[Editor’s note: The following containsspoilersforGhost of Tsushima. For more on the Sucker Punch Productions title, be sure to check outmy review,basic tipsfor beginners, a breakdown ofcombat mechanics, whata possible sequelcould look like, and even a rundown ofthe game’s new patch, which introduces the brutal Lethal difficulty.]
Ghost of Tsushimais one of those rare games where putting the time and effort into obtaining a Platinum trophy isn’t just worth it, it’s a pleasure to do so. The Devs over at Sucker Punch Productions have done a bang-up job of making trophy-hunting rewarding in all kinds of ways, from the story-focused rewards, to character progression, to fun Easter eggs and hidden trophies that pay off in interesting ways. With 52 trophies in all, including the Platinum trophy that you’ll get after achieving the other 51,Ghost of Tsushimaoffers plenty more adventure for those of you who, like myself, didn’t want to put the controller down after finishing the main story. But what’s the best way to tackle them?
Having just completed the Platinum trophy achievement myself, I’m happy to say that just finishing the main story, completing character quests and side missions, and fully exploring / liberating the whole island of Tsushima will get you most of the way there. We’ll break down those easy-to-get trophies below. Others will take a bit more effort, but the game’s lightning-quick fast-travel mechanic and excellent Guiding Wind “compass” make these achievements a breeze, pun intended. Sucker Punch opted not to punish trophy hunters with mundane or frustrating quests – looking at you,Red Dead Redemption 2– but rather rewarded fans of the game with loot, a sense of achievement, and recognition of players' hard work. Yes, there’s more than just a trophy waiting for you at the Platinum level, so here’s how to get it:
Story Progression Trophies:
The following (11) Bronze trophies are earned as you progress through the story, be it on any difficulty from Easy to Lethal, with the final (1) Gold trophy being awarded for finishing the main story:
Ally / Character Stories:
These (4) Silver trophies can be earned simply by completing your allies' specific quest lines:
Trophies for Tales:
These two trophies, one Silver and one Gold, won’t necessarily automatically pop up in everyone’s playthroughs since they require satisfying two completions of certain Tales storylines. Here’s where some more effort is required:
Skill-Based Trophies:
I hope you’ve been brushing up on your samurai and stealth skills because these (10) trophies will put them to the test. These (9) Bronze and (1) Silver trophies require a bit more attention to detail than merely battling your way across the island:
Miscellanea:
These (5) Bronze trophies don’t really fit in any other category, but they’re also hard to miss if you’re playing the game at all. Still, here they are for clarity’s sake:
Explore and Score:
These (9) Bronze trophies and (1) Silver trophy reward the intrepid explorer, but they’re not intuitive. So here’s what you need to do to get them all:
Easter Egg:
This one’s for fans of theSly Cooperfranchise, Sucker Punch’s original title:
The Great Liberator:
These (6) Bronze trophies and (1) Silver trophy, which triggers automatically after achieving the Bronze ones, come about as Jin saves the people of Tsushima from the invading Mongolians, the treacherous Ronin, and the opportunistic bandits. They’re also self-explanatory:
Did you do all of the above? If so, you should have achieved…
Living Legend:
When it’s all said and done, you don’t just get a shiny Platinum trophy, you also get a “Thank you!” message of sorts from the Sucker Punch Productions team acknowledging all your hard work to save Tsushima. Plus, you get a nice new “Ghost Transcendent” shader for your Ghost Armor, Ghost Mask, and Ghost Headband. It’s very shiny, colorful, and badass. Nice to get a “physical” reward along with the Platinum trophy. But even more rewarding is just how much fun this game has been from beginning to end and top to bottom.
Ghost of Tsushimahas one of the best Trophy progression systems I’ve ever played. Sure, Sucker Punch probably could have and should have (and may yet) put a “Complete the Game on X Difficulty” trophy in the mix, but maybe some other rewards are on the way for, say, surviving and beating the game on Lethal. Additionally, there’s still content to enjoy even after you’ve achieved Platinum; you’ll find me riding my (second…) horse all across the island in search of the remaining Artifacts, Records, and Sashimono Banners. Oh, and I’ll be going on a Flower run to purchase everything the Merchants have available for me to enjoy.
So many Flowers …
Dave Trumboreis Collider’s Senior Editor overseeing Games, Animation, and all those weird Saturday-morning cartoons no one else remembers. Test his trivia IQ on Twitter@DrClawMD
