The 10 BEST Ghost of Tsushima Moments

The 10 Best Ghost of Tsushima Moments

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’ll be diving into the 10 Best Moments in Ghost of Tsushima. When it comes to defending Japan from the likes of the Mongols, there’s only one samurai that’s suited for the job. And he certainly had some pretty iconic moments every step of the way. Needless to say, there will be spoilers ahead for anyone who’s yet to embark on this honorable journey. You have been warned.

Introduction to Mongol War

The beginning of this game will always be something truly special. From the start, we’re thrown into a battle between Lord Shimura’s small samurai army and the massive Mongol forces led by Khotun Khan. When one of Tsushima’s generals is struck down, the samurai charge, knowing it may be their end. As the battle rages, Jin and his uncle find themselves among the last standing—until Mongol artillery blasts them apart. Jin survives but wakes up separated from Lord Shimura, who’s gone missing. Saved by Yuna, Jin sneaks through enemy ranks, recovers his armor and sword, and fights his way toward the Khan, only to lose their first encounter. This sets the stage for Jin’s journey to rescue his uncle and save Tsushima. The weight of the situation hits hard, capped off by one of the most iconic title card reveals ever. We’re right there with Jin for every step.

Jin vs Ryuzo

With friends like these, who needs enemies? Ryuzo is the leader of the Straw Hats. No… not those Straw Hats. They’re a group of ronin warriors who aren’t doing so great by the time our hero, Jin Sakai, meets up with them. Their numbers are wearing thin, and they need food. And even though Jin goes out of his way to help in exchange for their assistance to rescue his uncle, Ryuzo in the end still chooses to take the side of the main antagonist Khotun Khan out of desperation. What follows after missions of reminiscing about the past between old friends and their friendly rivalry turns into a bitter clash of swords. You can really see how conflicted Jin is with this betrayal, practically begging his friend to do the right thing, but it did no good whatsoever. They eventually fight a second time where Jin decides to end the life of his friend with his own blade. Talk about tragic.

Open The Gate

This was definitely a tough one to watch. After his betrayal of the people of Tsushima, Ryuzo leads Khotun Khan and his men to Shimura Castle. The Khan demands that the gates be opened, leveraging innocent prisoners in the process. Despite this, the people of Shimura Castle seem a bit reluctant to obey the commands. That’s when the Khan passes his torch to Ryuzo, telling him to earn the food for his men. Not long after, one of the prisoners screams and begs for the gates to be opened as Ryuzo slowly makes his way over. With the people of Shimura Castle still not budging, Ryuzo regrettably sets the first prisoner on fire, making his way over to burn the second prisoner before breaking entirely, letting out a bone-chilling scream to open the gates. It was truly a disturbing scene to watch, even with our knowledge of Ryuzo betraying Jin and all of Tsushima. It just goes to show the lengths the Khan will go through to get what he wants and the lengths someone else might go through when they truly have no choice left for survival.

Saving Lord Shimura

This was definitely one of the moments where we felt the tide turn in the Mongol war. By this time in the game, Jin has received the help of many with the likes of Yuna and her blacksmith brother Taka, Lady Masako, and master archer Sensei Ishikawa ready to join his side to help free his uncle. What follows is a mission to take back the castle that Jin’s uncle is currently being held in. With the help of Taka’s newly made hook, the support of Yuna, the expert skills of Lady Masako and Sensei Ishikawa, and right after a battle with a former friend, Jin is able to make his way over where his uncle is being held and is able to finally free him. It’s an epic moment as you finally use the skills you’ve learned up until then to reunite with Jin’s uncle. Little do we know, this is where the drama starts getting a bit spicy.

Poisoning the Mongols

This was a tough call for Jin. Along his journey, he reunites with his old caretaker, Yuriko, who teaches him how to make poison darts to use against the Mongols. Later, when they reach Castle Shimura, Jin’s uncle, Lord Shimura, plans a direct assault, risking heavy losses for Tsushima. But Jin and Yuna have a different idea—using poison to catch the Mongols off guard. In a tense, stealthy mission, Jin sneaks through Mongol guards and poisons their fermented milk supply with Yuriko’s methods. It’s a risky move that puts him at odds with his uncle, marking this to be one of his most dishonorable choices by samurai standards. But while unconventional, we can’t deny that his methods definitely put the Mongols on notice.

Taka's Death

When Jin tries to confront the traitor Ryuzo in a duel, he’s ambushed by the Straw Hat ronin and taken captive. When he doesn’t return, Taka goes searching and ends up captured as well. With both men imprisoned, Khotun Khan appears, offering them milk and pressuring Jin to surrender his people. Jin refuses, and the Khan releases Taka, giving him a blade with the twisted option to kill Jin. Instead, Taka bravely tries to strike the Khan and is beheaded for his courage. It’s a heartbreaking scene, as Taka had just begun to find his own bravery. His last words to Jin and Jin’s devastated reaction make this one of the most emotional moments in the game.

Ghost Stance

In the mission "Ghost of Yarikawa," Jin, Yuna, and Taka fight to protect Yarikawa’s stronghold from waves of Mongol attackers. Jin has to cut down enemies and take out Mongol artillery to help turn the tide. Afterward, he faces a tough boss fight against General Temuge. When Jin wins, he’s given the choice to "Slaughter" the general, a move that terrifies the nearby enemies and unlocks the powerful Ghost Stance. Entering this stance lets Jin perform instant kills on frightened enemies, making it a defining, intense moment that cements him as a force to be feared—and brings him closer to embracing his role as the Ghost of Tsushima.

Final Fight Against Khotun Khan

This is the showdown everyone was waiting for. After Jin’s falling out with his uncle, he faces judgment for “dishonoring” the samurai name. Luckily, with Yuna and Kenji’s help, he manages to escape. The journey back is brutal, costing him his horse, but Jin presses on. With grit and careful planning, he finally tracks down Khotun Khan just as he’s about to set sail. Despite all the Khan’s dirty tricks and assistance from his men, Jin is finally able to take him down, putting an end to his ruthless reign. It’s a huge victory that’s been a long time coming, achieved through Jin’s willpower and the support of Tsushima’s warriors. This, however, is far from the biggest challenge that Jin will have to face…

Becoming the Ghost

This was really the moment that Jin embraced the title that was bestowed upon him. Remember the mission where Jin poisons the Mongols’ fermented milk? Well, his uncle wasn’t thrilled. Lord Shimura wanted to stick to the samurai code, fighting honorably, even though it would mean heavy losses for Tsushima. Jin tries to convince him that to defeat the Mongols, they need to fight just as ruthlessly. But his uncle refuses to see it that way. This is when Jin realizes the samurai way won’t save his people—the way of the Ghost will. Fully embracing this path, he defies his uncle’s ideals and commits to doing whatever it takes. It was a really conflicting moment, especially after all the effort put into saving his uncle. But sometimes you have to do what’s necessary when your home is at stake.

Fighting Lord Shimura

After Jin finally takes down the Khan and the Mongols, his uncle, Lord Shimura, makes one last attempt to bring Jin back to the samurai way—suggesting he should betray Yuna to redeem his honor. But Jin isn’t about to throw his friend under the bus, especially after everything Yuna’s done to help him save Tsushima. So, by the shogun’s order, Jin’s uncle is forced to carry out Jin’s execution. What follows is an emotional last exchange between them, including a haiku in the very spot where Lord Shimura once trained Jin. The two clash in a heart-wrenching duel, with Jin emerging as the victor. In the end, you choose to give his uncle an honorable death or fully embrace the path of the Ghost by sparing him—at the cost of being hunted forever. Suckerpunch never misses when it comes to tugging at our heartstrings, and this moment is no exception.

Are there any moments from Ghost of Tsushima that were your favorite? Be sure to let us know in the comments!