Honoring the Blade - Lethality and Combat Balance in Ghost of Tsushima

Explore the challenges of balancing lethality and combat in 'Ghost of Tsushima' in this 25-minute GDC 2021 talk by Sucker Punch Productions' Theodore Fishman. Delve into the intricacies of honoring the samurai fantasy while maintaining engaging gameplay. Learn about the lethality contract, defensive and offensive strategies, and the importance of design by feel and data. Discover how the team bent the rules for duels and legendary encounters, and gain valuable insights into problem-solving in game combat design. Gain practical takeaways for creating a compelling and authentic combat experience in action games.

Intro
THE SAMURAI FANTASY AND LETHALITY GHOST
THE LETHALITY CONTRACT
MORE DEFENSIVE BEHAVIOR
GOING ON THE OFFENSIVE
DESIGN BY FEEL AND DATA
BENDING THE RULES: DUELS
BENDING THE RULES: LEGENDS
FINAL PROBLEMS
LAST THOUGHTS: TAKEAWAYS