to fight somebody at some point. When the game starts, you can only parry swordsmen-type foes, making it rather difficult to fight some opponents. If you unlock every skill on the deflect tree, you can parry nearly every attack, which will be a huge boon to your combat prowess, so do that ASAP.

2. Upgrade your Stand-Off ability next

After you've upgraded your deflection skills, focus on the Stand-Off abilities. When you enter combat, you're given the chance to take down foes in a cinematic slash fest before the actual fight begins. Each upgrade lets you defeat an additional foe in the initial Stand-Off segment of battle. If you can max it out, you might just be able to defeat an entire battalion without entering real combat.

1. When in combat, focus on archers then everyone else

You'll be facing a lot of foes throughout the course of the game. All of them will be trying to kill you, but none are more bothersome than archers, who will continuously shoot at you from afar as you try to contend with any melee-based enemies. It's annoying.

If you're not careful, archers will kill you more often than anything else in Ghost of Tsushima. Make sure to defeat them first in any skirmish so you can then prioritize your close-ranged enemies afterward.

Ghost of Tsushima is now available on PS4.