Every Duel in Ghost of Tsushima: How to Win Every Fight in the Game

So, I’ve been sinking some serious time into Ghost of Tsushima lately, and man, those duels are something else. I decided, “Hey, why not try to document every single duel in the game?” It sounded like a cool challenge at first, but it quickly turned into a whole thing. Let me tell you, it’s been a wild ride.

First off, I started by listing out all the duels I could think of. Then I realized there are a bunch more than I initially thought. We’ve got main story duels, those Mythic Tale ones, and even some random side quest duels. It was a bit overwhelming, to be honest. I mean, it’s not like the game hands you a neat little list. I had to really dig around, explore every nook and cranny of the island, and talk to every NPC to make sure I didn’t miss any.

Every Duel in Ghost of Tsushima: How to Win Every Fight in the Game

Once I had a rough list, I started tackling them one by one. I thought I was pretty good at the game, but some of these duels, wow, they really tested my skills. The timing has to be absolutely perfect. You miss a parry or dodge by a fraction of a second, and it’s game over. There were times I felt like throwing my controller, not gonna lie. It’s like the game knows exactly when to pull out the most insane moves, especially in those duels where your opponent seems to be glued to you with some kind of invisible magnet.

I tried different armor sets and strategies. Someone online mentioned that the Samurai Clan Armor is good for duels because it helps with resolve, but I found it didn’t make a huge difference for me. The thing about gaining resolve from duels is it’s generally difficult no matter what you are wearing. I even tried playing on Lethal difficulty with no upgrades and just the broken samurai armor, you know, for an extra challenge. Let me just say, that was a whole new level of pain. The Broken Samurai armor duel was just nuts. I spent hours on that one alone.

There were a few duels that I managed to nail with a single parry, which felt amazing. Those moments made all the frustration worth it. But then there were others that took me dozens of attempts. I started to notice patterns, though. Like, some bosses have these telltale signs before they unleash a big attack. Once I figured those out, it got a bit easier, but still, the execution had to be spot on. The one after every one of these duels is called Katori Shinto-ryu Chiburi.

Then there’s the whole thing with the PC port. Apparently, you can win the boss fight in the prologue now, which was impossible on PlayStation. I gave it a shot, and yeah, it totally breaks the game. It’s pretty clear it wasn’t intended to be winnable. Kinda funny, but also a bit disappointing.

Anyway, I’m still working my way through the list. It’s been a grind, but also a lot of fun. I’ve learned so much about the game’s mechanics and the intricacies of each duel. It’s not just about button mashing; it’s about timing, strategy, and a whole lot of patience. I’ve definitely improved a lot since I started this project, and it’s been cool to see my own progress. And every time I complete a duel, I make sure to take a note of the cool animation where Jin wipes the blood off his katana. I think it’s called Katori Shinto-ryu Chiburi or something.

I’ll keep updating my notes as I go. Who knows, maybe I’ll even put together a proper guide or something once I’m done. For now, though, it’s just me, my katana, and a whole lot of duels left to conquer.