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Ghost of Tsushima is in the spotlight once again. The director's cut comes with various tweaks to the gameplay and options, but the biggest addition is the Iki Island expansion.
This new chunk of the story takes place on a separate map and is first accessible once gamers reach the second act. One should not take on the expansion lightly, however, since it offers a heightened challenge not found in the main game. With this in mind, the nine tips below should help make the journey on Ghost of Tsushima's Iki Island more manageable.
9 Don't Start It Immediately
Even though the expansion is unlocked once the first act is finished, players should wait longer until actually entering Iki Island. Ideally, do the expansion once the main game is completed. Those who cannot wait that long should at least wait until the third act when Jin Sakai is stronger and has more tools in his arsenal.
The longer one waits, the easier it will be to take on the enemies and duels on Iki Island. If one enters it too early and finds the challenge simply insurmountable, Jin can always return to Tsushima using fast travel.
8 Use Kunai Liberally
This tip also goes for the main game. Kunai are a great tool for managing a large group of enemies. Once the projectile is fully upgraded, Jin Sakai can cause serious damage with it.
There are more heavy enemies on Iki Island who really pack a punch and can kill Jin quickly. With that in mind, Kunai are great for making sure they don't gang up on the protagonist and overwhelm the player.
7 Get All The Stances First
Including Ghost Stance, there are five stances in the game. Make sure to have unlocked all of these before heading to Iki Island. The new map has a variety of foes, so having them all makes the area much easier.
Killing Mongol leaders unlocks stances, and Ghost Stance is unlocked in the story. Without all the stances, shielded soldiers and those holding spears will be harder to kill. Ghost Stance requires killing enemies without getting hit to activate and is basically three free kills.
6 Do The Mythic Tales
In the main game, mythic tales unlock new techniques Jin Sakai can use in battle. Many of these are extremely helpful in combat. Once the player has them it will be hard to imagine playing the game without them.
Do the mythic tales in the main game first before moving onto the Iki Island. Once in the expansion, do the two mythic tales there. They do not unlock new abilities but instead give Jin and his horse new armor.
5 Upgrade Health And Resolve Beforehand
Every activity you do in the main world, whether it be cutting down bamboo or relaxing in a hot spring, increases one of Jin Sakai's stats. The two most important stats to upgrade before heading over to Iki Island are health and resolve. These are upgraded by hot springs and bamboo strikes, respectively.
To make finding these easier without a guide, a perk bought with technique points lets Jin track these on the map using the guiding wind. Increased health's advantage is self-explanatory; having more resolve lets Jin use more techniques and restore health with the push of a button.
4 Don't Look For Shortcuts
When heading towards an objective or point on a map, it is best not to get too creative. Going off the main path and trying to take a shortcut usually ends up with Jin Sakai against an unclimbable cliff or jumping off one.
This is not Breath of the Wild where the protagonist can climb almost any surface as long as the stamina bar allows. Jin can only climb predetermined surfaces. If the game does not want the player to scale a part of the world, the player is not going to, no matter how hard they try.
3 Kill Shamans First In Battle
Iki Island introduces several new enemy types that change up combat. The most dangerous among these are the shamans. Their chants grant every other enemy bonus strength and health. If they are among a group of enemies, ignore everyone else and go for them first.
Fortunately, they are easy to dispose of and have little health. They carry lances, so use the Wind Stance against them. Once they are killed, the rest of the enemies become more manageable.
2 Switch Stances Often And Fast
Switching stances depending on the enemy is something fans of the game are already used to. The Iki Island expansion throws an extra wrench into this strategy by having certain enemies switch weapons in the middle of a fight.
One enemy holding two swords might all of a sudden take out a shield, forcing Jin to switch to a different stance to better attack a shielded enemy.
1 Upgrade All The Techniques
Earning all the tools in Jin's arsenal is one thing, but they are still weak without being fully upgraded. Before heading to Iki Island, Jin Sakai should have all the techniques and stances fully upgraded.
This takes a little while and costs quite a few technique points, but it will help significantly during the expansion. There are plenty of side quests in the main game that earning enough technique points will not be a problem.
