Red Dead Redemption 2 and Ghost of Tsushima are two eighth-generation games that have a lot in common. They are both open-worlds set in the past, and they both have been lauded for their breathtaking depictions of nature. In both games, players have a trusty horse they can hop on to make crossing lush meadows easier, and although players are treated to beautiful sights, they are also forced to witness brutal acts of violence.
Some of the tensest moments in both games come from the one-on-one standoffs players have with opponents. Two men face each other, time seems to slow down, and the importance of every hand twitch is amplified a thousand times over. In Ghost of Tsushima, Jin pulls out his katana and in a flash, his foe is diced. While in Red Dead Redemption 2, Arthur draws his revolver and ventilates his enemy’s skull in the blink of an eye. The similarities of the two games are far from a coincidence, as they borrow from a history of film genres that have intertwined for years.
Cowboys and Samurai
It is fitting that both games maintain a cinematic atmosphere because they are both heavily inspired by films. Red Dead Redemption 2, developed by Rockstar Games, takes players to 1899 just as the days of outlaws are coming to an end, and industrialization is steadily gobbling up the pristine American landscape. The game goes through great efforts to immerse gamers in its world and allow them to feel like they are a lasso-throwing, gun-slinging cowboy. Players ride with the Van Der Linde gang, and whether players are out robbing folks or hunting buck, they always have to remember to give a fair share of their profits back to the gang.
Red Dead Redemption 2’s story focuses on Arthur Morgan, an outlaw who finds himself questioning his life and morality as his gang disintegrates and his way of life is torn apart. The game wears its big-screen influences on its sleeves, and many moments in the game are shot-for-shot re-enactments of iconic Western films. Referenced Westerns including A Fistful of Dollars and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, which are both directed by Sergio Leone.
Ghost of Tsushima instead takes players to the other side of the globe and lets them explore the small Japanese island of Tsushima during the 13th century. After the Mongols invade the peaceful island of samurais, Jin Sakai must learn to adapt his style of combat and shed some of his traditions to deal with the new threat. As bloody as the battles are, there are moments of serene bliss that have Jin chasing foxes, meditating in hot springs, and playing the flute as he strolls through fields of flowers.
Sucker Punch, the studio behind Ghost of Tsushima, looked to samurai movies when crafting the game’s world. Most notably, the legendary Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa was a significant influence which led to the inclusion of a “Kurosawa Mode” that applies a filter that makes the game look like an old, black-and-white Kurosawa samurai film. Jason Connell and Nate Fox, who are the creative directors of Ghost of Tsushima, have stated that Sanjuro and Seven Samurai, both films by Kurosawa, served as inspirations for the game.
Worlds Apart Yet Tied Together
Samurai films and Westerns have famously emulated each other for years. In 1961, Kurosawa released Yojimbo, a film about a samurai who travels to a new town where two crime lords try to hire him as a bodyguard. The sequel, Sanjuro, was released in 1962. Not long after, Leone would release A Fistful of Dollars which borrows heavily from Kurosawa’s films. This led to a lawsuit from the production company Toho, and it was eventually settled out of court.
After watching the film, Kurosawa wrote Leone a letter stating the following: “I’ve seen your movie. It’s a very good movie. Unfortunately, it’s my movie.” The influencing does not go in one direction, however. Samurai movies have also been significantly influenced by Westerns, and Kurosawa has been influenced by Western films and directors including John Ford who directed the iconic Western The Searchers.
With Red Dead Redemption 2 borrowing from Leone and Ghost of Tsushima borrowing from Kurosawa, it is natural that these two games wind up having similar elements. The story of the lone warrior living by his weapon, the tense moments between two opponents standing face-to-face, the pastoral views of a pre-industrial wilderness to roam through; it all emanates from a cinematic history shared by Ghost of Tsushima and Red Dead Redemption 2.
Ghost of Tsushima is available now on PS4 and PS5.
