Lord Adachi, Go Break Their Spirits!

Best. Opening. Line. Evah. BTW, GHOST OF TSUSHIMA SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!

So...ummmm...yeah. That whole breaking spirits thing didn't work out so well for Lord Adachi. Spoiler alert: it doesn't work out so well for Lord Sakai either...at least not in the beginning. And note to self: do NOT attempt to take Yuna's rice!

On a more serious note, I find myself moved by Jin's backstory though he was a child when he lost his parents and I became an orphan at 47. Still, I don't think there is any age at which one could remain unaffected by such a loss.

Jin's internal struggle becomes evident from the get-go: how to retain honor when fighting an enemy who does not subscribe to the same value system? As Yuna teaches him a broader code, one of survival at all costs and one without the luxury of honorable actions, you can feel the character growing and changing with every passing encounter. Another side note: if you are expecting clean, neat stealth kills such as those in Assassin's Creed, think again.

In the first act Jin starts the process of bending his code of honor and it only gets more flexible from there. Aside from being visually stunning, a hell of a lot of fun, loot-packed, and action-packed, this game has so many layers of internal struggle we all can relate with. From his inflexible uncle to the morally loose Kenji, every aspect of morality and the breaking of social norms is called in to question in this game. It's interesting to cross those lines but also to find out just where you would draw the line.

Now I know we are all breathlessly awaiting November for obvious reasons but I gotta say, in my humble opinion, GHOST OF TSUSHIMA is a solid contender for game of the year. Then again, I fully expect CD Projekt Red to blow the competition out of the water...or windy field of pampas grass as the case may be ;)