Sucker Punch's Ghost of Tsushima originally released in the Summer of 2020 and showed off what the studio had been working on for so long in spectacular fashion. With sweeping vistas, immersive traversal, and lightning fast combat, the game was loved by both critics and users.

RELATED: 10 Important Things You Didn't Know About Ghost Of Tsushima

With well over 50 hours of content spread over the vast island of Tsushima, it seemed like there would be enough for players to do to last, well, over 50 hours. That's not adding in the extensive list of collectibles and off the path locations to discover. However, Sucker Punch added to that run time with the Director's Cut, released in August 2021, with a variety of features and new areas to explore.

10 A Vast New Island Offers Plenty Of Side Activities To Explore

Jin walking into field on Iki Island

As with many expansions, the Director's Cut features a large new area to explore, complete with its own side activities and rewards. This new space, called Iki Island, can be accessed toward the middle of the main campaign, and involves Jin sailing to nearby shores to find a new foe.

With difficult activities, such as an archery challenge, and lush tropical beaches that blend into familiar mountainous regions, Iki Island offers an extra 5 to 15 hours of content, depending on how thorough the player wants to be.

9 Upgraded Visuals and Framerate Make An Already Beautiful Game Stunning

Jin looking at looming island

Ghost of Tsushima is a beautiful game, replete with expansive vistas where swaths of stunning flowers fill the screen with color. When a storm blows in, the sky darkens and the wind howls in a way that absorbs the player into the island. The Director's Cut looks to enhance all of that.

Packed in with the Director's Cut, but also able to be purchased separately, is a visual/performance update available for PlayStation 5 owners. Sharpening textures alongside raising framerate and resolution, this update helps to bring Ghost of Tsushima to the current generation.

8 Showdowns Are Even More Enticing When Players Can Feel Their Sword Connect

Jin fighting enemy with sword

With an upgrade to the PlayStation 5, players can expect their controls to be updated to fit with the DualSense. Not only is Jin Sakai getting a lock-on targeting system and bumper attack controls in a free update, haptic feedback is also being introduced with the paid version.

RELATED: 10 Most Interesting Ways Games Have Used Controller Vibration

Now, as with many of the DualSense centered games, the combat is responsive both on screen and in the players hands. The swing of a sword is felt as it connects with an enemy. The nocking and release of an arrow sends resistance and releases into the triggers.

7 The New Shaman Enemy Type Creates An Extra Layer To Combat

Ghost of Tsushima Shaman

With a new antagonist, known as The Eagle, there is also a new group of Iki Island enemies that follow her. One of these followers is a new enemy type that bolsters the strength of their group, buffing them to the point that they become much more difficult to kill.

This enemy, known as the Shaman, releases a guttural song fashioned after Tuvan Throat Singing, or khoomei, much like a bard would support their allies in D&D with song. Also armed with a spear, these Shaman create a new twist on combat that the player must overcome.

6 The Narrative Builds On A Major Moment In Jin's Childhood

Jin training as a child

The original Ghost of Tsushima was centered around Jin's relationship with his uncle, Lord Shimura, who raised Jin after his father, Lord Kazumasa Sakai, died. With this dynamic being the focal point, little time was given to the circumstances of Lord Kazumasa's death.

Right off the bat, the Director's Cut sets out to expand on this part of Jin's history, as The Eagle forces Jin to relive the moment of his father's death through flashback scenes created by a hallucinogen. An emotional breaking point for the protagonist, this plot point creates an engaging conflict for the player.

5 Using The DualSense, Players Can Feel The Fur On The Animals In Sanctuaries

Jin petting a cat in animal sanctuary

Animal life has always been a core connection between Jin and the world that he explores. Foxes and birds guide the player to hidden upgrades, while boars and bears provide pelts needed to craft better gear. On Iki Island, that connection becomes stronger.

Dotted throughout the island are a variety of animal sanctuaries housing different species, like cats, dogs, deer, and even monkeys. The player can entice these animals forward by completing a quick mini-game with their flute. Once they've approached, Jin will pet the animal, and the DualSense will relay some soft feedback.

4 Jin Gets New Armor Sets To Keep Him Alive On His Journey

Ghost of Tsushima Armor Set

With new content comes new gear. In the original release, scouring the map and completing side missions left the player well-equipped at about the halfway point of the game. New gear and weapons were hard to come by in the latter half.

RELATED: 10 DLCs That Were Total Rip Offs

On Iki Island, however, players can expect to find new armor to equip Jin with, which makes him a much more formidable foe to The Eagle and her lackeys. Alongside this armor are tons of new mods that can be found by completing the wide variety of new activities mentioned before.

3 Barrel Through Enemies On The Back Of Jin's Horse

Jin running through enemies on horse back

Jin's horse was a fragile mount throughout the run time of the base game. Enemies could easily swipe their lances, or let an arrow loose to throw Jin from his saddle and take him down to the ground. After the Director's Cut, though, the horse has its own tricks for enemies.

Jin can spur his trusty steed on in a charge that rips right through groups of baddies. This upgrade is earned early on in the expansion and greatly improves the strength of a mounted attack. Watching opponents fly into the air and scatter across the ground during a charge feels empowering to the player.

2 Fast Travel Is Even Faster With The PS5 SSD

Games Like Far Cry 6 Ghost of Tsushima

Iki Island, in addition to the main island of Tsushima, is vast. Players will be traveling large distances to get from quest to quest or animal sanctuary to animal sanctuary. While the world is beautiful and worth exploring on horseback or on foot, sometimes a player needs to be somewhere quickly.

Alongside enhanced visuals, the PlayStation 5 upgrade also brings its internal SSD to the world of Tsushima, making loading times almost non-existent. Fast travel is faster than ever, and players can expect to instantly load into whatever part of the world they want to explore.

1 Players Can Finally Experience The Japanese Voice Work With Proper Lip Sync

Ghost of Tsushima Kurosawa Mode

A major selling point of Ghost of Tsushima is its Japanese voice over that enhances the connection between the game and the famed Akira Kurosawa samurai films that it drew so much inspiration from. Unfortunately, on release, the lip sync for the Japanese VO wasn't available.

With the Director's Cut, Sucker Punch was able to incorporate the SSD to render cutscenes as they played, allowing them to incorporate lip syncing to the Japanese dialogue options. While not always a perfect match, this lip syncing goes a long way in preserving the original vision of the game.

NEXT: 10 Closest Games To Zelda For PlayStation & Xbox Owners