Fans ofDark Soulslooking for a challenge may have been intrigued byGhost of Tsushima. After all, it’s the first title outsideSekiroandNiohto focus on the strategic element of action-adventure titles. And whileGhost of Tsushimadoesn’t seem to be as brutal as the Souls series, it still boasts its challenges. Players used to light action titles might find themselves surprised withGhost of Tsushima’s learning curve. And thankfully, Souls players might have an edge.
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Players looking intoGhost of Tsushimacarefully might realize that some insights from theSoulsseries might work with mastering its gameplay. And while the two games don’t come from the same team, some principles seem to remain the same. Souls players might want to consider using these tips when playingGhost of Tsushima:
Updated on 20 July 2025 by Rhenn Taguiam:Ghost of Tsushimaremains strong a year after its 2020 release, courtesy of excellent gameplay and a remarkable array of post-launch content. With a Director’s Cut on its way,Ghost of Tsushimaregained much-deserved hype for its compelling and immersive setting. Fans new and old will likely flock towards the titlefor its challenging gameplay similar to theSoulsseries, albeit with a unique take on combat styles and items. For gameplay savants who want to dominateGhost of Tsushimavery early on, they can actually apply some strategies from theDark Soulsseries to ensure a smooth playthrough.
14Lessen Numbers With Kunai First
Despite the efficiency of Jin’s Sword Stances, it’s his Ghost Stance – and his Ghost Weapons – that can give him a tremendous advantage when utilized properly. While players can go gung-ho and challenge their melee prowess versus multiple fighters, the more practical choice is to eliminate as many foes as possible with the least risk. Thankfully, the Kunai can make incursions easier against multiple foes.
At its core, the Kunai can become a devastatingly potent long-ranged weapon. With the right timing, players can kill enemy threats before a big confrontation. This strategy can help players eliminate unnecessary foes and focus on fighting foes they truly have to fight in an area confrontation.
13Eliminate Archers First To Regain Advantage
Of all enemy types in the game, archers remain the most irritating to face. Unlike players, archers have great accuracy in their shots. Compared to melee foes, archers only have their screams to indicate when they will shoot. And from afar, a group of archers can whittle the player’s health in no time.
As such, players should prioritize eliminating archers in any encounter. Find a way to roll towards them the fastest, in order to outmaneuver them in melee. It’s also possible to whack them out from behind, as they don’t react as fast as their other companions.
12Always Maintain Higher Ground
Players might notice that even enemies suffer from fall damage. The tightest space of an archery tower can become the momentum they need to turn the tide of combat. When cornered, players should try finding higher ground immediately.
Once players find a ladder, they can easily whack opponents out of commission as they attempt to climb up one by one. If players can’t find a ladder immediately, they can try looking for an archer, as they’re usually on higher ground. Alternatively, even cliffs can become handy killers, as players can kick foes to their deaths with the right timing.
11Stagger Foes In Clusters To Even The Score
While players can deal with standoffs by finding an adequate combative Stance, facing multiple foes at once can get tricky. After all, switching Stances back and forth can get exhausting pretty quick. To avoid getting overwhelmed, players should whittle the opponent’s ranks by staggering them meticulously.
As players know, they can stagger or break through the enemy’s shields (white bar) via the Triangle button. Compared to typical standoffs, breaking shields via stagger makes enemies more vulnerable to Jin’s heavier attacks. Players shouldn’t hesitate to roll around and parry attacks to score stagger counters. That way, players can break shields and counter with fierce counter-aggressions to eliminate them quickly.
10Master Sword Stances
When assassinations fail, Jin resorts to melee combat when fighting enemies. Thankfully, his training as a samurai allowed him to use his sword in different ways.Tsushimaoffers players Stances thatoffer different approacheswhen fighting certain enemies. WhileDark Soulsplayers might want to try mastering just one Stance against everyone, it’s ideal to master not just all of the Stances but also switching in between them.
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It’s also important for players to memorize the dynamics between classes. Stone Stance works against Swordsmen and regular opponents. Meanwhile, Water and Wind Stances work against Shieldmen and Spearmen, respectively. Lastly, Moon Stance works against Brutes. This knowledge becomes extremely important later on, as bigger battles will have Jin face hordes of enemies of multiple types, necessitating style switching.
9Jumping Adds Versatility
Fans ofDark Soulsknow thatdodging and jumpingcan be two of the most vital parts of any combat strategy. InTsushima, jumping can also expand the player’s combat options. Players should start experimenting with jump dodges, which helps them dodge slashes and strikes with jumps. With the right timing, players can jump over most enemy attacks.
Using the jump dodge can be extremely useful, especially against attacks that Jin can’t parry. Moreover, jump attacks still help Jin maneuver around the battlefield. As such, jump kicks and jump slashes not only reposition Jin but also deal a bit of damage to enemies.
8Parries Break Combos
WhereasDark Soulsrelies a lot on dodging attacks,Tsushimaencourages players to attack enemies head-on. However, this advice doesn’t mean attacking enemies carelessly. Thanks to the game’s parry mechanics, Jin can placea well-timed parryin the middle of an enemy combo to disrupt their posture and zoom in for the kill.
Players experiencing a hard time pulling off parries and dodges should go to the Spring Falls Shrine and get the Mizu-no-Kami charm. Thanks to this charm, players have a wider window to fulfill basic parries as well as perfect dodges and perfect parries. Ideally, players should learn the timing without the charm’s help, as there are other charms much more beneficial for other combat needs.
7Concentration Slows Time
Thanks to Concentrate, Jin can slow time with his bow to aim towards enemies much easier. Ideally, players should use this to eliminate enemy archers from afar. However, this move does open them to attacks from nearby enemies. Thankfully, players can do a neat trick to circumvent this disadvantage.
Players should remember that releasing Concentrate will immediately put the bow away. However, there’salmost no delaybetween unequipping the bow and initiating a guard. As such, Jin can almost always pull off perfect parries by timing the parry during Concentration.
6Smoke Bombs Introduce Death
Unlike modern stealth games that rely on advanced gadgets,Tsushimauses both the environment andsome unique toolsto get the advantage in stealth missions. While the smoke bomb works as an escape tool, it can also be used to clock in some easy assassinations.
For instance, smoke bombs against unsuspecting enemies can grant enough room for a few stealth kills before having to retreat. This window gives a lot of time for Jin to plan his approach - whether to stealth kill and escape, or to stealth kill and fight the rest of the group.
5Use The Horse For Easy Kills
Interestingly, certain gameplay elements can overlap to aid Jin dispatch enemies much faster and easier. For instance, NPCs don’t treat horses by themselves as enemy combatants. As such, players mounting a horse can dismount within standoff range and do a neat trick to assassinate opponents.
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Players should do this trick after dismounting in a position that places Jin behind the horse. Afterward, they should whistle to urge enemies to come closer. This maneuver should give enough space between Jin and his opponents for chain assassinations.
