Noonan

I don't disagree. At this point it feels like once you played one good open world game, you've played them all. The fox dens and birds are cool but they're just map locations like any other. And it's not like you can't see the glowing trees for a fox den from way far away. Haiku locations lose their appeal after the first few since it takes too long to get through them. I now just click on whichever options are closest to the cursor at the start.

lopper

I'd have to guess I'm 20 hours in at this point, maybe more, and this is the most 7.5/10 game I've played in years. It's not a great game and it's not bad either, it's fine. My primary issues with the game are below:

• The game desperately needs an enemy lock on option, or at the very least some indicator showing what enemy you're about to attack. Trying to fight more than a handful of guys at a time is a mess, especially in close quarters.
• Attacks should be mapped to R1 and R2 so I can keep a thumb on the right joystick to maneuver the camera.
• Characters are way too talkative, especially in a game with unskippable cut scenes and dialogue.
• Quests and side activities are too repetitive.
• Pacing of character progression is out of balance. I'm pretty sure I could've maxed out most (all) of the skill trees just doing story and side quests on the first portion of the island. There should be more abilities locked away behind story progression.
• Everything I do outside of combat is pure tedium. Foxes, haikus, conversations, escort/follow scenarios,and basic exploration are painfully dull.

I'd read someone say that this is exactly like an Assassins Creed game, just not any of the good ones, and I couldn't agree more.

I am having a ton of fun with the combat though, especially the one-on-one duels. I think those are really well done.

Noonan

Spoiler for the end of Act 1

lopper

Agreed 100%, and I've run into a couple similar, possibly random, encounters early on in Act II.

mhg83

This game is so stingy with arrows. I've gone two hours without finding any arrows. I'll fight an Archer and when I go search his body I come up empty. He has a quiver full of Arrows but I can't collect them WTH. So stupid.

Are you able to craft arrows?

lopper

You can buy them at the trapper vendor in the towns. The only arrows I have trouble finding are the ones for the long bow. Regular ones are all over outposts, farms, etc.

Noonan

Upgrading my arrow capacity was the first thing I did once I was comfortable taking out bears without being tossed like rag doll.

Dan

Played a few more hours last night. I'm doing a bunch of the side Tales before diving into the end of Act 2. There's some nice seemingly random duel encounters that you may come across, but they're tied to a certain musician's tale.

I quite enjoy the Fox Den, Hot Springs, and Bamboo stuff. The Shrines are also a nice challenge. But I'm really not a fan of the Haikus. I just pick random lines without even reading them, but I wonder if you get bonus points or anything for making them 'good.'

Another thing I really like is when you and your allies are making a plan of action to take down an encampment or whatever. I like the UI with the curved lines shrinking into circles as you focus on the right parts. It's just a nice little touch to the overall experience, much like the guiding wind. Speaking of which, I find myself looking at the map a lot less than in other open world games. That's definitely a plus.

Noonan

Yeah, the shrines are fun. I found a marsh shrine in Act 2 that looked like I would be able to walk right up to it. I was wrong.

Also, it took me far to long to realize now that I have the grapple hook, I need to look up when a bird takes me somewhere; not just around on the ground.

slop101

Played some more, still kinda fun, but still kinda dull... just wish there was more variety to the landscape, as in it was more dense with stuff to do, instead of useless sprawl.

james2025a

I have played a handful of hours and not rushing through this, and whilst its a beautiful looking game and i can see its gonna be fun, its problems are glaring. The fighting without lock on is stupid. It makes it a mess. Trying to side step when fighting is a pain as well as many times he rolls instead and then you are too far away from the enemy to hit them. I like the idea of the wind showing the way, but it also means you have to wait a second or two each time instead of flowing in the right direction. Nice idea, that only partially works.

its certainly in the vein of the AC games, but so far not as good as Origins or Odyssey. Hopefully Naughty Dog does some updates to address some of the issues.

K&AJones

They've came out and said why no lock on mechanic...while for the most part like in AC Origins and Odyssey it works....I can see why it wouldn't and in fact hamper combat in GoT. I've found and seen way too many times I get several; either in front of me and around me that if I had lock-on, it adds another "Button" in the middle of combat which would add to the already several combinations you have to deal with....I've switched and used Three Stances in less than a minute. Not to mention using the Throwing Knives, a Bow, Bombs and Smoke. So far I can live without it....and I like the flow of combat even with the small amount of slow time in changing Stances.

In terms of comparisons to AC games...they are different yet some similarities remain......while AC gives you far more in the weapon use area, GoT gives you far more skills and other means to fine tune or aim what type of Samurai you want to be. Far less mini and micro missions in GoT than AC.....More Armor Sets in AC than GoT.....both awesome looking worlds and maps detailed throughout. Both compelling central character stories with supporting characters. Both offer a good deal of side quests for collectibles.....and frankly I've liked the combat mechanics in all three games. I give an edge to Odysey as what you can do with the Sailing and Boat add-on but it felt overwhelming with almost...Too Much To Do. So far it feels about right with GoT with side quests, collectibles, random groups of Mongols to Bandits you get to small forts to large ones. I don't feel overwhelmed with loads of quests and markers.

Noonan

Got stuck on a duel last night that was kicking my ass. It's the final duel for the mythic quest that has you fighting others throughout Act 2 area. First time I've seen the game ask if I wanted to abandon the duel or swap to Easy.

K&AJones

I had that same question after failing the Recruit The Straw Hats Quest very early on like after five times in a row of defeat..........my Armor and Sword was only upgraded one level, didn't have much in terms of upgrades in Evasion and Deflection, no upgrades in two Stances and didn't have the important Wind Stance against Spears which were killing me everywhere I went....went back the other night and completed it in like Two Minutes

Noonan

I decided to go back to the fight I was stuck on later. My sword is almost fully upgraded and my armor is full. I'm sure I'll get it if I mess around with charms and which armor set I use. Might switch from Ronin for melee damage to that mythic set that does high stagger.

lopper

Maybe 25 hours in and I still haven’t found a good way to take on the spear guys. They always start with one or two red, unblockable attacks, so I have to dodge away, but the wind up for the hard attack for their stance (don’t remember what it’s called) is too long, and I can never pull it off before they come at me again.

I have the parry spear attack upgrade, but it doesn’t seem to apply to the red attacks.

Noonan

You have to dodge red attacks until you have the parry upgrade to handle them specifically (applies to all red attacks). Dodge or roll out of the way and overwhelm them with heavy attacks in the correct stance. They break easily.

lopper

Is that a skill that unlocks based on progression, or is it part of the stance tree? Because I’ve unlocked all upgrades to the stance.

Maybe I’m doing something wrong.

Noonan

IIRC it's part of the Deflection Technique tree; not tied to a stance directly. It lets you parry un-blockable attacks (red and blue).

lopper

Huh, I’ve been deflecting blues but not reds. Don’t know that I’ve even tried as I only remember seeing blue attacks in the preview screen. I’ll give it a shot. Thanks!

K&AJones

I had the same problem...the Spear Guys accounted for the majority of my deaths over Swords and Sword & Shields combined. I never could figure them out and after they poke you a couple of times your health was down. I ended up doing a lot of rolling and developing my own stance..."Jumping Rabbit"....I just started doing jumping and landing a heavy attacks after they do their two pokes....the Shield Stance worked after a good Parry with it's upper cut slash...... But just keep leveling to get the Wind Stance...that Stance makes life and playing all the difference...I can even use it against just Swords and Swords & Shields Guys...even against Commanders that use Pole Arms....it's that good.

Maxflier

I can almost guarantee that Naughty Dog will not be updating any of these issues

K&AJones

Not bad for a new IP from a Dev that hasn't released anything since 2014.....and FWIW, they said The Last of Us Part 2 sold 2.6 Million same time frame....

Ghost of Tsushima Sells a Staggering 2.4 Million Copies In 3 Days .......https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2020...pies_in_3_days

RichC2

Last of Us Part 2 sold 4 million+ in 3 days, but 2.4m+ is very very impressive for a new IP, especially one that isn't online-oriented with a long running "Early Access" phase.

slop101

With people being stuck home, videogame sales are through the roof!