Ghostrunner 2 Review

[Michael {United Critics}]

🎮Gameplay	9	Refined fast-paced combat, new abilities, and environmental puzzles create a thrilling experience, though some repetition can set in.
📷Graphics	10	Visually stunning with vibrant cyberpunk aesthetics.
🎧Narration/Audio	9	An excellent electronic soundtrack and great atmosphere, but the voice acting and story feel secondary to the gameplay.
😮Variety	9	Constantly fresh with new mechanics and environments, though it can feel monotonous for those craving a deeper narrative.
🎰Re-playability	8	Fast-paced action and varied environments encourage replay, but some players may tire of the repetition.
💲Price	8	Solid value for fans of the first game or action platformers, delivering exciting gameplay and improvements worth the price.

📝Story/Plot without spoilers:

Ghostrunner 2 picks up immediately after the events of the first game. The story revolves around you, the Ghostrunner, Jack, continuing your fight to free Dharma City from the clutches of a tyrannical force. While the narrative isn’t the game’s primary focus, there’s enough to keep you invested in the world and characters. A more robust story is told through interactions with your fellow rebels, each with their own unique backstories, making it feel more grounded than the first game. However, the plot still takes a backseat to the exhilarating combat and parkour.

🎮Gameplay:

First Impressions-
From the first few minutes, it’s clear that Ghostrunner 2 improves on everything that made the original so special. The first-person, one-hit-kill combat is as satisfying as ever, but now there’s more to manage. The addition of a stamina meter adds a layer of strategy to your mobility and combat, as you need to carefully manage it to chain dashes or block attacks without leaving yourself vulnerable. The new abilities—like the shuriken that turns enemies into grapple points—make combat feel fresh, giving you more options in how to approach fights.

Core Combat-
The combat system in Ghostrunner 2 is just as fast-paced and brutal as the first, but now there’s more depth. You’re still looking at one-hit kills for both you and your enemies, which makes every move feel crucial. You’ll be darting across platforms, dodging bullets, and chaining kills in rapid succession, all while managing your stamina and utilising new abilities. It’s a rhythm that rewards quick reflexes and smart decision-making. If you’re a fan of games like Hotline Miami or Katana Zero, you’ll feel right at home.

What sets this sequel apart is the expanded moveset. Blocking, which was previously a secondary tactic, has now become an integral part of the gameplay. It’s especially helpful in boss fights, where the usual strategy of dodging and parrying might not always be enough. But the stamina meter limits how much blocking you can do, so it’s still about timing and positioning rather than just brute force. Combat encounters require a careful balance between attacking, dodging, blocking, and using your special abilities. Every fight feels like a puzzle to solve—figuring out the best approach, which enemies to prioritise, and how to chain your actions together for maximum efficiency.

New Abilities and Upgrades-
Ghostrunner 2 introduces some fantastic new abilities that give you more ways to interact with the world. The Shadow ability is especially fun, allowing you to turn invisible and create a decoy to distract enemies while you prepare your next move. Flux, another powerful ability, lets you fire a continuous laser beam to mow down groups of foes, making it a great way to clear out swarms of enemies. The shuriken, now available on demand, can be used not just for ranged damage, but also for strategic movement, allowing you to grapple onto enemies or key points in the environment. These new abilities change how you approach combat and platforming, offering more dynamic ways to handle each encounter.

The progression system is much smoother this time around. Instead of fiddling with a convoluted upgrade system, Ghostrunner 2 has made it easier to unlock new abilities and enhance existing ones by simply playing through the game. As you progress, you’ll collect chips to upgrade your abilities, and you’ll need to find memory chips in levels to unlock more upgrade slots. This adds an incentive to explore each stage and really dive into the game's secrets beyond just completing the main objectives.

Parkour and Platforming-
The parkour gameplay remains smooth and fluid, with wall-running, rail grinding, and pole-swinging returning in full force. But Ghostrunner 2 also introduces more variety. Certain sections require you to use the Shuriken ability to power devices, or the Shadow ability to avoid dangerous obstacles. These environmental puzzles, combined with the parkour mechanics, keep the action feeling fresh and engaging. The pacing of platforming challenges keeps the adrenaline high, and they’re a welcome break from the combat-heavy sections of the game.

Motorcycle Segments-
A standout addition to Ghostrunner 2 is the motorcycle segments. These fast-paced sequences, which range from tunnel chases to high-flying jumps, offer some of the most exhilarating moments in the game. They aren’t just eye candy, either—they serve as key moments in the narrative and exploration, adding a dynamic layer to the overall experience. You’ll be darting through tight tunnels, shifting to the ceiling to avoid hazards, and taking out enemies while zipping at top speed. These segments break up the action and give the game a much-needed change of pace, all while maintaining the same sense of thrill and intensity.

Level Design and Challenge-
The level design in Ghostrunner 2 is excellent. Every stage introduces new elements—whether it’s new enemy types, environmental hazards, or platforming mechanics—that keeps the game feeling exciting throughout its 10-12 hour campaign. Boss battles are varied and require you to adapt your combat strategy, especially with the new abilities. Some of the encounters are punishing, but the game's generous checkpoint system ensures that the frustration level remains manageable. If you die, you respawn quickly and can immediately jump back into the action, which is crucial for a game that’s all about speed and precision.

Replayability-
There’s a lot of content to keep you coming back. The core gameplay loop—slashing through enemies, solving environmental puzzles, and upgrading your abilities—feels rewarding, and there’s always something new to discover in each level. While the combat and parkour mechanics are solid, the lack of a more engaging story and the occasional repetition in enemy encounters might put off some players looking for a richer narrative experience. However, the game's Rogue Runner mode adds variety by offering procedurally generated challenges, which can be a fun way to test your skills and compete for high scores.

📷Graphics:

The visual design of Ghostrunner 2 is a treat for fans of cyberpunk aesthetics. The environments are beautifully detailed, ranging from towering neon-lit cities to grim industrial landscapes. The game has a consistent style that blends futuristic tech with dystopian elements, the smooth animations, vibrant lighting, and slick transitions between platforming and combat create a visually cohesive experience. The fluidity of the character movements and environment interaction feels seamless and enhances the fast-paced gameplay.

📝Main Pros and Cons:

Pros-

• Incredible combat mechanics
  
• Expanded abilities
  
• Motorcycle fun addition
  
• Great level design
  
• Stunning visuals

Cons-

• Weak narrative

🏷️Tips to new players:

Ghostrunner 2 is all about precision and a lot of retries. Don’t get frustrated or back out if you constantly die at a particular level. Each level has its own challenge, so make sure always to remember to use your abilities.

✉️Miscellaneous Information:

Motherboard System-
Level up your Motherboard by collecting Memory Shards to unlock more Storage Slots and powerful Ultimates. Memory increases with shards, allowing stronger Upgrade Chips. The Motherboard’s customisable structure lets you equip Chips across five categories, offering strategic flexibility.

Hardcore Mode-
The Hardcore mode makes the already difficult game go to the extreme. You can only unlock this mode after clearing the campaign. You will have all of Jack’s abilities unlocked, and you will re-go the campaign with difficult enemies, making an early appearance with a lot of additional traps.

😇Honest Rating:

Ghostrunner 2 is a fantastic follow-up that improves on the original formula with new abilities, more dynamic gameplay, and exciting motorcycle segments. While the story remains secondary, the addictive combat and level design make it a must-play for action fans. If you loved the first game, you’ll be hooked on this one, and if you're new to the series, get ready for a thrilling ride.

Rating: 9/10

Reviewer: Guri
Slicing and dashing my way through a neon-lit dystopia.