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HomeNews UpdateWhy this action platformer is a cyberpunk masterpiece

Why this action platformer is a cyberpunk masterpiece

July 15, 2024
Why this action platformer is a cyberpunk masterpiece

Summary

  • Ghostrunner
    The simple but fascinating narrative follows Jack’s quest for freedom from the oppressive regime in Dharma City.
  • The gameplay is a mix of intense action, parkour and challenging puzzles that reward players for mastering each level.
  • The game’s futuristic sound design and energetic synth-techno soundtrack enhance the immersive cyberpunk experience for fans.



In recent years, the cyberpunk aesthetic has been one of the most popular in the entire gaming world. Cyberpunk 2077 was was released on December 10, 2020, and despite initial graphical and bug issues, remained a fantastic experience for fans. Due to the overwhelming success of this massive open-world RPG, a refined cyberpunk experience received little to no attention despite its critical acclaim.

The Ghostrunner Duology, which Cyberpunk2077 on October 27, 2020, whose sequel is coming almost exactly 3 years later, is one of the most exciting games in the cyberpunk genre. In this high-energy action platformer, players take on the role of a ghostrunner named Jack and try to overthrow his scientist overlords who have turned their city’s slums into a breeding ground for poverty and misery. The Ghostrunner The duology combines phenomenal yet challenging puzzle-action gameplay with a straightforward yet engaging narrative and a synth-techno soundtrack, creating one of the most unique experiences in gaming today.



Ghostrunner’s narrative is simple and to the point, yet fascinating

Jack’s attempt to escape from Dharma City is refreshing

Jack faces the final boss Mitra

Aloy from Horizon Zero Dawn, Joel and Ellie from The Last of Us and Jin from Ghost of Tsushima

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Unlike other games in the cyberpunk genre Ghostrunner doesn’t try to offer a massive, sweeping narrative or overwhelm the experience with supporting characters. Instead, players follow Jack, a ghost runner working for a group of rebels who want a better life in Dharma City. The narrative of the first game is much simpler than that of the sequelwith fewer twists and contrivances. At the end of the game, Jack meets his creator, the Architect, who has been working to stop the Ghostrunners from helping the rebels. The second game acts as a sort of origin story for the creation of the Ghostrunners and is quite a bit more complex than the first game.


Through Ghostrunner 2players learn about Mitra and his group of Ghostrunners, who were created by the Architect but want to take control of Dharma City for themselves. Jack defiantly opposes these Ghostrunners and eventually decides to leave the tower of Dharma City and build a life of his own.

While the narrative of the Ghostrunner Games are nothing revolutionary, it is fascinating because of its robotic nature, but charmingly sarcastic protagonist and the wide selection of cold and calculating villains who stand in his way. In addition, the supporting characters and their banter with Jack add life to an otherwise dreary world. Although the narrative is short, sweet and to the point, there is much to enjoy in the story of both Ghostrunner Title.


GhostrunnerThe gameplay is perfectly puzzling and incredibly action-packed

Jack’s adventure is a fast-paced trip through the city

In essence, Ghostrunner is an action-packed, brutal parkour platformer with linear yet intuitive level design. Players control Jack as he quickly makes his way through hordes of enemies while avoiding the multitude of bottomless pits that threaten to send Jack to his death.

Each level of Ghostrunner is filled with many smaller rooms full of enemies and platform traps and pitfalls that Jack must avoid and quickly reach the exit. The core gameplay of Ghostrunner is focused on defeating Jack and all enemies (except bosses). This makes the players Play each room several times until you find the optimal way to the exitresulting in an ultimate sense of satisfaction when fans complete a level perfectly. Although the game is frustrating at times as players must get used to new mechanics and Jack’s ever-evolving abilities, each level is perfectly designed to reward players who are up to the task.


Jack’s normal abilities, Smash enemies with his katana and slow down time to quickly dodge enemies. This is the core of Ghostrunners addictive gameplay. In both games, players must face platforming challenges that are equivalent to boss battles. Each of these challenges rewards Jack with a new ability upon completion, allowing Jack to progress in his journey by unlocking combat avenues that were previously unavailable to him. From the ability to throw shurikens to keep enemies at bay at range, to a powerful sprint ability that instantly defeats an opponent on contact, players have many tools at their disposal to escape Dharma Tower.

The biggest challenge Jack faces in both titles is his fellow Ghostrunners and their creators, Mara and The Architect. Each of his Ghostrunner opponents challenges Jack to understand a different skill from his long list of talents.


The most intense boss fight in the two games is against the Ghostrunner prototype Hel, who is different from Jack in every way. Hel’s boss fight is a wild platforming challenge that challenges players to Dodge all her brutal blows and sneak past her on rails to land some quick but deadly blows. Hel is not only in this boss fight, as DLC for Ghostrunner puts her in the foreground as the main character.

Jack’s encounter with his creator, the Architect, is the most interesting part of both games. Rather than fighting him in one-on-one combat, Jack must fight his way through an incredibly difficult platforming challenge to defeat the Architect. This challenge consists of a series of platforms and colors that combines all of the skills players have learned up to this point, culminating in an abstract but entertaining final boss.


One of Ghostrunner2One of the phenomenal additions to the original game’s gameplay is the pseudo-open world game that takes place outside of Dharma Tower. In these sections, Jack sometimes rides a motorcycle into battle, using it in platforming challenges as well as strategically taking out enemies that stand in his way. The motorcycle parts from Ghostrunner 2 are among the most entertaining parts in both gamesbecause they give players more control over the world than the original game ever offered.

Overall, the gameplay of the Ghostrunner Duology is a phenomenal action puzzle platformer that feels like the best parts of the original Mirror edge title in the modern era. From tricky platforming segments to hectic and difficult, yet entertaining boss battles, both Ghostrunner Games are phenomenal experiences that test players’ skills at every turn.


Ghostrunner’s sound design and music stand out

Brutal action and a futuristic soundtrack round off this cyberpunk adventure

Jack takes over the security tower T073-M.

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One of the things that sets each action game apart from the others is the feeling of the impact of the players’ attacks and the attacks of the enemies, which sound like a real challenge. Both Ghostrunner Playing does this perfectly. Every single blow from Jack’s katana and every laser his enemies fire at him feels powerfulbecause the sounds seem completely futuristic without sounding unrealistic.


This is especially true of the parry mechanic present throughout the game, as the clash of swords drives players to perfect Jack’s defensive skills. Along with the game’s sound effects, the soundtrack for both Ghostrunner Games are among the most dynamic in modern gaming.

The soundtrack of both Ghostrunner Titles are purely instrumental and do not have songs with lyrics. Although lyrics can sometimes enhance the gaming experience (e.g.: Metal Hellsinger And The devil can cry 5), the synth and techno soundtrack fits perfectly with these cyberpunk experiences and adds extra tension to the already intense game. Some of the songs in the levels feel slightly inspired by the music of electronic music legends Daft Punk, as their futuristic sounds express the cyberpunk aesthetic.


While fans of these games tend to recognize them for their outstanding gameplay, this franchise would not have made such an impact without a phenomenal sound team. Jack’s movements and strikes, as well as every enemy action, look and sound futuristic and convey the cyberpunk aesthetic perfectly. Overall, the Ghostrunner The duology makes great use of sound, adding a slightly more realistic feel to an otherwise fantastic experience.

The future of the Ghostrunner franchise is fascinating

Will Jack ride off into the sunset?

Jack poses in the intro of Ghostrunner.

The end of the second Ghostrunner The game seems pretty clear when Jack leaves Dharma Tower on his motorcycle and vows to live his own life separate from the Ghostrunners and his friends. Still, a post-credit scene leaves room for a third sequel, perhaps to properly conclude the franchise as a trilogy.


At the end of Ghostrunner 2Jack returns to the Dharma Tower to give his friends samples from the outside world to study. This implies that Jack still maintains a close relationship with his friends and would return to the Dharma Tower if a catastrophic conflict occurred. Given the nature of the story of these two games, this is not impossible.

If that Ghostrunner Although the franchise is effectively ending with its second game, its developers (One More Level and Slip Ironworks) can be proud of the gaming experience they have provided fans. This franchise is one of the most endearing and challenging games in recent memory and should be remembered for that, as well as its perfectly crafted cyberpunk aesthetic.


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