Ghostrunner captured the fantasy of being a cyborg ninja better than any other game before it. Its trial-and-error nature could be taxing, but it trained players to perform its many acrobatics in one smooth motion like a “real” cyborg ninja. Momentum defined that cyberpunk parkour game. However, that momentum hasn’t fully transferred to its sequel, Ghostrunner 2. Instead of fully darting forward, it opts to slow down both literally and metaphorically, which keeps this follow-up from reaching a new top speed.

Ghostrunner 2 is able to keep some sort of pace with its predecessor by having many of the same moves. Outside of a few rare and understandable quirks, its smooth controls ensure that it’s always possible to slow-mo dodge, wall run, dash, slash, slide, and grapple around its elaborate urban jungle gyms. Chaining these together perfectly to get through a tough section by mere inches is a rush that often only comes after failing a few times. Generous checkpoints, instant restarts, and the tight controls mean that it is never frustrating and, as was previously stated, allows players to feel more like an adept cyborg ninja. 

This also applies to the arenas with enemies that are more akin to puzzle challenges than combat ones. Figuring out how to most efficiently slash everything to ribbons without taking a single bullet is tricky but often open enough to allow for some player expression. Whereas platforming usually depends on nailing one route, these more violent sections are less linear and thus more liberating. Both halves require skill and reflexes to conquer but intelligently contextualize that thesis in their own ways. It’s one cohesive experience brought together by its fast-paced electronic soundtrack that often perfectly fits the action and cyberpunk aesthetic.

However, not many of these sections are as challenging as they were in the first game or its incredible expansion, Project Hel. Ghostrunner 2 is not an outright easy game, and most of its sections only require a handful of retries to get through. It lacks the tough gauntlets a sequel like this should have, ones that push skilled players and fully stress what its fluid controls can handle. Some of this challenge is relegated to its fantastic roguelike challenge mode, but the base game deserves more complicated sections that force players to improve.

Some of its relatively easiness stems from how many tools and scenarios it borrows from the first game; wall running across billboards and grappling to a platform isn’t tricky after spending a full game repeatedly doing that. The motorcycle and wingsuit seem like they are the tools to do just that, but aren’t properly utilized. 

This isn’t clear during the first section with the motorcycle since it’s a stunning set piece that has players speeding through a narrow hazard-filled tube and then down the side of the massive tower where both games take place. Narrowly avoiding lasers, ejecting from and then grappling back to the bike, and blasting obstructions make it an adrenaline-pumping exercise that takes the core values of the parkour and gloriously applies them to a completely different setting. 

But instead of only using the bike for explosive scenes like this, it mostly devolves into a means of traversing a boring wasteland. Its utility as a faster parkour machine is tossed aside in favor of being a normal bike. The wingsuit is similarly stunted. It’s the centerpiece in a handful of segments that add a whole new dimension to the platforming and show what’s possible, but Ghostrunner 2 simply doesn’t have enough sections like this. It’s also only introduced in the final hour or two, meaning it barely has any time to stretch its wings.

Both shortcomings also feed into how much Ghostrunner 2 slows itself down to a crawl. A lot of its more intense sections are padded out with out-of-place puzzles or sequences that don’t have much else going on. The action is constantly interrupted with cutscenes and brief trips back to base where players are expected to talk to the two-dimensional side characters about the superfluous story. 

Ghostrunner does movement better than most games, so it’s puzzling why it insists on branching out into areas it doesn’t specialize in. It doesn’t need an open wasteland full of mindless traversal, repeated treks back to headquarters, lengthy dialogue exchanges, or puzzles. Going into new territory is not a bad idea in theory, but it is questionable when those fresh ideas directly oppose the series’ core tenets. The fast platforming and action are excellent in Ghostrunner and almost everything that doesn’t support that actively impedes it.

Ghostrunner 2 Review: Final Verdict

Ghostrunner 2 goes against its programming by repeatedly slowing down, but it’s still made up of enough of its classic parts. Sprinting and dashing around the neon-lit city while cutting down its many cybernetic forces can be an empowering trip that’s only bolstered by its thumping electronic soundtrack. A strong core like this deserves to be expanded upon more robustly through its new and existing mechanics, which just isn’t the case here. Ghostrunner 2 has taken a few steps forward and a few steps back, but even though it is running in place, it’s still faster than most of its competition.

Disclaimer: This Ghostrunner 2 review is based on a PS5 copy provided by the publisher. Played on version 1.000.001.

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October continues to get more and more crowded. One More Level contributed to this by announcing the Ghostrunner 2 release date. The cyberpunk action game is coming out on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on October 26, as shown by its new trailer.

The Ghostrunner 2 release date is just after Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

The trailer has some gameplay and sets up the general story, demonstrating a bit of how players will be able to slash and parkour around in the final game. And while not detailed in the footage, the studio also went into other editions players can order. All pre-orders will come with a skin pack that contains two sword skins and two hand skins.

The standard edition is going to be available digitally and physically for $39.99, while the $49.99 Deluxe Edition is only on digital storefronts. This more expensive version has four hand skins, four sword skins, and a hand hologram that displays the player’s online ID.

The $69.99 Brutal Edition has all that stuff, as well as early access to the game on October 24, some animated sword and hand skins, a motorcycle skin, and the $19.99 season pass. This season pass will have a new game mode and four packs of cosmetics. The first game did not have a season pass, but did eventually get multiple cosmetic packs and one story-based expansion called Project_Hel that let players control another acrobatic cyborg ninja.

This release date puts Ghostrunner 2 right in the middle of a crowded season. While now a little further from Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Ghostrunner 2 is now less than a week after Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Super Mario Bros. Wonder, as well as a day before Alan Wake 2. It’s also quite close to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, which is slated for November 10 (and early access to the campaign is around a week earlier).

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Ghostrunner 2 was a known quantity, but now One More Level has shown off more of the title at the PlayStation Showcase. This cyber parkour title is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC sometime in 2023.

The Ghostrunner 2 release date window is close

The sequel takes places only a year after the last one and lets runners venture into the “wasteland beyond.” It’ll also still have the “fast-paced-push-forward combat and its signature challenging gameplay,” but will, according to One More Level, be amped up in “every conceivable way.” This includes new vehicular combat, which can be seen in the trailer.

Bucking a common industry trend, One More Level had confirmed that Ghostrunner 2 was in production just a few months after the first one came out.

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Rumors have started that Grand Theft Auto Vice City: The Definitive Edition will be one of the games added to PlayStation Now at the start of February after an advert appeared on the PlayStation Store. Like GTA III: The Definitive Edition before it, the game appears to only be available on the service for a short period of time.

When will GTA Vice City be added to PlayStation Now?

Grand Theft Auto Vice City: The Definitive Edition will likely be added to PlayStation Now as part of the new games for February seeing as the advert is now appearing on the PlayStation Store for some people, including Twitter user Billy Allen as spotted by Reddit. These new games will hit the service on Tuesday, February 1. According to the advert, GTA Vice City will only be added to PS Now for a short period of time, leaving the service on May 2.

Looks like GTA vice city the definitive edition is coming to PlayStation now next month. Will be on the service until may 22nd #psnow #playstationplus #ps4 #ps5 #gtavicecity #GTAdefinitiveedition #PSPlus #playstionnow pic.twitter.com/g5K4d6NV81

— Billy (@billyallen88) January 25, 2022

We don’t know any of the other games that will be added to PlayStation Now in February, but we do know there will be several games leaving the service on February 1 too. Games due to leave the service on that date are:

• Damnation
• Ghostrunner
• Grand Theft Auto III: The Definitive Edition
• Hotline Miami 2
• Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising
• Overlord: Raising Hell
• Overlord 2
• Rise of the Argonauts
• Totally Reliable Delivery Service
• Toybox Turbos
• Undertale

If you’re playing any of these games through PlayStation Now, be sure to finish them soon.

In other news, EA has announced they currently have three Star Wars games in development, although one of them is not Star Wars Battlefront III. Elsewhere, Final Fantasy XIV is back on sale after Square Enix eased server congestion by adding a data center in Oceania.

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The release date for the upcoming Ghostrunner Project_Hel DLC expansion has been delayed. Originally set for January 27, 2022, the expansion will now release on March 3, 2022. The game is currently available on PS4 and PS5, as well as Xbox consoles, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

Ghostrunner DLC expansion delayed for the “safety” of the team

Publisher 505 Games and developers 3D Realms, All in! Games, and One More Level, decided to delay the expansion a week ahead of its original announced release date. The companies announced the delay via the official Ghostrunner Twitter account. According to the official post, the team will use the extra time to further improve the game. Additionally, the delay is to ensure the continued health and safety of the development team and partners in the ongoing pandemic.

The global release of the Project_Hel DLC will be delayed to March 3rd. We appreciate your understanding and want all our fans to know that we will use this bonus time to make even more worthwhile improvements while ensuring the health & safety of our team and global partners. pic.twitter.com/NAf4Zvbo6K

— Ghostrunner (@GhostrunnerGame) January 19, 2022

Project_Hel originally started as a smaller add-on for Ghostrunner, which released in 2020. The expansion later became its own “full-blown Ghostrunner experience”. The player will control Hel, one of the antagonists of the main story, as she goes through Dharma Tower defeating enemies and bosses. Unlike the original Ghostrunner, Hel will be able to withstand an extra attack. Furthermore, developer One More Level is currently developing the sequel title Ghostrunner 2.

In other news, Call of Duty: Vanguard and Warzone Pacific Season 2 has also been delayed. Microsoft’s recent acquisition of Activision Blizzard has also caused Sony’s stock to tank almost $20 Billion in value.

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First-person cyberpunk action platformer Ghostrunner will be getting a new expansion called Project_Hel. The DLC will add a new campaign with a new playable character and players will be able to get their hands on the expansion at the end of January 2022.

Developed in partnership between 505 Games, One More Level, All In! Games, 3D Realms, and Slipgate Ironworks, the new expansion was originally planned to be a smaller DLC but is now a “full-blown Ghostrunner experience”. One of the game’s original bosses, Hel, is the focus of the DLC (as you may have guessed with its name). Across six new levels, she’ll be descending Dharma Tower while taking on new enemies and bosses. Hel is intended to be more combat oriented and will have her own ability progression system. To help with this, she also has the capability to survive an extra attack compared to the original Ghostrunner Jack.

The expansion will be released on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Amazon Luna, and PC on January 27, 2022. Before then, the expansion will have a private beta test on unspecified platforms. Those wanting to sign up for the beta can fill out a form but be aware you will need to be a member of the official Ghostrunner Discord and official Ghostrunner subreddit to be considered for selection. The beta will also be under NDA so can not be streamed or shared.

In just a few days time, all players can make use of the free cosmetic Holiday pack that includes festive swords and gloves. Players will get the gift-wrapping inspired Rudolph’s Run and Boon swords, as well as the frosty Solstice katana and the Nini Wonderland blade. Each will have their own matching glove accessory. The DLC pack will be arriving on all platforms in just five days’ time on December 7.

[Source: 505 Games]

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After a blast of seven new titles for PlayStation Now in both June and July, August was always likely to be quieter. It comes as no surprise Sony has revealed just three games to join the PlayStation Now service for this month. Beginning tomorrow, August 3, PS Now subscribers can get their hands on NieR: Automata, Ghostrunner, and Undertale but only two of these are seemingly permanent additions to the service.

PlatinumGames’ action-RPG NieR: Automata tells the story of the YoRHa squad, a trio of android infantry soldiers. After humanity is driven away from Earth by powerful mechanical beings from another world, 2B, 9S and A2 are sent to stop them in their tracks. Since its release in 2017, the game has shifted 6 million copies. At least the game’s final secret has been revealed a mere four years after its release, which prevents the need for players to complete three playthroughs if they want all of the game’s trophies, something that might be of use if you’re trying to get that coveted Platinum trophy before the game leaves PlayStation Now on November 1.

One More Level’s Ghostrunner makes players an incredibly powerful ninja who can take down enemies with a single hit of their monomolecular katana. Unfortunately the enemies of the post-apocalyptic world can do the same, meaning you’ll also need those fairly amazing parkour skills to avoid their attacks. The good news is there are frequent checkpoints for those who don’t get it quite right. Due to the game’s overwhelming success, publisher 505 Games revealed a post-launch content roadmap that is still ongoing and includes things like game modes and vanity packs.

Finally, Toby Fox’s retro style top-down RPG Undertale took the PC world by storm before making the jump to PlayStation 4 in 2017. Players find themselves in a strange world full of mysterious creatures and they need to escape, but this is easier said than done. Combat isn’t always the way to move forward and everyone can be defeated without the use of violence. The better option might be to pet a creature or even dance with it. Of course, you can always smack them about as well.

All three games will be available from tomorrow, August 3. Both Ghostrunner and Undertale see to be permanent additions to the service, but NieR: Automata will only be available for three months.

[Source: PlayStation Blog]

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Ghostrunner, the first-person cyberpunk parkour game from developers and partners All In! Games, One More Level, 3D Realms, and Slipgate Ironworks (that’s a lot of partners!!), will be releasing on Tuesday, September 28th for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The game is getting both physical and digital releases, and will be a free upgrade for those already own the game on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

With the jump to next-gen consoles, Ghostrunner will boast the typical improved graphics and performance. The PS5 and Series X|S versions will come with all modes added since launch, including time-attack style Kill Run Mode and Photo Mode. Other modes, such as Wave and Assist Mode will be coming later this summer. For those who haven’t checked out the game yet, we reviewed Ghostrunner back in 2020 for the PlayStation 4, with our reviewer having the following to say:

As I came away from Ghostrunner and started writing about it, I realized that I genuinely wished there was more game to play. That’s not a comment on the game’s length, which is very well paced, filled with bonus collectibles and perfect for speedrunners, but more a comment on how much potential there is here. Give me more levels, more platforming gauntlets, more cybernetic abilities to use, just give me more Ghostrunner.

Ghostrunner is available now for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, with the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S versions coming on September 28th, 2021. Do you plan to pick it up? Leap your way to the comments below to let us know.

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505 Games has announced they’ve agreed a deal with developer One More Level to develop and publish the second installment in the Ghostrunner franchise. The game will arrive on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC in the future.

Last month, 505 Games acquired the Ghostrunner IP from previous publisher All in! Games for €5 million. At the time they confirmed there would be more free and premium content scheduled for the first game, but it seems like they’re trying to make the best use of their new purchase.

The publisher considers the IP to be “capable of contributing for a long time to the 505 Games product portfolio” and One Level Games has been given an initial budget of €5 million to create the next game. This is double the budget of the first title, which recouped its production costs of €2.5 million in a single day and has now sold more than 600,000 copies, having hit the 500,000 units sold milestone in February. CEO of 505 Games’ parent company Digital Bros, Raffaele Galante, said:

We are particularly excited about the future release of Ghostrunner 2. Together with One More Level, we have created a thrilling and engaging video game. This new collaboration deepens 505 Games presence within the Polish videogame market, a reality now among the firsts in Europe for the development of video games, new projects and talents. We will continue to pay close attention to the Polish market to constantly improve and expand our product portfolio with video games capable of satisfying the tastes of the entire gaming community.

Following the spring update that added Photo Mode and Kill Run, there are two seasons of scheduled content remaining for Ghostrunner. These will include two new bundles, a new game mode, the Ultimate DLC, and two premium Vanity Packs. 505 Games also promises the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S console upgrade will still arrive before the end of this year too.

[Source: 505 Games]

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Digital Bros Digital Entertainment, the parent company of 505 Games, has released their latest half year financial report. In it they reveal Ghostrunner has reached €6.872 million ($8.2 million) in gross revenue since its release less than six months ago. Amongst the other games confirmed to still be selling well were Control and the Bloodstained franchise.

Ghostrunner‘s production costs of €2.5 million were recouped in a single day and the game had sold 500,000 copies during its first four months on sale. 505 Games recently purchased the Ghostrunner IP from previous publisher All in! Games and has since released a content roadmap detailing the new game modes, premium cosmetic packs, new bundles and the Ultimate DLC to come later this year. All of these should help the game’s revenue to increase during 2021.

Control added another €16.039 million ($19 million) in gross revenue over the last six months, primarily on Steam. The company’s figures show the game has managed to earn just under €60 million ($71.2 million) over its lifetime. Despite this, Remedy still doesn’t consider the game to be “a major hit” although they do concede they’re “really happy” with its success. Sales of the game managed to give the developer its best ever year financially despite not releasing a new game throughout 2020.

The Bloodstained franchise added another €3.293 million ($3.9 million) in gross revenue over the last six months. The latest title in the franchise, Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2 was released in July and will have contributed the majority of that income, although Ritual of the Night has also been involved in numerous promotions during that period too. The latter was considered by creator Koji Igarashi to be the “starting ground for the next step” as he made the game into a series, so we can likely expect more content to come considering the franchise’s continuing success.

Other titles to sell well include the PC version of Death Stranding with €23.192 million ($27.6 million), Assetto Corsa with €8.969 million ($10.7 million), Terraria with €4.377 million ($5.2 million), and Payday 2 €.278 million ($2.7 million). The publisher still retains a stake in the latter despite selling the IP back to Starbreeze, but they won’t have anything to do with the upcoming Payday 3 as Koch Media has publishing rights to that title.

[Source: Digital Bros via ResetEra]

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