Ghostrunner review: A thrilling parkour platformer marred by clumsy combat

Ghostrunner Hero Source: 505 Games / All in! Games

Possibly it's because the globe feels more dystopian than ever before, or maybe it's a lack of original ideas, merely 2022 has seen a renaissance of cyberpunk, the subgenre fabricated popular by authors like Phillip Thou. Dick and brought to life in movies like Bladerunner and The Matrix. From Ubisoft's Hyperscape to CDProjeckt'due south Cyberpunk 2077, the neon lights and dystopian cityscapes that ascertain the Sci-fi subgenre have reemerged in videogames in a big way. The latest game to put the aesthetic to use is Ghostrunner, a first-person platformer that puts you in the cybernetic shoes of the titular character. Armed with a sword and bereft of his memories, you must figure out who you lot actually are and unravel a conspiracy, while relearning how to exist a badass cyber ninja.

Borrowing gameplay queues from games like Mirror's Edge, Ghostrunner is a platformer at its core and a hard one at that. Players must run, spring, and piece their way through desolate factories and decomposable city blocks within the grim Dharma Tower, humanity'due south concluding shelter. When Ghostrunner is on the move, the action is fast-paced and electric, made even more intense thanks to the game's groovy synth soundtrack, merely Ghostrunner's flaws showtime to bubble to the surface when the game slows down and forces you to fight, frequently bringing its frenetic pace to a screeching halt.

Style over substance

Ghostrunner Boxart

Ghostrunner

Lesser Line: Ghostrunner is a thrilling ride for most of its 8-hour runtime, thanks to its fantastic soundtrack, sci-fi visuals, and fast-paced gameplay. The game starts to stumble, however, when the platforming stops and the combat begins.

Pros:

Fast-paced activity
Clever platforming and puzzles
Looks and sounds cracking

Cons:

Gainsay slows the step of the game
Repetitive environments
Non ever clear where to go or what to exercise

Ghostrunner review: What I beloved about Ghostrunner

Ghostrunner Neon Rooftops Source: Windows Cardinal / Zackery Cuevas

Right off the bat, the first thing you'll notice about Ghostrunner is that information technology oozes mode. The rain-soaked rooftops and malfunctioning neon advertisements await fantastic, even if it's nothing we haven't seen earlier. Running on Unreal Engine 4, the indie game looks as good as any other high-budget production, and scales incredibly well, making an appearance on current gen-consoles (including the Nintendo Switch) and will be making the jump to next-gen consoles in 2022. The soundtrack is as well worthy of praise, composed by electronic music producer Daniel Deluxe. The tricky bass and synth pair nicely with the breakneck wall-running and runway grinding that make up nigh of the game.

Category	Ghostrunner
Championship	Ghostrunner
Programmer	One More Level, 3D Realms, Slipgate Ironworks
Publisher	505 Games, All in! Games
Genre	First-Person Platformer/ Activeness
Platforms	Steam, Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, Xbox One
Game Size	22 GB
Players	ane actor
Toll	$30

Ghostrunner's gameplay consists more often than not of running from one point to some other, either by clearing a room of enemies, solving a puzzle, or navigating a hard platforming challenge. The latter two are where this game shines. I really enjoy hardcore second platformers similar Super Meat Boy and Celeste, and Ghostrunner shares a surprising amount of DNA with those tough as nails platformers.

While the game is totally in first-person, the split-2d precision platforming makes the bound to the third dimension with ease, and the game's emphasis on mobility and movement builds upon those 2D foundations. This is specially truthful in the final segment of the game, which contains pure, high-octane platforming. Ghostrunner could stand up alone as a platformer, even without the gritty, cybernetic exterior.

Take a slice out of crime

Ghostrunner City Source: Windows Key / Zackery Cuevas

Combat is handled in a much simpler manner. Your ghostrunner wields a powerful sword that'll cut enemies in half with one swing. The one hit, 1 impale mechanic keeps the game'southward pace high. Yous, withal, are also victim to the mechanic. Ane hit is all it takes to terminate a run, but thankfully no matter if yous get shot in the confront or fall to your death from a miscalculated spring, your lives are space, your checkpoints are well placed, and your restarts are instantaneous. Which is helpful considering you'll probably exist dying a lot.

In improver to your trusty katana, Ghostrunner features a unique upgrade system that allows you to mix and friction match upgrades, or Booster Modules, every bit you unlock them. Booster Modules come up in all different shapes and sizes, and you must try to fit as many as you can into the 36 foursquare slots provided. It's almost like playing a game of Tetris, as you lot twist and plow modules to best fit your playstyle. There are also four abilities that y'all unlock as y'all play. These abilities include a projectile, a multi-kill dash attack, a strength button, and the ability to hack an enemy and plow them against their allies.

Ghostrunner review: What I don't love about Ghostrunner

Ghostrunner Boss Fight Source: Windows Central / Zackery Cuevas

Ghostrunner might be fast and furious most of the time, but the 2d it starts to slow down, Ghostrunner starts to get a job. The gainsay, while simple, proves to be the game's biggest annoyance. I hated when I had to put a pause on the parkour to deal with the generic baddies that seem to always know where I am, no matter where I am. There'due south a lot of trial mistake involved in combat situations, more often than not because I had a difficult time keeping runway of the enemies in the area.

Sometimes I'd rush to take out a foe, but to be shot in the dorsum by another gunman across the map. An indicator flashes on the screen to permit you know where an enemy is shooting from, but I never really felt like I knew where every enemy was until I died past each 1 twenty times. Unlike platforming deaths, where I felt the death was my mistake, dying in gainsay frustrated me to no end.

Your Ghostrunner might be a super powerful cyber ninja, but the ane-hitting kills made me feel like I was built out of wet tissue newspaper instead. And despite the Ghostrunner's abilities, there was never much incentive to employ anything outside of my katana, the default dodge move, and the very useful Tempest ability, that unintentionally gave me Star Wars vibes.

Not so punk

Ghostrunner End Game Factory Source: Windows Key / Zackery Cuevas

The levels are incredibly linear and don't give your Ghostrunner much freedom, which is a shame because Ghostrunner shines brightest when you're running and jumping between buildings at high speeds. Most of the time, there's 1 predetermined to your destination or a certain path that is all-time suited for taking out enemies. The neon-drenched aesthetic starts to wear thin about halfway through the game when you start to realize the crowded rooftops and derelict factories all await the aforementioned.

The levels are incredibly linear and don't give your Ghostrunner much freedom

The sameness of Ghostrunner's environments hinders your navigation as well. Ghostrunner is not always clear well-nigh where you should go, and a few times I jumped for the incorrect ledge, or ran beyond the wrong wall and plummeted to my death. Different a game similar Mirror's Border, which featured a make clean artful that clearly marked your path, Ghostrunner'due south rundown environments and muted color palette don't always translate the directly path.

Should you have upwardly the blade?

Ghostrunner Graffiti Source: Windows Central / Zackery Cuevas

Ghostrunner is a fun and unique platformer that looks cracking and sounds fifty-fifty better. and really shines equally a first-person platformer, a genre that is about equally common every bit an intelligent chat in a Youtube comment section. The platforming sections are so great that it's unfortunate when progress is slowed past clunky combat and some spotty pathfinding.

At a $30 price tag and an 8-ix hour runtime, it'southward easy to recommend, though don't expect a deep story or much in the way of replayability. When Ghostrunner works, it'south a one of a kind experience, and it's worth trudging through for fans of platformers, and those looking for a cyberpunk set. The flaws hold Ghostrunner back from greatness, but in that location'south still a lot to enjoy.

Ghostrunner's fast-paced action and challenging platforming make for a wild ride. Unfortunately, the clumsy combat, linear levels, and repetitive environments become in the way of Ghostrunner'southward greatness.

Style over substance

Ghostrunner Boxart

Ghostrunner

A shiny sword that'south not always precipitous.

Ghostrunner is a start-person platformer set up against a post-apocalyptic cyberpunk globe. With an emphasis on fast-paced activity, Ghostrunner is fun simply stumbles due to frustrating combat and repetitive environments.

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