When Sekiro came out last year, it featured the best melee combat system of any game I've ever played.

Sekiro's combat is fast, precise and brilliantly polished. So despite their differences, I'm pitting them head to head. I also have similar feelings of triumph when I win a tough fight in both games. Nevertheless, both draw heavy inspiration from classic samurai films, both have heart pounding one-on-one duels and epic swordplay, and both are set in reimagined regions of historical Japan. Sekiro, on the other hand, is a tightly designed linear experience where the focus is almost always on making it from point A to B in one piece. Yes, both feature fast-paced sword fights, but Ghost is an open world adventure where tense moments of combat are balanced by serene meadows and optional activities like collecting flowers and composing haiku. It's wonderful in its own way and not the Sekiro clone I was expecting.

Now that I've sunk 30 to 40 hours into Ghost of Tsushima, I'm prepared to say I love this game too. I was prepared to dislike Ghost of Tsushima out of spite because I thought it would be a dumbed down version of Sekiro meant to please those less willing to endure the torture of near-impossible boss fights. It's a brutally difficult yet masterfully crafted samurai game from the team that created my favorite game ever - Dark Souls.

Ghost of tsushima length