Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut Arrives on PC with Stellar Performance and a Polished Experience

Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut has finally made its highly anticipated debut on PC, bringing Sucker Punch Productions' acclaimed samurai adventure to a new platform. This release includes the base game, the expansive Iki Island expansion, and the cooperative multiplayer mode, Legends, all bundled into a comprehensive package that runs exceptionally well.

Key Takeaways

• The PC port of Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut is lauded for its outstanding performance and optimization.

• The game offers a complete package, including the main story, the Iki Island expansion, and the Legends co-op mode.

• A new PlayStation overlay enhances the PC experience, integrating features like trophy support and friend lists.

• Performance on high-end hardware is exceptional, with significant benefits from NVIDIA's DLSS and Frame Generation technologies.

• The game also runs well on the Steam Deck, though online features like Legends are inaccessible.

A Masterpiece Refined for PC

Ghost of Tsushima, originally released in 2020, captivated players with its compelling narrative of Jin Sakai, a samurai forced to abandon tradition to protect his homeland from Mongol invaders. The game was praised for its stunning visuals, engaging open world, and satisfying combat. The Director's Cut, which arrived on PS5 in 2021, added the substantial Iki Island expansion, introducing new areas, enemies, and mechanics, including the ability to pet adorable monkeys.

Legends and the PlayStation Overlay

Adding to the value, Ghost of Tsushima also features the free-to-play co-op mode, Legends. This mode offers a supernatural tale and allows up to four players to team up using different samurai classes, providing a full experience without microtransactions. The PC version introduces a new PlayStation overlay, designed to integrate seamlessly with PC releases. This overlay provides access to your profile, friends, and trophies, making it easier to connect with others, especially for Legends. It serves as a potential testbed for future PlayStation PC titles, aiming to draw more players into the PlayStation ecosystem.

Performance and Optimization

Nixxes Software, known for its excellent PC ports, has delivered a remarkably polished experience with Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut. Even on powerful hardware configurations, the game runs exceptionally well. Testing with an NVIDIA RTX 4080 and an Intel i9-12900KF, the game consistently achieved high frame rates, often exceeding 170 FPS even in demanding scenes with settings on Very High and Frame Generation enabled. The inclusion of DLSS and Frame Generation provides significant performance boosts, with Frame Generation alone offering substantial gains. While graphical settings can be lowered for older hardware, the visual fidelity remains impressive across most configurations.

Steam Deck Compatibility

Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut is playable on the Steam Deck, though it is designated as unsupported primarily due to the inability to sign into PlayStation Network, which renders the Legends mode inaccessible. Despite this, the core game runs well, maintaining a consistent 30 FPS on medium settings. Lowering settings can push frame rates higher, making it a viable option for portable play.

Final Verdict

Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut on PC is an exceptional port of an already outstanding game. It offers a complete and polished experience with remarkable performance, making it a must-play for both newcomers and returning fans. The inclusion of all content and the well-implemented PlayStation overlay further solidify its status as one of the best PlayStation titles available on PC.

Sources

• Director’s Cut on PC review — Freshly sharpened katana, GamingTrend.