One More Level and 505 Games delivered a massive hit with Ghostrunner in 2020. The game is a fast-paced, first-person action platformer that felt under-the-radar despite being beloved by those who played it. It’s a simple yet interesting story with strong gameplay and it runs beautifully. Three years later, is Ghostrunner 2 shaping up to usurp its predecessor? After playing 20 minutes and the first two levels, it absolutely feels that way.
Ghostrunner 2 is set a little after the original game ends. We still play as Jack, the Ghostrunner, going after targets after completing his task of revenge, and helping the Climbers, a resistance group, take back Dharma Tower. A dreary place that originally was depicted as miserable to live in already feels brighter and more alive in the quick glimpse shown in the opening minutes. Now run amok by gang violence, Jack is helping bring calm to the tower’s citizens, all the while a new target who threatens that peace with chaos.
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The opening minutes quickly put the player back in the shoes of Jack, and shows that this sequel hasn’t lost its edge. Quick kills give a taste of what is to come as well as a feel for all the new ways to use Jack’s kit. Dashes have more charges right off the bat for quicker kills as well as two abilities that are used more intuitively in the moment-to-moment movements from the first game with their being introduced much earlier.
The first is the Tempest, a returning ability from the first game. Think of this as a force push. Unlike its previous iteration, it’s not used as much as an immediate one-hit kill punch of air. It’s used now as a way to manipulate the environment. With red barrels scattered around arenas, you’re now able to push them into groups of enemies to eliminate them quickly. Plus it’s used as a simple puzzle mechanic as well with pushing blocks around to get through some environments in the first level.
The second is a new ability, a shuriken. Similar to the Surge ability from the original game, the shuriken is a ranged attack but with more uses. It can stun enemies or it can activate environmental hazards like red barrels. It’s also used to trigger environmental triggers to open gates or unlock hidden areas.
Both of these abilities come along with the new parry mechanic. Certain attacks such as ones from swordsmen can now be parried and countered with the use of a stamina bar, the same energy used for sensory boost and dashing. If timed correctly, you’re rewarded with a visceral takedown of anyone brave enough to stand in your way. However, just like everything else in this series, timing is key to make sure you don’t get accidentally killed while pulling it off.
All of these new abilities are on full display in the first level and add up to one major new push in this sequel. There are many more ways to take on the hordes of enemies. There’s still the one-hit-kill mechanic returning. Early enemies players face go down with a quick slash of Jack’s sword, but the arenas feel much less like a puzzle with one correct route to conquer them. They felt like a playground where Jack’s kit and a players ability to think outside the box let you overcome the obstacles. This is all enhanced by the game’s quick loading and trial-and-error approach to every encounter.
The highlight came in the second level. The new speedbike, as shown in the first trailer, was a shining moment of Ghostrunner 2‘s opening moments. This 4-5 minute level is a fast-paced race against time down tunnels and halls full of obstacles that need to be avoided to make it through and all with a distance meter to Jack’s target and the only way to keep up is to always be boosting. This ends with the opening moment from the announcement trailer of Jack taking the motorcycle and jumping outside the tower into the world outside of Dharma tower. It’s a stunning sequence.
Even with a short 20-minute taste of what’s to come, Ghostrunner 2 has proven that this is a series you shouldn’t miss. Ghostrunner 2 so far has found ways to make this game even more fun than originally thought, particularly through its evolution of level design and new gameplay. With all of its high-octane jaw-dropping moments, October cannot get here soon enough.
Ghostrunner 2 is available October 26th on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC.
