Ghostrunner 2 Preview: Back In Traction

Ghostrunner 2 is a HARD game. Similar to the first, it's all about being fast on your feet to avoid enemies that can easily kill you in one hit. From the very first mission, you're presented with more enemies than you can shake a sword at, and you'll likely die. The number of times I died during my preview was in the double digits, and yet not once did I find my enjoyment dipping. As anybody who has played Soulslike games can testify, the line between being difficult and being fun is a tough one to straddle, yet Ghostrunner 2 does it expertly.

Ten Points Of Slashing Damage

As you load into Ghostrunner 2, you'll realize that this is a world already lived in. Obviously, the fact that this is a sequel gives that away to an extent, but the way that you're introduced to characters means that you're not expected to play the first game to enjoy what's on offer here. It'll help you understand certain character motivations, and it'll give you the background behind the world itself, but other than that you really can just jump in. 

You've also got more tools here at your disposal from the very start of the game when compared directly to the opening of the original Ghostrunner. The initial moments of the original Ghostrunner were very much about getting you acquainted with the controls, whereas this is about showing you what you can achieve from the get-go. From the second you load into your game, you're given access to Shurikens that can make combat a lot easier and a Tempest ability that pushes enemies and objects back. You're also reintroduced to the grappling hook from the previous game, and the returning ability to briefly slow down time in order to avoid enemies and catch your foes unaware. We only got to play the one level of the game, but from what we've experienced it does seem like we'll be getting more and more tools throughout the game. 

It all meshes together remarkably well and allows players to get comfortable with the difficulty. Every death that happens is your fault and is something teachable. Did you focus on a certain enemy, only to get bodied by one you didn't see? Re-adjust your focus and perhaps take out the enemy that killed you first. Are you falling to an enemy with a ranged weapon? Run around past cover and take them out before you focus on any melee fighters. It's always incredibly fun to experiment and figure out exactly what works and what doesn't, and never becomes tiring, nor does it become tedious.

Vroom Vroom Vroom Vroom

The big new addition to Ghostrunner 2 is the advent of a Motorcycle. During certain sequences, you'll be thrown onto Jack's brand-new motorbike and expected to either chase after an enemy or reach a certain goal. While you're on the bike, you're able to use your sword to slash at power generators that are keeping doors in your path shut and use a boost ability to make your way across large gaps. One of the cooler things about these missions, though, is that you can ride on walls assuming that you've got a consistent enough speed, which can truly make you feel like a master.

It's unclear currently as to whether the Motorcycle sections become deeper, though, which could be the difference between just a fun mechanic and something more memorable. Since you can use your sword on the bike, it's fairly likely that you'll also end up fighting enemies while driving at high speeds, and I'm curious to see exactly how developer One More Level pulls that off. 

The game is really shaping up to be yet another game-of-the-year contender, in a year filled with wall-to-wall game-of-the-year contenders, and is looking like it'll improve on the already brilliant core mechanics of the original Ghostrunner while adding new elements to the series. If the full release is anything like the preview build, then we're in for something special, and we're in for something that will be as beloved as the first game. 

Ghostrunner 2

Release Date: 26th October 2023

Developer: One More Level

Publisher: 505 Games

Platforms: PS5, XSX|S, PC