The sense of speed is quite sensational and far more gratifying and flowing than in Mirror’s Edge. When starting a level things feel crisp and satisfying as you sprint, use your grappling hook to speedily and momentously swing towards suspended walls, jumping and bouncing between them in a rhythmically pleasing fashion, and proceed to merrily sliding down slopes like you’re a kid at a country park. Granted the respawn points are welcomingly generous and that’s wholly appreciated, but too many stymieing niggles put pay to the sense of the frenetic feeling of being a powerful figure with a sword should ignite. Firstly they can shoot you freely and kill you with a single shot whilst guarded, and secondly having to disengage the shields before wiping the grunts out increases the chances of a visit to the “you’re dead” screen. Take the thugs you come across bubbled in shields, where defeating them requires locating and slicing through a beaming orb that will dismantle all enemies in the vicinity who are protected by it. Ghostrunner prefers that you’re in constant motion and at times this is thrilling and worthwhile, but other times it gets irritating and frustrating, and not in a way that’ll encourage and caress your diligence, but in a way that seems blatantly unfair and cheap. Hope you like running, sword-swiping and bounding wall-to-wall a lot because Ghostrunner‘s action-heavy jaunt is predicated on fast reflexes and ninja-style antics. Unfortunately nothing offsets the general setup of Ghostrunner from feeling like well-trodden ground and Deja-vu. Here’s a rundown a protagonist who wakes up with no memory, a politically-divided setting, mysterious figures trying to contact you to do their bidding, power struggles, a city shrouded in darkness and glowing in neon, an emphasis on transhumanism through anatomic augmentations and computerised iconography. Get your pen handy to tick off those cyberpunk and general clichés, because Ghostrunner is littered with them, almost to the extent of its inspirations. The Architect is a guide and omniscient force most of the time, giving the assumption that he’s all-knowing and all-powerful, and you’re just an enforcer doing his bidding. There’s nothing wrong with a minimalist approach to storytelling, but the predictability in how Ghostrunner orchestrates its yarn leaves much to be desired. Exposition bits and bobs are dished out continually through radio chatter where you’re given instructions and backstory by The Architect and learn about the city’s inhabitants and the ongoing power-struggle happening in Dharma’s domain. Of course, with you being the only remaining Ghostrunner your task is dispense your bladed brand of justice – and off you go to decapitate the tower’s numerous thugs. You are introduced by an elusive guide, known as The Architect, who informs you of a great event that caused a calamity named The Burst, further informing you of his former partner Mara (additionally known as The Keymaster), responsible for wiping out most of the Ghostrunner units responsible for keeping the peace at Dharma Tower.
The setup and story of Ghostrunner is slight and passive You play as a mysterious figure who wakes up in Dharma Tower with no memory of his prior exploits, but carries a sword to slice and dice his foes, though this likely didn’t jog his memory.
Does Ghostrunner hold everything together to satisfy those that inspired it or is this one nothing but a Ghostbummer? All of this is wrapped up in a cyberpunk and Matrix-style presentation and world that leaves an indelible impression on those willing to give this indie offering a second glance. On top of these promising ingredients you get a sprinkling of DOOM platforming and the one-more-go appeal of Hotline Miami thanks in part to generous respawn points after a failed run, as well as a one-hit and you’re dead level of challenge and carrying a blatant nod to the 1980’s classic Blade Runner inscribed in the title and formatted as such on the game’s cover. Touted as a blend between Mirror’s Edge and Dishonored, combining the former’s wall-running fluidity and the latter’s sword-slashing antics, Ghostrunner looks like a sumptuous offering. On the surface, Ghostrunner is stuffed with inspiration.
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