Ghost Of Tsushima's Jin Is The Only Playable Character

Following a State of Play livestream that focused on Ghost of Tsushima, Sony content communications manager Justin Massongill followed up with Sucker Punch creative directors Nate Fox and Jason Connell with fan questions and posted the answers on PlayStation Blog. In the interview, Fox and Connell reveal that Jin is the only playable character in Ghost of Tsushima and--though you will have a choice in how he fights--there are aspects of his story that cannot be influenced.

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"Jin is the hero of this story," Fox said. "Players are there, each step of the way, guiding Jin as he transforms from the honorable Samurai he was brought up to be, into the Ghost that Tsushima needs him to become."

Though you can customize Jin's armor and fight as either a confrontational samurai or stealthy ghost, Jin's weapon of choice won't change. "Jin's katana is incredibly important to him," Connell said. "It's also his main weapon of choice from beginning to the end of the game. There are ways to improve this weapon, both the stats and the appearance."

In regards to Jin sometimes possessing two swords during the State of Play livestream, Fox clarified that Jin will always only fight with his sole katana, but "to even the odds he begins to use thrown weapons in the middle of a fight, mixing ranged and close quarters attacks with deadly results."

Several other aspects of Jin won't change, either. Connell said that you'll choose a horse for Jin among a selection at the beginning of the game, and you'll stick with your partnered steed for the rest of the campaign--and not to worry, there's no possibility of the horse dying.

Jin's overall story can't be altered either. "There is no karma system," Fox said. "There's one story we're telling here, one journey for Jin." In regards to how long that story will take to complete, Fox said that it's an "impossible question to answer for an open world game" but went on to say that players "should expect a scope that's markedly larger than our previous work."

"Let's put it another way: Most of our play testers would spend a full week on Ghost and not finish the storyline," Fox added. "We know everyone wants a number, but we're confident to say that if you want a satisfying story in a big, content-rich world with lots to do and see and lots of characters to get to know, you'll find what you're looking for in Ghost of Tsushima."

Ghost of Tsushima is scheduled to release for PS4 on July 17. If you're hungry for more information about Ghost of Tsushima, we caught up with Fox ourselves to talk about the game's unexpected inspiration, long journey to release, and intricate combat.