Can you play Legends mode solo in Ghost of Tsushima?

As a hardcore Legends mode player with hundreds of hours sunk into this thrilling co-op experience, the question I see most often is: "Can you play Legends mode solo?" So let‘s dive into the details and see what options exist for lone wolf samurai.

The Short Answer

Technically yes, you can play parts of Legends solo. But it is designed as a cooperative multiplayer mode built for 2-4 players. While certain missions and Survival mode allow single player, you‘ll have the best experience teaming up with others.

Examining Each Legends Mode Type

Legends has three distinct modes, each with different solo capability:

Story Missions

These narrative adventures put you in the shoes of historic samurai and legends. Story is balanced for 2 players but can be played solo. I‘ve completed all of them alone, although some sequences are brutally difficult without a partner to revive you.

Survival Missions

Fight off endless waves of enemies in various maps and earn high scores. This mode works for single player as well as 2-4 person teams. Certain bonus objectives favor coordination though.

The Raid

This 3-chapter epic only allows a full squad. Given the intense difficulty and maze-like design, going lone wolf is essentially impossible. I‘ve tried many times and never reached the second area. Raids demand tight teamwork.

This table summarizes the key differences:

So in summary, Survival and Story allow for solo players but Raid requires a squad. Let‘s analyze the pros and cons of going solo more closely.

Solo Play Pros and Cons

Based on my 100+ hours playing Legends mostly solo, here are the notable advantages and disadvantages I‘ve experienced:

Solo Pros

• Don‘t rely on others‘ skill/experience
• Freedom to use your preferred playstyle
• Keep all loot for yourself
• Less chaotic combat with fewer players

Solo Cons

• No one to revive you during intense fights
• Harder to achieve high scores
• Bonus objectives favor coordination
• Lower chance of rare loot drops
• Higher likelihood of failure/frustration

There are plenty of Ghost of Tsushima Legends solo builds out there, but the lack of backup is a challenge. Teaming up provides strength in numbers – but also means putting your fate partially in another‘s hands.

Matchmaking Effectiveness

For players lacking friends to party up with, Ghost of Tsushima does provide matchmaking options. You can queue into both Story and Survival missions and be paired with others.

In my experience, matchmaking takes 1-3 minutes to find a group. Uptime is solid during peak evening hours but can slow down late at night. Players found via matchmaking don‘t always have mics for coordination, making emotes essential.

I‘d estimate 70-80% of my Story missions successes have come from pick-up groups, so the system works well. Survival is more hit or miss based on whether teammates help each other. But for the most part, you can experience all of Legends‘ content through public groups.

Ideal Solo Classes

While every class is viable alone, some have distinct advantages:

Hunter – Ranged DPS and steath allow safer play from a distance
Assassin – High mobility to escape danger and revive allies

Samurai – Strong defense to withstand attacks without backup

I main a Hunter for solo runs. By sticking to high ground with my bow, I can whittle down foes and avoid damage. Assassin and Samurai work well too, but lack ranged offense.

Ronins fare the worst when alone – their healer abilities have no one to support. But with the right build and skill, any class can prevail.

Future Solo Content?

While intended as a co-op experience, Sucker Punch could certainly add more single player content to Legends. An option for solo attempts of raids with adjusted difficulty scaling would be great. Additional story missions balanced around lone wolf play would also give alts to matchmaking.

And a true "Horde" mode where a solo player battles endless enemies to see how long they can survive could make for an intense challenge! We may see updates over time that cater more to solo samurai.

The Verdict?

At the end of the day, Ghost of Tsushima Legends provides options for both social and solo players. While certain pinnacle activities require a pre-made four player squad, you can experience much of the content on your own. And matchmaking ensures everyone has a way into multiplayer.

Give Legends a shot even if you usually play solo. The mixes of paranormal enemies and abilities combine with the satisfying swordplay and stealth fans love about Ghost of Tsushima. Just be ready for an added challenge without allies watching your back!

Let me know your own thoughts on playing Legends mode solo in the comments. I may be biased as a die-hard fan, but this thrilling multiplayer expansion should not be missed!