Ghostrunner 2 is the sequel to 2020’s Ghostrunner. One More Level and 505 Games have teamed up once again and what we have here is a sequel that’s every bit as great as the original title with even more longevity added to it.
If you played Ghostrunner and enjoyed it, Ghostrunner 2 will tick all the right boxes for you. So let’s dive into why you should play the sequel shall we? Do note though that if you’re not a fan of games that are challenging or that require a significant amount of player skill to get through, Ghostrunner 2 will not appeal to you. It’s a very polarizing title in this regard since it’s aimed at gamers who love fast paced, challenging, action packed, gameplay.
Ghostrunner 2
For those of you out there who didn’t play the original Ghostrunner, players will take on the role of a cybernetic ninja. Being revived by some rebels and computer program, you were tasked with taking down the evil forces running Dharma Tower. Liberation was the core plot driver and the game featured some intense fights along the way. Climbing Dharma Tower was no easy task.
If you want to be brought up to speed with the happenings in the first game, you can view a cinematic in Ghostrunner 2 which summarizes the story quite well. This isn’t necessary at all to enjoy the game though but it is a nice touch for newcomers to the franchise since it provides just enough information to get you going.
Gameplay in Ghostrunner 2 is pretty much almost the same as in Ghostrunner 1. The key differences this time around lie with the fact that there’s some new mechanics to get used to here. In Ghostrunner 2, players will have a far expanded arsenal of tricks up their sleeve. For example, players can now grapple hook signs and pull them down onto opponents. You can jump on hovering drones and ride them for a bit before diving off and straight into the heat of battle.
Later on in the game you’ll be able to use a motorcycle to traverse vast open regions outside of Dharma Tower. It’s all incredibly captivating and One More Level have really done a great job here with the worldbuilding. Humanity has clearly suffered greatly in the cyber-future of Ghostrunner and it’s quite clearly visible.
A Power Struggle
The story of Ghostrunner 2 involves a power struggle between various factions vying for power. Since defeating a specific enemy in the first game, there’s been a void to fill, and this is where the new antagonists come in. Players will face off against one of these tough foes quite early on in the game in what can only be described as an amazing boss battle. Again, One More Level have done a great job here integrating new mechanics into the game and it would be a shame for me to spoil it even further by mentioning what you can do this time around.
The core gameplay loop in Ghostrunner 2 is almost the same as its predecessor just on a grander scale. However, this doesn’t always mean that it’s a good thing. There were a couple of times throughout the game where I felt as if I was lost or didn’t really know which path to take. The increased world and area size means that there’s a lot more variation in ways to attempt to get through enemies. However your attempts will most likely lead to failure countless times. You’ll have to piece together a puzzle of sorts by trying different routes in an area to see which way works best for you.
An example of this is upon entering a new area you can decide to take a left-hand side grapple hook spot instead of sliding straight through a vent and into enemies. Small things like this can make a massive difference to how you progress throughout the game and each player’s playstyle will influence how they take on enemies in Ghostrunner 2. Once you gain access to more of your cybernetic powers such as Shurikens or Invisibility, things really get interesting and add even more variation to the already quite intense repertoire of skills at your disposal.
Combining shuriken attacks with blocks, dashes, deflections and grapples becomes a work of art. Masterfully chaining together your movements in a perfect manner is so satisfying. You’re the conductor of a symphony of ninja techniques and you need to have perfect timing otherwise everything gets thrown off.
Again, much like its predecessor Ghostrunner 2 relies on players grasping the abilities available to them and playing with enough skill to survive enemy attacks to progress further. Thankfully, the checkpoints in Ghostrunner 2 are well placed and this helps alleviate a lot of the frustration that comes with dying in the game. There are also collectibles in the game which add to the longevity of the title since you’ll want to try to find them all since they contribute to the lore of the game once again.
Ghostrunner 2’s larger scale means that levels are a lot bigger than before and feature brand new mechanics that assist with traversal. You can grind along rails while using boost pads that launch you into the air. You can smash through vents or weaker walls to unlock different routes, or you can attempt the old fashioned way of just rushing your enemies. There’s plenty of options available and there’s even unlockable challenges that can be found in levels. The first person platforming elements of the game have really been expanded upon a lot this time around.
Boss battles in Ghostrunner 2 are extremely enjoyable and one of the early battles really sets the tone for the rest to come.
Gorgeous Cyberpunk World
Graphically, Ghostrunner 2 looks absolutely fantastic. The cyberpunk, neon-lit, dark dystopian future never looked so good. Even without Ray Tracing enabled at the time of typing up this review, the game looked fantastic with all settings maxed out. It also ran perfectly fine for the most part however I did crash on a few occasions inexplicably – This tended to happen while in combat or while mid-jump and while it is annoying right now, I’m hoping this problem is patched on release.
There’s a photo mode on offer in Ghostrunner 2 too thankfully and just like in its predecessor, you can easily spend a lot of time crafting the best screenshot possible thanks to the easy-to-use set of options available to you.
The soundtrack of Ghostrunner 2 is filled with nothing less than awesome adrenaline pumping synthwave tracks. In fact, the soundtrack is so good there are times where you’ll just want to listen to the music because it really gets you in the zone. The voice acting in Ghostrunner 2 is well done too.
Final Verdict
Ghostrunner 2 is every bit as successful as Ghostrunner 1. The core gameplay loop of fighting your way through enemies in levels while pulling off insane parkour and unparalleled dodges and deflections is remarkably fun. If however you lack the patience to deal with “one shot, one kill” mechanics which affect you, this game will infuriate you. Ghostrunner 1 and 2 are both niche titles that are polarizing games that you’ll either love or hate depending on your personal preferences. I personally love it though and the rush it generates when successfully getting through a tough level is something that not many games can pull off as well as this.
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