[Aptorian]

Never seen that before. But I did get a trophy earlier for bowing at X amount of secret shrines. I think that's various graves and monuments around the map.

[Malankazooie]

One thing I've upped my skill set on since switching to Hard mode is actively changing my stance to the best style suited to the enemy before me as I fight through a group of Mongols. In Normal mode I didn't really give stance all that much thought, except to just switch to the new stance I just unlocked and run with it to see what its capabilities are. But now I definitely have stance switching in my toolbox and have the buttons committed to memory.

[Traveller]

That's what I meant earlier - if I get a horde (ha) running towards me I'll be checking out their weapons, and then flip into the appropriate stance to deal with the first, and know which to move into next to take on the next etc.

If you get it right and plan like 5 moves ahead you can chain all of them in a perfect storm, it's such an awesome and natural system. The lack of a lock on actually makes it easier.

[Malankazooie]

It's worth investing time to practice and get good at. You'll have some awkward moments fumbling around at first, but once you lock it in it makes for some really cool flow during fights as you have expirenced, especially if you have spent skill points on the stance trees.

[Aptorian]

I find that I'm good enough at perfect dodges and perfect parries, that I really don't have to bother with stances. I can chop my way through most things, and when I occasionally meet one of the [redacted for spoiler] I just throw a knife in their face or drop a smoke bomb.

[Traveller]

I love how op the kunai are. I upgraded the number you can carry before anything else, and chucking 2 at the same time helps too.

[Malankazooie]

Kunai are a game changer, indeed. Want to score that elusive three wild boar kill, without a long ride to chase down that final boar? Use the kunai, you'll be collecting that leather with only a few steps to each carcass.

But, I gotta say, when I acquired the sticky bomb. *eyes-roll-back-in-head *orgasmic-ecstasy. Soo much prurient Mongol obliteration.

[Malankazooie]

I unlocked Moon Stance, so I have all the stances now. Moon Stance was disappointing me at first. It just wasn't really working great for me. I mean, it's supposed to be the go to stance against "brutes", right? I unlocked Moon Stance right at the convergence of doing the quest to free Azamo Bay. So I was using the stance against the final mini boss type guy, a duel. Are these leader types classified as "brutes"? because I was having fits using Moon Stance against him. But I think it might have been my unfamiliarity with the stance's capabilities, because at some point, after dying the 4th or 5th time, it clicked and I performed that whirling dervish heavy attack to great effect. The dodge is key. The dodge with Moon Stance is really cool and effective. Basically, if done to optimal effect, you will find yourself behind your enemy, at which point you can, if timed right, unleash that power move. Now need to apply points to Moon Stance like I have for the other three (maxed out the skill pts I can apply to those).

After Azamo Bay is liberated and your peeps return, there is a cool armor set I thought I could grab in the armor forge area, but alas, you can't take it. But damn, that armor lookin' sehexaaaay!

Funny story. Prior to triggering the quests that lead to Azamo Bay liberation, I traveled over there and promptly had arrows shot at me at the gates, with a message that pops up on screen that says, and I'm paraphrasing here - "oi! dumbass! you can't fuck with this place yet, kicks rocks fucker!" I got out of there before the barrage of arrows took me down. BUT, you can get in the cliffs above that look down on the village. I pulled out my bow and killed some Mongols that way. I'm a terrible person.

This post has been edited by Malankazooie: 31 July 2020 - 02:17 PM

[Traveller]

I got moon stance last night too. I really want that triple whirlwind strike.

I found the regular brutes falling back, broken, like the others do when faced with their appropriate stance. Was fun getting my own back.

When I returned to Golden temple I found a tree with a load of masks on it - I think they become unlocked as you complete Tales but I'd not been back there.

Prefer my straw hat anyway.

[Malankazooie]

Yeah, the gift shrine thingy at the Golden Temple is pretty cool. I'm rocking my current mask I got from it. Forget the name of the mask, but it's the one with whiskers. I'll try and post a pic.

[Aptorian]

I usually use the Sakai half mask where you can still see some of Jin's face. Seems more human.

Have you guys noticed if flowers respawn? At the start of the game I was finding flowers everywhere but now I'm having trouble finding enough. I wonder if they're a finite collectible?

[Malankazooie]

I caught a review of the game and in it the guy said he was a completionist, except he writes he wasn't going to try and find every flower, because that would be mental.

[Aptorian]

Curses. I just spent the flowers randomly at the start of the game because I had so many. Now that I have my favourite armors and I've got some got cool color skins I'm low on funds. I found a black dye merchant who I'm buying everything from.

[Traveller]

I've been hoarding flowers, as none of the 4 sets I have are good enough to invest in yet. I might have used a few for something, cant remember what though.

I upgraded the samurai set I got given for a mission, but I'm not sure I like the full armour with shoulder pieces and all - I prefer to look a bit like a nondescript ronin who then surprises everyone.

(Reminds me of that joke where the Chinese guy is put in charge of supplies, and they lose him for a while and later he jumps out of a box and yells 'Supplies!')

This post has been edited by Traveller: 01 August 2020 - 11:56 AM

[Aptorian]

You can change the look of an armor set by changing through the armors visual upgrade stages. So there is that.

[Aptorian]

Man, this has been stated a lot but I just can't get over how good this game looks and how atmospheric it can be. I'm trekking through a forest at night, the moonlight is filtering through the trees, there's a slight haze to the water in a creek I'm running past. This game is stunning.

I can't even imagine what late generation PS5 is going to be like.

[Malankazooie]

I have some pics.

The moments Ghost of Tsushima creates are stop you in your tracks beautiful. The mists at dawn. The sun rising/setting looking out over the ocean w/ waves breaking. Lighting flashing at night in the distance behind a looming tower or shrine. There is a mythic quest that takes you into this cave, and I just happened to be exiting the cave as the sun's rays were entering the opening. I think maybe the quest is setup like that, so everyone experiences that magical moment? But yeah, you can tell the game was developed with care and attention to create many of these moments. Worthy of awards and a game that will be in discussion for best of this generation, hands down.

[Traveller]

And the little details.. have you seen what happens to blood in water? I killed a guy, he rolled into the stream, and the blood clouds drifted down with the current.

The lighting is exceptional though, it makes every scene look like it's been choreographed.

[Malankazooie]

One thing I can criticize, although it's not unique with Ghost of Tsushima and I've seen other games do this kind of thing, is the enemy standing in the corner, staring at the wall with their back to you (like the ending of The Blair Witch Project) inviting you to assassinate them when you sneak through buildings. It was really apparent when I took back Azamo Bay. I think the story is using these easy assassinations as a way to really convey Jin has been dishonorable and taken on the cowardly, kill your enemy by shameful assassination route. It is sort of amusing to watch the Mongols crouched down or standing and looking for something in the corner or on a nondescript wall and to stroll on up and put a knife in their neck, but realism takes a hit.

[Aptorian]

Just finished the story. Has to be one of the most beautiful and epic endings I've seen to a video game. No exaggeration. Manly tears have been shed.