Cut, Slice, Repeat - Ghostrunner Review

Leaving aside the cult games, first-person parkour games have never been included in the mainstream. I think it's all because of the difficulty of the style of play. If the games we are talking about fail to do this properly, a headache and unhappy experience emerges. Developer One More Level offers the exact opposite experience of what we're talking about. The dose of violence is wonderfully set as well as the first person parkour platform. If we start from Mirror's Edge, it can be really troublesome to create combat mechanics in parkour games. Although I was worried about this issue before I started the game, Ghostrunner managed to completely eliminate these worries. The character we manage is a cyber ninja with great abilities and a perfect sword, who can destroy enemies with one move. At the heart of the game is constant movement to survive. From running on walls and billboards to swinging between hanging hooks, the game offers you unlimited options in the city of Dharma. You are faced with power-ups that will help you progress along the journey. While one leaps you higher, the other provides a cyber shuriken to both defeat enemies you encounter and disable some electrical switches. You have to use the speed that the game offers you perfectly in order to defeat the enemies you encounter in the city of Dharma and get on your way. Aside from Ghostrunner's high attack power, our cool ninja is as slender as an ant. It is enough for the enemies to bother and hit him to die. When this is the case, you are usually expected to kill a group of enemies, although it may be difficult for you to defeat even one enemy. But don't be afraid, because the areas you fight in allow you to attack with multiple moves.

Secrets of Profession - Abilities

Another advantage you have is the various upgrades that come across during the story. Dash, the most frequent and effective initial boost, allows you to leap forward while also slowing down time. Your other abilities generally increase your competence on the battlefield. The ability Blink allows you to quickly mow down enemies, while the Tempest ability allows you to create a wave of power that pushes enemies back and forth. Your third and fourth abilities are Surge and Overlord. Surge sends waves of Swords at a distance, while Overlord takes control of the enemy's mind and allows him to attack his own team. All of the abilities we listed have cooldown, this prevents you from using them repeatedly, increasing the difficulty by one click. The skill enhancements you unlock as you progress through the levels provide a decrease in cooldown, increase in range and increase in area of effect.

An Experience That Opens Your Horizons

As I explained, although Ghostrunner is an action game, you will need to use your mind often. There are usually more than one way to attack enemies you encounter. You have to choose between them wisely, as Architect, one of the main characters in the game, says. One path can put you directly on the enemies, while the other can take you to a less crowded place. Of course, it is also possible to progress without infecting enemies in some places. You need to analyze each of these locations as much as possible and play accordingly, because if you don't, you will be stuck in a death circle that you cannot get out of.

Be sure to die a few times, no plans will save you. Don't worry about it, because when you die, you will be revived where the action started again. Who knows, maybe like me, you will die by constantly falling down while trying to run. The further you progress in the game, enemy difficulty is getting higher. This not only means an increase in the number of enemies, but also new enemy types that appear. From the creatures that start running towards you with a bomb attached to them, to the soldiers that you have to go around and kill from behind because of the shield they have in front.

Everyone Has a Story

As the last surviving Ghostrunner, you are tasked with taking revenge on Mara, the ruler of Dharma City, who destroyed the rest of your species. You are given instructions on what to do by the former ruler Architect, who was deposed by Mara in a treacherous attack. During the adventure, you will meet the rebellious Zoe, who will reactivate you. As a matter of fact, I wish the story depth would have been more, because from the beginning of the game to the end, where the story will go is quite predictable. Leaving aside the depth of the story, the visual presentation of the game will surely satisfy you. From billboards adorned with neon to old buildings, everything is enormous. I was expecting more variety in enemy designs, but it is not something that I care much about, as I did not spend much time with them face to face.

Last Words

Ghostrunner is truly one of the best in its genre, the action is fast, intense and brutal. Whether you are a platformer or an action section, when you successfully complete a field, you feel like a real ninja. When the game annoys you, there are usually moments when you die and resurrect again, it was an experience that exhausted me personally. Even if you quickly restart the episode, repeating it dozens of times can wear you out. It's an impressive experience from start to finish, but this unconventional challenge can be limit the potential player.