Ghost of Tsushima Art Inspired by Zelda and Shadow of the Colossus, Director Confirms

Ghost of Tsushima was shown in an extensive gameplay trailer in the latest State of Play. At last, we were able to see the game world of Sucker Punch in greater detail and get to know some of its combat and stealth mechanics. After the presentation, the samurai game was compared to other great titles either for its game proposal or for its artistic section. Jason Connell, Creative Director of the title, spoke about it and revealed the main influences for creating the art of the game.

To the surprise of the fans, the director revealed that Ghost of Tsushima was indeed inspired by a popular installment of The Legend of Zelda and Shadow of the Colossus. During an interview with the YouTuber Julien Chièze, Connell spoke about various aspects of the game, including its artistic section. The creative confirmed that it was inspired by several of his favorite games to give Ghost of Tsushima a special artistic direction.

The director specifically mentioned The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the latest installment in the Nintendo series, and Shadow of the Colossus, one of Fumito Ueda’s most recognized games. Connell commented that both games were a big influence due to their simple, yet profound artistic direction. Connell and his team went out of their way to give Ghost of Tsushima a similar visual look based on both games.

As per the statements of Connell, this resulted in part in the lack of markers or signs that tell Ghost of Tsushima players where to go. To this, we must add a minimal user interface with which greater immersion is achieved. In addition, the director revealed that there will be a flute in the game and that it will be the only musical instrument available. The creative did not go into detail, so we do not know the function of the object.

Last but not the least, the creative assured that there will be elements in Ghost of Tsushima that will distinguish it from other open-world games. For example, in the title, there will be no rewards for hunting animals. The fauna will be present to only give more life to the world.

Ghost of Tsushima will release on PlayStation 4 on July 17.