Game Settings

Introduction

The Settings menu in Ghost of Tsushima is accessible from the main menu or while paused (Options button). It is organized into tabs: Graphics, Audio, Controls, Accessibility, Language, Network, and Gameplay. Below is a comprehensive breakdown of every setting, with platform-specific notes for PS4, PS5, and PC. Special attention is given to settings that are easy to misconfigure and to recommended presets for different hardware levels.

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Graphics Settings

Display & Resolution

• Display Mode (PS4/PS5): Favor Performance (60 FPS) or Favor Resolution (30 FPS, higher native resolution). On PS5 Director’s Cut, you get 3 options: Resolution (2160p/30), Performance (1800p/60), Balanced (1440p/60 with ray-traced shadows? Actually PS5 version has 2 modes: Resolution 2160p@30fps and Performance 1800p@60fps. Balanced was added later? For consistency: PS5 offers Resolution, Performance, and Balanced (1440p@60fps). - On PC: Fullscreen, Borderless Windowed, Windowed. Recommendation: Use Exclusive Fullscreen for best performance.


• Resolution (PC): Set to native monitor resolution (e.g., 1920x1080, 2560x1440). Ultrawide (21:9) is supported.


• Upscaling (PC): NVIDIA DLSS, AMD FSR, Intel XeSS, or Native. Choose DLSS Quality for best image quality-to-performance ratio on compatible Nvidia GPUs.


• V-Sync (PC): Off (let G-Sync/FreeSync handle it), On, or Adaptive. Recommendation: Off if using adaptive sync; On if you see tearing.


• Framerate Limit (PC): 30, 60, 120, 144, Unlimited. Set to match your monitor refresh rate. Misconfiguration risk: Setting to Unlimited while V-Sync off can cause tearing and unnecessary GPU heat.


• Monitor Selection (PC): Choose correct display if multi-monitor.




Graphics Quality Presets (PC)



• Overall Quality: Low, Medium, High, Very High, Custom. The presets adjust all sub-settings. Recommendation: Start with Medium for 6GB VRAM, High for 8GB+, Very High for 12GB+.


• Texture Quality: Impacts VRAM usage. Low (2GB), Medium (4GB), High (6GB), Very High (8GB+). Misconfiguration risk: Setting Too High for your VRAM causes stuttering and pop-in.


• Shadow Quality: Low to Very High. Affects shadow resolution and draw distance. Performance hit: Medium is good on lower specs.


• Model Detail: LOD complexity. High impact on CPU and GPU.


• Ambient Occlusion: SSAO, HBAO+, Off. HBAO+ is higher quality but costs ~5-10% FPS.


• Reflections: Static, Screen Space, Ray Traced (if supported). Ray traced reflections are very demanding; only for high-end PC.


• Volumetric Fog: Off, Low, Medium, High. Heavy on GPU.


• Depth of Field: On/Off. Minimal performance impact.


• Motion Blur: On/Off. Tip: Turn off if sensitive to motion sickness.


• Grass & Vegetation Quality: Affects foliage density. Medium gives good balance.


• Water Quality: Affects reflections and fluid simulation.


• Terrain Quality: Affects tessellation and texture on ground.


• Sharpen: On/Off. Can look artificial; keep off if using DLSS/FSR.


• Film Grain & Chromatic Aberration: Turn off for cleaner image, especially on PC.

Hardware-Specific Recommendations

Note: On PC, check VRAM usage in the settings menu. The game will warn if your VRAM is insufficient for the chosen preset.

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Audio Settings

• Master Volume: Overall volume. Range 0-10.


• Music Volume: Controls background score.


• SFX Volume: Sound effects (combat, footsteps, etc.).


• Voice Volume: Dialogues and cinematics.


• Controller Speaker Volume (PS4/PS5): Controls output from DualShock 4/DualSense speaker. Tip: Lower if it feels tinny or too loud in quiet scenes.


• DualSense Features (PS5/PC): Vibration Intensity (off, weak, strong), Trigger Effect Intensity (off, weak, strong). Special attention: Too high trigger resistance can fatigue fingers during combat; recommend “Weak” for long sessions.


• 3D Audio (PS5/PC): Supports Tempest 3D Audio on PS5 and spatial audio on PC. Enable for better position of enemies and wind sounds.


• Sound Mode (PS4/PS5): Stereo, Virtual Surround, 5.1, 7.1. Set to your actual speaker/headphone configuration. Using Virtual Surround on stereo headphones can cause muffling; use Stereo for headphones.


• Subtitles: On/Off. Also see Accessibility section.


• Subtitle Background: Light/Dark. Helps readability.


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Controls Settings





Button Mapping



• Custom Button Mapping: Only available on PS4/PS5 via system-level accessibility. PC version allows full remapping via the game’s menus.


• Preset Layouts: Classic (default) and Alternate (swaps light/heavy attack and parry/dodge on face buttons). Tip: Classic is intuitive; Alternate may help if you tend to jam buttons.




Combat Controls



• Lock-On: Toggle (press R3 to lock on/off) or Hold (hold R3 to lock). Misconfiguration: Toggle can cause accidental lock loss; Hold gives better control but tires thumb.


• Aim Assist: On (soft lock for ranged weapons) or Off. Keep On for convenience.


• Auto-Sheathe Weapon: After combat ends, Jin automatically sheathes after a few seconds. Set to Off if you want to keep katana drawn for photo mode or subsequent fights.


• Invert Y-Axis: On/Off for camera and aiming. Check this if you come from flight sims; rare need.


• Vibration: On/Off. Can be turned off in Audio menu as well.


• Camera Sensitivity: Slider X and Y. Default 5/10. Increase for quicker turns.


• Trigger Deadzone (PC): Adjust to prevent accidental Nocks (bow pull).




Quick Menu Shortcuts



• Quick-Select Gadgets: Double-tap up on D-pad to cycle through equippable items. Tip: Customize which gadgets appear first in the menu (R1 from pause).


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Accessibility Settings



Ghost of Tsushima has a robust Accessibility section under Gameplay Options (PS4/PS5) and separate PC options.


• High Contrast Mode: Changes color palette for visibility. On makes enemies glow red, allies blue, world more distinct. Misconfiguration: Turning this on permanently can wash out the artistic visuals; use only if needed.


• Large Subtitles: Increases subtitle text size.


• Speaker Labels: Shows character names next to dialogue.


• Screen Reader: Available on PS5 for menu navigation.


• Controller Buttons: Text overlay for button prompts (on/off).


• Difficulty Options: Also in Gameplay—separate accessibility difficulty presets (Low Intensity Combat) that slow enemy aggression and reduce damage. Not recommended for experienced players but invaluable for those with motor impairments.


• Checkpoint Auto-Save Frequency: Can’t be changed, but you can manually save anytime.


• Photo Mode: Accessible via pause menu. Not a setting but useful to know.


Platform Notes: On PC, many accessibility features come from the OS (Windows Ease of Access) or third-party software; the game itself has limited accessibility options compared to console.

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Language Settings




• Voice Language: Japanese, English, or Other (depending on region). Special attention: The game’s original vision includes authentic Japanese lip-sync; switching to English audio causes mismatched lip movements. Recommendation: Play with Japanese voice with English subtitles for full immersion.


• Text Language: Choose from supported languages (English, French, German, Spanish, etc.). Note: Changing text language does not affect voice.


• Subtitles: On/Off, plus choice of displaying always or during dialogue only.


• Menu Text Size: Not adjustable in-game; rely on TV/monitor settings.


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Network Settings




• Online Features: Ghost of Tsushima is single-player with no multiplayer, but has Legends Mode (co-op mode) available from the main menu. In the Network tab, you can toggle Enable Online Features on/off. Turning off disables Legends and any leaderboards or ghost data (player death spots from others). Recommendation: Keep On for Legends access; no performance impact during single-player.


• Cross-Platform Play: Legends supports cross-play between PS4 and PS5 (and PC? Actually PC Legends is separate; no cross-play with console). Set cross-play to On to match with other platforms.


• Ghost Data Sharing: Off (others’ death spots not shown in world), On (show). No gameplay effect except atmosphere.


• Voice Chat: For Legends only; can be set to Push to Talk (PC) or Open Mic.


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Gameplay Settings





Difficulty



• Difficulty: Easy, Normal, Hard, Lethal.

- Easy: Enemies deal less damage, Jin regenerates health quickly. Great for story focus.
- Normal: Balanced.
- Hard: Enemies are aggressive, have more health, and parry windows are tighter.
- Lethal: Jin and enemies die in 1-2 hits (both sides). Warning: Lethal is unforgiving; stray arrows kill instantly. Aimed at expert players seeking realism.

• Combat Mode: In dialogue options, you can enable Low Intensity Combat (under accessibility). This slows enemy speed and reduces damage. Alternative to difficulty changes.




HUD & Compass



• HUD Mode: Normal (all elements), Minimal (only important icons), Off (full immersion). Tip: Use Minimal to reduce clutter without losing crucial info.


• Compass: On/Off. The wind directs you to objectives; compass is optional. Special attention: The Guiding Wind is the primary navigation tool; compass may spoil exploration. Many players disable the compass entirely.


• Health Bar Display: Always, In Combat Only, Off. Set to In Combat Only for cleaner screen.


• Quest Tracker: Always, On Foot Only, Off.


• Subtitle Display: Always, Only Dialogs, Never.


• Visible Vision Cone (on minimap?): Not present; instead, stealth indicators show enemy awareness (a white/yellow/red icon). No setting to disable this.




Camera & Photo Mode



• Photo Mode Controls: Can be accessed via pause, but no special settings beyond button mapping.


• Camera Auto-Adjustment: Under Controls, not gameplay—already covered.




Additional Tips



• Auto-Equip Gear: When picking up new items, Jin auto-equips them. This cannot be turned off, but you can manually revert via inventory.


• Riding Speed: On horse, you can gallop (tap R2) or auto-follow roads by holding R1 (while guiding wind is active). No setting to change speed.

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Special Attention Points During Setup

1. Language Mismatch: Many players accidentally choose English voices but then feel disconnected. Double-check the Voice Language setting before starting the game.
2. VRAM Oversight (PC): Ignoring the VRAM warning when applying Very High textures leads to micro-stutters. Always consult the VRAM usage bar.
3. 3D Audio on Headphones: Setting Sound Mode to 5.1 or 7.1 on stereo headphones ruins spatial sound. Use Stereo or the dedicated 3D Audio setting if available.
4. Controller Speaker (PS5): The DualSense speaker can be distractingly loud during dialogues. Lower Controller Speaker Volume to 2-3.
5. Trigger Effects: On PS5, the adaptive triggers provide tension when drawing a bow. If you find it tiring, set Trigger Effect Intensity to Weak or Off.
6. Compass vs Guiding Wind: Disabling the compass forces you to rely on the visual wind and bird calls, which is the intended immersive experience. Consider turning it off.
7. Accessibility High Contrast Mode: While very helpful for visibility, it desaturates the world. Use only if medically necessary.
8. PC Inverted Y-Axis: If you play with controller, Invert Y-Axis for camera can be confusing if you’re used to mouse inverted; check default.
9. Framerate Limit vs V-Sync: On PC, setting an unlimited framerate with V-Sync off can cause screen tearing. Use a limit at your monitor’s refresh rate.
10. Difficulty Lethal: Do not select Lethal unless you are prepared for die-and-retry mechanics; it changes combat fundamentally. Save before switching.

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Summary of Recommended Configurations

Use these guidelines to tailor Ghost of Tsushima to your hardware and preferences, ensuring a smooth and immersive journey through feudal Japan.