You’re standing on a cliffside, wind whipping Jin Sakai’s cape, looking out over a field of pampas grass that's about to be stained red. It’s beautiful. It’s also incredibly easy to get overwhelmed if you just charge into every Mongol camp like a reckless samurai. Most people looking for a Ghost of Tsushima walkthrough think they just need to follow the golden birds or chase the wind.
That’s only half the battle.
The game is a massive, sprawling epic that transitions from a traditional samurai flick to a gritty stealth-action nightmare. If you play it "properly"—meaning you stick strictly to the Bushido code—you’re going to have a miserable time against the Spear-men and the Brutes. You have to get comfortable with being "The Ghost." Honestly, the game is more of a psychological journey about letting go of honor to save people than it is about just clicking buttons to swing a katana.
Getting Your Bearings in Izuhara
The first act takes place in Izuhara. It’s the southern part of the island. Your main goal is simple: find allies to help you rescue Lord Shimura from Kaneda Castle. But don't rush the main quest. Seriously. If you sprint through "The Warrior's Code" and "The Tale of Ryuzo" without stopping to find Hot Springs or Inari Shrines, you'll be underpowered by the time you hit the first major boss fight.
Focus on the Mythic Tales early. Specifically, look for the "Heavenly Strike." You’ll find a musician under a bridge near River Child's Wetlands. It’s a combat move that’s unblockable and deals massive stagger damage. It’s basically your "get out of jail free" card when a Mongol leader is backing you into a corner.
Most walkthroughs tell you to upgrade your katana first. I disagree.
Upgrade your Sakai Tanto.
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Why? Because speed kills. A level one Tanto results in long, loud, messy assassination animations that give other guards plenty of time to spot you. A maxed-out Tanto is a whisper. It’s a quick flick of the wrist, and you’re back in the shadows before the body even hits the dirt. If you want to play the game efficiently, stealth is your best friend, even if Jin feels guilty about it.
The Stance System Is Not Optional
You’ll unlock stances by observing or killing Mongol Leaders. Stone Stance is for swordsmen. Water is for shields. Wind is for spears. Moon is for the big boys—the Brutes.
Here is what most players mess up: they stay in one stance because they like the animations. Don't do that. You should be switching stances mid-combo. If you see a guy with a shield, you immediately swap to Water Stance and hold Triangle to unleash that flurry of strikes. It breaks their guard instantly. If a spearman lunges, Wind Stance’s auto-parry (once upgraded) makes you feel untouchable.
Why the Wind of Vanity is a Trap
The Guiding Wind is a cool mechanic, right? You swipe the touchpad, and the breeze shows you where to go. But if you set your wind to "Vanity Gear," you’re going to spend three hours climbing a mountain just to find a headband that doesn't actually improve your stats. It just looks cool.
In the early game, set your wind to find Bamboo Strikes. These increase your Resolve. Resolve is your lifeblood. It’s what you use to heal and what you use to trigger those devastating Mythic moves. Having two circles of Resolve versus having seven is the difference between winning a duel on your first try or staring at a loading screen for an hour.
Act II: The Difficulty Spike in Toyotama
Once you break through Kaneda Castle and reach the middle of the island, the game stops holding your hand. The Mongols start using flaming arrows. They have bomb-throwers. They have those annoying dogs that track you through tall grass.
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This is where your Ghost of Tsushima walkthrough strategy has to pivot. You need the Ghost Armor. You get it through the main story mission "From the Darkness." It reduces the number of kills needed to enter the Ghost Stance—which is essentially a "God Mode" where you terrify enemies and decapitate them in one hit.
The Legend of Tadayori
If you prefer the bow, go find the Violet Flowers in Azamo. This Mythic Tale gives you Tadayori’s Armor. It’s broken. Literally. It extends your Concentration time (slow-motion aiming) and restores your Concentration meter every time you land a headshot. With this armor, you can clear an entire camp of fifteen Mongols without ever drawing your sword. It turns the game into a third-person shooter.
Dealing with the Khotun Khan Mindset
The main antagonist, Khotun Khan, isn't just a brute. He's a tactician. He studies you. The game reflects this by introducing new enemy types that counter your favorite moves.
In Act III (Kamiagata), the snow makes everything harder to see, and the enemies are armored in heavy plate. You’ll need the Way of the Flame. You get this by climbing Mount Jogaku. It's a grueling climb where you have to hop between campfires to avoid freezing to death. The reward? You can light your sword on fire. It ignores blocks. It’s terrifying. It’s necessary.
The Iki Island Expansion: A Different Beast
If you’re playing the Director’s Cut, you have access to Iki Island. My advice? Do not go there until you have finished the main story or at least reached Act III. The enemies on Iki are significantly harder.
They have Shamans.
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Shamans stay in the back and chant, which buffs every other Mongol in the area. They become more aggressive, take more hits, and their attacks become unparryable. Your priority in any Iki Island fight is to find the guy with the staff and kill him first. Use a Longbow. Use a Kunai. Just get him out of the picture, or you’ll get swarmed.
Iki also introduces the Horse Charge. You use Resolve to have your horse literally steamroll through a line of enemies. It’s cathartic. It’s also the best way to open a fight when you’re outmatched.
Charm Loadouts You Actually Need
Charms are the "jewelry" of the game—passive buffs. Most people just slap on whatever they find. You should be more intentional.
- Charm of Amaterasu: Killing enemies restores a moderate amount of health. This is essential for long battles where you can't find a moment to heal.
- Charm of Mizu-no-Kami: Makes parries and perfect parries easier to perform. If you struggle with the timing of the red and blue glints, this charm is a lifesaver.
- Charm of Inari: Increases the amount of supplies, predator hides, bamboo, and yew wood you collect. Equip this in Act I and keep it on for ten hours. You will be swimming in upgrade materials.
Don't Forget the Birds
Those yellow birds? They aren't just for show. They lead to Haikus, Bamboo Strikes, and sometimes unique side quests like "The Laughing Bandits." Haikus give you headbands, but more importantly, they offer a moment of narrative breath. The game is heavy. It's about loss and the death of a culture. Taking two minutes to look at a tree and "compose" a poem is part of the experience.
Survival Tips for Nightmare Difficulty and Lethal
If you're playing on Lethal, one hit and you're dead. Seriously.
- Parry is better than Dodge: Dodging often leaves you out of position to counter. A Perfect Parry opens the enemy up for a one-shot kill.
- Smoke Bombs are Defensive: Use them to disappear when you're cornered. You can even chain assassinate two or three guys while the smoke is still thick.
- Sticky Bombs for Crowds: If three Brutes are charging you, one Sticky Bomb will stagger all of them, giving you time to switch to Moon Stance and finish them.
The Reality of the Ending
Without spoiling it, the game asks you to make a choice. There is no "right" answer. The "Honor" ending and the "Ghost" ending both fit the narrative. Your choice changes the color of your final armor set and the weather in your post-game hut. That's about it. Don't stress over it too much; pick the one that feels right for the version of Jin Sakai you've been playing.
Actionable Next Steps to Master Tsushima
- Prioritize the "Heavenly Strike" and "Dance of Wrath" Mythic Tales immediately. These moves consume Resolve but are the only way to break high-level boss defenses reliably.
- Liberate Farmsteads to unlock the map. Instead of wandering blindly, clearing Mongol-occupied farms reveals the surrounding fog of war and rewards you with Technique Points.
- Upgrade your Katana to Level 4 before leaving Act I. The jump in damage is massive and makes the boss fight at Kaneda Castle much less frustrating.
- Master the "Switch and Strike." Practice changing stances while Jin is in the middle of a dodge roll. It keeps the pressure on the enemy and prevents them from resetting their block meter.
- Use the Traveler’s Attire when exploring. It makes the controller vibrate when you're near a collectible (like Artifacts or Records). Switch back to your combat armor once the fighting starts.
Ghost of Tsushima is a game about flow. Once you stop fighting the mechanics and start using the tools—the wind, the stances, the ghost weapons—you stop being a victim of the invasion and start being the legend the game wants you to be. Just remember: honor died on the beach. Use the dirt, use the smoke, and survive.