One thing has all the time drawn me to video games the place you solely die in a single hit. There’s this electrifying sensation that comes with needing to excellent a degree or part as a result of dying is the choice. Ghostrunner managed to seize this sense whereas remaining a strong first-person platformer on high of that.

If something, it was the primary 3D title to present me that form of rigidity because the solely different video games to scratch that itch have been Hotline Miami and Katana Zero. Ghostrunner wasn’t excellent, however I used to be prepared for a sequel by the point it was introduced.

Now the aptly named Ghostrunner 2 is right here, and with it that rush so few video games captured for me. At first, I wasn’t certain what to think about it, however enjoying its demo reeled me in. That snippet felt like Ghostrunner however extra, and that was all I may ask for.

The query stays whether or not that pleasure transfers to the complete recreation, and I’m blissful to say it does! Ghostrunner 2 is an enchancment in lots of regards. Sadly, some points boring its blade sufficient to forestall it from reaching its full potential.

Gliding by means of enemies like a bloody ghost

Ghostrunner 2‘s premise is straightforward. You play as Jack, a particular cyborg boy known as a Ghostrunner. He’s principally an ultra-slick and lethal man who solely wants a sword to chop down swaths of foes.

He was the one one so far as anybody knew within the final recreation, however now issues are totally different. A gaggle often known as the Asura consists of a number of extra Ghostrunners who emerged from hiding. These guys, led by a determine named Mitra, are each bit as quick and lethal as Jack, they usually’re out for blood.

The plot primarily exists to present Jack a motive to kill dangerous guys, and that’s completely okay. Story was by no means the main target in Ghostrunner and that applies to its sequel. That stated, the narrative isn’t dangerous in any respect and the world has some attention-grabbing lore. It’s simply that wanting cool whereas killing guys is the clear attraction right here.

Changing into the final word glass cyber ninja

Slashing by means of baddies feels as wonderful as the primary recreation if no more so. Jack has extra instruments, however his skillset by no means overwhelms since solely three elements matter. These are the sword, a secondary assault, and an final potential.

Finally the most effective instruments are Jack’s sword and his reflexes as a result of they’re each very good. Much like the primary title, gamers will lower by means of foes simpler than a sizzling knife by means of butter as they develop into blood fountains after a single hit. Ranged assaults just like the shuriken secondary assault and Flux final potential additionally kill many enemies with one blow. Bosses are the exception to this rule, however fortunately they by no means really feel too tanky.

Each encounter stays annoying in its personal method as a result of Jack goes down in a single hit too. You’ll be able to earn a protect to guard you from a success, however provided that you keep a 10x combo.

This could be an infuriating expertise if Ghostrunner 2 didn’t play amazingly, and fortunately it does. Inputs on a keyboard and mouse are exact, and deaths hardly felt unfair. Don’t get me flawed, Ghostrunner 2 is difficult, nevertheless it by no means is sort of brutal.

The controls even really feel high quality when enjoying on my Steam Deck. I divided my playtime between the Deck and my desktop, and it felt fulfilling with both platform’s controls. Each techniques carried out decently, although Valve’s transportable ran nearly continuously beneath 60 FPS.

If Ghostrunner 2 was simply slicing up dangerous guys in a cyberpunk tower, I’d be all for it. It’s the breaks from that the place a few of its cracks present extra usually.

How’d my bike get there?!

Ghostrunner 2‘s largest change is its bike. I beloved driving this factor after I performed the demo. Ghostrunner is a quick recreation, so zooming at 250mph on a motorbike is an ideal match.

Sadly, some ideas look higher on paper than they do in follow. And whereas I just like the bike, I wished to adore it. When it really works it delivers some genuinely exhilarating moments. When it doesn’t, issues get awkward.

I can not emphasize sufficient what number of occasions this goddamned factor acquired caught on the world’s geometry, both killing me or forcing me to reload my checkpoint. Typically it awkwardly vegetation itself on the sting of a destroyed freeway and even in a decrepit constructing. It even acquired caught inside a ground at one level.

This subject won’t be particular to the bike as a result of I seen Jack bumped into comparable circumstances. For instance, miscalculated jumps usually didn’t kill him however trapped him in a chunk of the atmosphere. It’s simply extra noticeable with the bike since I stored getting a useless sense of hope that I’d get it unstuck.

Thankfully, that is the one evident subject I encountered when it comes to bugs. Ghostrunner 2 is general a well-polished title in my expertise, so these points with its physics and geometry simply stand out.

A stupendous and (largely) lifeless world

Ghostrunner 2 shines in its graphical presentation. Whether or not in Dharma’s enclosed neon-soaked environments or the lifeless exterior world, it’s a visible feast.

The opening hours throughout the tower are kind of an upscaled model of what we noticed in Ghostrunner, and that’s a praise. It’s an enormous and imposing megastructure the place all humanity lives, and it actually feels that method in each titles.

A swathe of neon lights and indicators flood the within, nevertheless it’s large sufficient that I often neglect that it’s not perpetual nighttime quite than being inside a horribly huge constructing. Distinction this with the wasteland simply exterior of it, which supplies a very totally different vibe. The destroyed roads and an absence of life really feel so lonely by comparability.

Each settings work in addition to they do for a surprisingly comparable motive, and that’s how littered they’re. Trash and dirt litter Dharma Tower whereas particles does the identical for the wasteland. It gives the look that folks exist or have existed in each locations with little take care of the world round them.

Dharma is unquestionably extra different than the surface sections, nonetheless. Typically the dingy and run-down components are changed by extra opulent areas and even industrial ones. A very hanging part is ready inside a colossal church that nearly seems ripped from Warhammer 40K.

Serving to promote the world additional is the wonderful digital rating. A number of artists contributed to the soundtrack, with Gost and Dan Terminus protruding to me. Their synthwave tracks all the time maintain the adrenaline flowing.

The place Ghostrunner 2‘s presentation falters is with the character fashions. Some look high quality, similar to Jack and several other Asura members, however others like frequent enemies and Jack’s allies have a plastic look. They’re truly well-designed with distinct and detailed appearances. It’s simply one thing concerning the lighting or textures that make them appear uncanny.

Clear cuts make for a lean expertise

Ghostrunner 2 isn’t a very lengthy recreation. In keeping with my Steam web page, I clocked in round 7 hours from the beginning till I rolled credit. This was after accumulating all of the audio logs and artifacts throughout the world, discovering a lot of the reminiscence shards, and finishing a number of elective challenges.

There’s additionally Rougerunner.exe, a separate facet mode taking gamers by means of branching units of ranges. These are divided into levels that enhance in problem the additional you go. It’s a easy rogue-lite, however is a enjoyable deviation from the principle recreation. For me, it examined my mastery of the core mechanics whereas including some factor of luck with the power-ups. This comes with some unlockable cosmetics that you should use in the principle recreation.

It’s form of a aid to play a title with such brevity. When driving the bike into the open wasteland, I nervous its tempo would grind to a halt to open exploration up. In follow, these sections have been good breathers in a title that in any other case is all the time at 100 inside missions. Having a couple of minutes to drive round considerably felt refreshing earlier than returning to the chaos. The sensation was lower quick at any time when the bike acquired caught and compelled me to reload my checkpoint, however I noticed the developer’s intent.

All I can say after ending Ghostrunner 2 is that I would like extra. Contemplating that was my response on the finish of the unique Ghostrunner, I can say One Extra Stage created a strong follow-up. Each titles may need had “meh” narratives, however the core gameplay is so improbable I truthfully didn’t care whereas I used to be enjoying. At its greatest, Ghostrunner 2 is the primary recreation however higher, and at its worst, it’s just a bit much less polished than its predecessor.

[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]