Ghost of Tsushima has finally arrived as the PlayStation 4’s final exclusive game, seeing you take on the role of Jin, a samurai warrior, seeking to fight off the cunning and dishonourable Mongols.
One of the most important aspects of a game depicting this time in Japanese history is the combat controls, with the swordplay naturally being core to the experience.
Here, you’ll be able to learn all of the Ghost of Tsushima controls, with future guides for the game coming to this site soon.
In this Ghost of Tsushima controls guide, the analogues on the controller are shown as L and R, with the D-pad buttons listed as Up, Right, Down, and Left. The button activated when you press an analogue is shown as L3 or R3.
Ghost of Tsushima Samurai Controls
From parrying attacks to picking up items, here are all of the Ghost of Tsushima PS4 and PS5 controls including the more advanced combat controls.
| Action | PS4 / PS5 Controls | Tips |
| Move | L | – |
| Camera | R | – |
| Pick-Up Items / Interact | R2 | When the prompt shows to press R2, you can collect items, interact, and talk to people. |
| Aim Melee Attacks | L | To change which opponent you’re aiming for, guide Jin with the L analogue. You can switch target after each swing of your sword. |
| Quick Attack | Square | Tap in succession to strike with combinations. |
| Heavy Attack | Triangle | Strikes from overhead, is slower, but more powerful than a quick attack. Tap in succession to break defences and open up for Quick Attacks. |
| Stab Attack | Triangle (hold) | Hold Triangle to reposition your sword and then perform a quick stab. If timed correctly, the thrust can be a one-hit kill. |
| Falling Attack | X + hold Square | If you’re on a raised platform and there are enemies below, you can jump off and stab them with your sword if you line the fall right. |
| Jump Kick Attack | X + hold Triangle | A remarkably effective attack, if you jump and hold the heavy attack button, you’ll kick your foe and force them backward. |
| Block | L1 | Blocking is a key part of combat, with counter striking being one of the best ways to fight aggressive foes. |
| Parry | L1 (late) | Block at the last second to perform a parry and make the enemy vulnerable to Quick Attacks. |
| Select Stance | R2 (hold) | Unlock more stances as you defeat Mongol leaders, different stances give you an edge over different enemy classes. |
| Assassinate | Square | You need to unlock the Stealth Kill ability first. When available, a prompt will show to assassinate foes. |
| Dash | O | Use the dash controls to dodge into an advantageous position when an enemy tries to strike you. |
| Jump | X | Move towards a window or barrier and press X to vault through. Use the same action to scale buildings. |
| Crawl | R2 | Press R2 when the prompt shows for you to crawl under an obstacle. |
| Run | L3 | Use L3 to sprint into battle or to get to position faster. Jin will begin to tire while sprinting. |
| Slide | L3 + O/R3 | Sprint and then tap O or R3 to perform a quick slide. |
| Crouch | R3 | Necessary when sneaking around. Crouch in tall grass and behind walls to avoid detection. |
| Ranged Weapon Aim | L2 | – |
| Ranged Weapon Fire | R2 | – |
| Switch Bow Side | L3 | Press L3 to switch the aim from over Jin’s left shoulder or right shoulder. |
| Select Ranged Weapon | L2 (hold) | Hold L2 and then follow the prompts to select your weapon. |
| Select Ammo | L2 (hold) | Hold L2 and then follow the prompts to select the ammo to use. |
| Use Quickfire Weapon | R1 | – |
| Select Quickfire Weapon | R2 (hold) | Hold R2 and pick your Quickfire weapon. |
| Standoff | Up | Initiate a challenge of honourable combat in a samurai standoff. As the enemy approaches, hold Triangle and then release the button as soon as they attack to defeat them instantly. |
| Call Horse | Left | – |
| Heal | Down | Your health bar is to the bottom left of the screen. You can refill your health by drawing segments from the resolve bar (the yellow orbs above your health bar) by pressing Down on the D-pad. Get more resolve by killing enemies. |
| Swim Underwater | R3 | To swim undetected, press R3 to move under the surface. Be sure to keep an eye on the oxygen metre. |
| Focussed Hearing | TouchPad (press) | Press to highlight enemy locations and move slower. |
| Guiding Wind | TouchPad (swipe up) | Very useful for navigating the map of Ghost of Tsushima. |
| Gestures | TouchPad (swipe) | Swipe down to bow, swipe right to draw or sheath your sword, and swipe left to play a song. |
| Photo Mode | Right | – |
| Pause / Menu | Options | Find all of the settings and accessibility options in the pause menu. |
Ghost of Tsushima Horse Controls
The first controls that you use in Ghost of Tsushima are the horse controls. Very soon after the opening mission, you’ll be able to get to grips with riding a horse again.
As for which horse to pick in Ghost of Tsushima, none of them offer performance pros and cons, so just pick the colour that you prefer. However, your horse selection and horse name is permanent.
It’s also good to know that your horse can’t die, so if it flees from battle, just summon it back once you’re done with the Call Horse control.
| Action | PS4 / PS5 Controls | Tips |
| Mount Horse | R2 | Press R2 to get on your horse. |
| Dismount Horse | O | Press O to get off of your horse. |
| Steer | L | – |
| Gallop | L3 | Galloping makes your horse harder to steer, but it does run faster. |
| Horse Jump | L | If your horse can jump over something, it will do so automatically when you steer it towards the obstacle. |
| Attack with Sword | Square | Using an attack will see Jin swing his sword down to the right side of your horse. |
| Leap from Horse | X | Press X to leap forwards from your horse’s back. |
| Assassinate | Square | Initiate a speedy kill by leaping off of your horse when prompted. |
| Call Horse | Left | Press Left of the D-pad to summon your horse to your location. |
| Harvest Items | R2 | You don’t have to dismount your horse to harvest items in Ghost of Tsushima – just look at them and press R2. |
| Camera | R | – |
How to Save in Ghost of Tsushima
To save the game in Ghost of Tsushima, you need to press the Options button, press either L1 or R1 to get to the ‘Options’ page, and then scroll down the left side of the menu to the ‘Save Game’ button.
It’s best to save your game regularly in Ghost of Tsushima. Also, from the pause menu, you can revert to your last checkpoint, should you want to try a mission again.
Looking for more Ghost of Tsushima guides?
Ghost of Tsushima: Track Jinroku, The Other Side of Honour Guide
Ghost of Tsushima: Find Violets Locations, Legend of Tadayori Guide
Ghost of Tsushima: Follow the Blue Flowers, Curse of Uchitsune Guide
Ghost of Tsushima: The Frog Statues, Mending Rock Shrine Guide
Ghost of Tsushima: Search the Camp for Signs of Tomoe, The Terror of Otsuna Guide
Ghost of Tsushima: Locate Assassins in Toyotama, The Six Blades of Kojiro Guide
Ghost of Tsushima: Which Way to Ascend Mt Jogaku, The Undying Flame Guide
Ghost of Tsushima: Find the White Smoke, The Spirit of Yarikawa’s Vengeance Guide
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