There are a lot of games that have photo modes, allowing players to capture and customize their favorite moments. For many gamers, this is a casual feature that lets them take cool screenshots, but for others, photo modes make true virtual photography possible. Horizon Zero Dawn, Cyberpunk 2077, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Spider-Man: Miles Morales are examples of games that have incredible photo modes, but Ghost of Tsushima has one that stands out with some unique features.
Photo mode has become a common feature in a lot of big games, and even some smaller ones, but that doesn’t mean all photo modes are created equal. Even the photo mode in Ghost of Tsushima is not perfect and could stand to implement a few features from other games, but the emphasis is definitely there. Ghost of Tsushima received an entire trailer dedicated to showcasing the photo mode. Cyberpunk 2077 and Miles Morales did as well, and Final Fantasy 7 Remake will be adding a photo mode with the Intergrade PS5 upgrade. Fans enjoy capturing their favorite moments and creating their own art with video games, and Ghost of Tsushima is a great example to follow.
The most unique feature in Ghost of Tsushima’s photo mode is the option to use weather effects. Anyone who has played Ghost is familiar with the often excessive amounts of leaves floating around at all times. In photo mode, players can manipulate this feature by selecting what kind of leaves (or butterflies, flowers, or embers) should float through the screen and at what density. Most of the time, too much going on is a distraction that takes away from the photo, but it’s a fun feature to play around with. Players can also change cloud cover and wind direction.
While the rest of the picture is frozen, the leaves continue to float around as the wind moves through the grass. Players can toggle environmental animation off and on to find the perfect positioning of leaves for their screenshot, or they can choose to use a video capture. The latter is what makes Ghost of Tsushima’s photo mode so impressive and unique. Not everything created in photo mode has to be a still picture. Instead, fans can capture living screenshots. It’s a powerful tool that no other games have- but they definitely should.
In addition to the particle effects, Ghost of Tsushima allows players to toggle the weather conditions to set the tone for a particular photo. This is really fun to use and not something many photo modes do. Horizon Zero Dawn’s photo mode allows for players to edit the time of day, which is similar, but the weather effects allow for a completely different look without using a filter. More games should implement environmental animation and weather effects into their photo modes. It really takes plain screenshots to the next level and makes them more cinematic.
Apart from the fact that photo mode can be really entertaining, especially for players that also enjoy photography and visual art, it can be a great tool to show the developer how fans are using and enjoying the game. A lot of players like to post their game screenshots on Reddit, Twitter, or Instagram where they can be appreciated both by other players and by the developers.
Photo modes allow players to take the existing art and transform it into art of their own. Taking pictures is all about making memories, so fans can also utilize these tools to commemorate their favorite moments and look back on them when the game is finished. Whatever the player’s motivation, using photo mode is a great creative outlet.
Game developers spend years working on games, and photo mode can be a simple but rewarding and creatively satisfying tool for both the player and the developer. That’s not even mentioning the free publicity. Players really enjoyed Ghost of Tsushima’s photo mode and shared a lot of screenshots online, which probably convinced even more gamers to consider purchasing the game. Sometimes seeing a trailer isn’t the same as seeing a fellow player’s screenshot, which might be more reliable and impressive than a developer’s curated marketing materials.
Photo mode highlights games like Ghost of Tsushima that have exceptional visuals and helps establish that reputation. Incredible player screenshots and the buzz surrounding photo mode likely played a huge role in helping Ghost of Tsushima win Best Art Direction in the 2020 Game Awards.
A lot of players who like to use photo mode are talented photographers and visual artists, whose screenshots can help other players see the game in a completely new way or highlight a detail others may have missed. However, being a good photographer is not a requirement to have fun with photo mode or take great photos. Games with good photo modes like Ghost of Tsushima can make even the least artistic gamer feel like a professional photographer.
Photo modes are also a great way to appreciate all the detail that’s gone into a game. Pausing during gameplay and taking a moment to rotate the camera and zoom in can show players facial animations they might not have seen with the character’s back to the camera, the texture of fabric and armor, lighting effects, and a plethora of other details. Without photo mode, a lot of these things won’t be noticed in the middle of the action. Including a photo mode can deepen appreciation of the game and the work put into it because it lets players take note of a developer’s attention to detail.
Adding a photo mode will never take away from a game experience, it will only enhance it. Ghost of Tsushima’s photo mode is just one example of a game with a photo mode that does a lot to enhance the game, showcase its beautiful environments, and positively impact overall appreciation for the game. Ghost of Tsushima set the most recent standard, and hopefully more games will start to implement this feature.
Ghost of Tsushima is available now on PlayStation.
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