Ghostrunner Review

Trailblazing through the dystopian outlook of this futuristic wonder, Ghostrunner tells the tale of a known army that kept order throughout Dharma, known by the titular character’s own title, Ghostrunners. The vigilante group was abruptly disbanded due to a cataclysmic event, which resulted in the capital being overruled by a menacing militia led by its ruler, the Keymaster. The aim of the game is to roam through the neon cityscape, and ascend the Frankenstein structure that had been rebuilt by Climbers, in hopes of defeating the evil overlord. Portraying our blade bludgeoning anti-hero, you sprint, skip and slide through the turbulent trials that are scattered in Dharma’s broad landscape. One-kill wonders are made for punctuality, and that’s absolutely what is imperative to Ghostrunner’s overall nature.

The title depends on you to go with the flow, and rapid make your experience a cakewalk, rather than slowly trekking and deciphering. It’s gratuitous nature leads to a complimentary portion of spontaneous action. There’s a challenge around every corner, with enemies easily blasting our hero away with one kill. However, Ghostrunner themselves have the almighty ability to obliterate and annihilate with a simple swing of their blade. The gratifying sensation of defeating an evil doer, by butchering them into chunks, delivers a sensational satisfaction. The mindless pacing of this rapid race through this boasting belfry of glaring manors are accompanied by a systematic approach in dominating the campaign.

There is disparity between its influence and what separates it from essentially being a Mirror’s Edge copycat. For one, the ability to engage with enemies without a convoluted fight sequence that more or less bottlenecked the parkour title’s uninterrupted flow, Ghostrunner’s harmonious deluge delivers ebbs and flows for promised consistency, all while making time for tactical adjustments in offense. Holding down the left trigger button allows the player to cautiously drift towards an encounter, just before decisively dicing through a flurry of opponents. Smooth transitions across each enclave will feel rewarding, while sporadic encounters will force you to rethink strategies with each death. And yes, you will die a lot. Monotony does tend to set in after a few attempts in some areas, but it’s all about learning how to utilise your character’s repertoire.

Infrequent visits to the Cybervoid allows the Ghostrunner to learn a multitude of abilities on offer. The virtual training ground enhances your skillset, while doubling down on the title’s flexibility. Gauging the how-to’s and when-to’s are all in a matter of timing; this all attributes to learning special attacks while keeping a close eye on your stamina that can be easily replenished with each strike. An innovative and integral mechanic introduced, mimics a a game of Tetris that helps elevate your experience with boosts in your performance. Love the aesthetic, and love the throwback. Reminds me of Watch Dogs 2, and how solving similar puzzles helped our protagonist obtain certain skills for campaign progression.