![]() These moments don’t feel challenging they just feel frustrating.Įxacerbating this problem tenfold is combat. Expect to climb surfaces you meant to wall run, and vice-versa. Unlike Mirror’s Edge or Titanfall, which allow a fair degree of leniency for player jumps, Ghostrunner has no qualms punishing you for slight deviations in positioning. For one, the game’s controls feel loose and cumbersome. Yet while Ghostrunner asks players to master its intricacies, it pushes back at nearly every turn. At the end of each level, Ghostrunner flashes your completion time, encouraging you to perfect each run and compete for a top speedrun on the leaderboards. But as with most games in the genre, speed is everything. There’s no penalty for taking your time, granted. Other movement tools include a slide and a mid-air dash using the latter triggers a slo-mo effect, which helps you line up jumps and dodge oncoming attacks. Another button gives you the ability to grapple to objects and run against suspended walls. You can scale ledges with the tap of the jump button. Much like Mirror’s Edge, your goal is to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. If you’ve played a game in the genre, you’ll feel right at home. Environments generally consist of industrial backdrops panels and scaffolding provide spontaneous parkour routes, as do cranes, vents, and conveyor belts. The game is divided into 17 levels, each set in a different part of Dharma Tower. When it comes to action, Ghostrunner offers plenty-to mixed results. So, while the game has plenty to share, most ideas take a back seat to the action at hand. ![]() Unfortunately, the vast majority of this narrative is told mid-action, with little in the way of cutscenes or set pieces. In reality, the game carves out a surprisingly interesting story for itself over its 7-8 hour runtime. On paper, Ghostrunner’s premise and setting are hardly unique, echoing titles like Deus Ex and 2016’s Furi. When this structure is threatened, you’re tasked with finding the warden of the tower, Mara the Keymaster, and setting things right. Unfortunately, mankind has been confined to Dharma Tower, a massive structure that serves as its last bastion. As Jack, you are a Ghostrunner: a supersoldier tasked with defending humanity. Ghostrunner is set in a dystopian future. Genre fans may be able to overlook the rough edges, but Ghostrunner is a tough sell for almost anyone else. Its parkour offers flashes of brilliance, thanks in part to clever platforming segments, but these moments are brought down by clunky controls, frustrating combat, and a host of technical issues. Unfortunately, Ghostrunner fails to live up to its ambitions. Throw in katanas, virtual worlds, and cybernetic augments, and it’s easy to see the appeal. Developed by One More Level and published by 505 Games, Ghostrunner takes the freerunning of Mirror’s Edge and applies a cyberpunk coat of paint. Ghostrunner is the latest game to stake a claim in the parkour genre. On the other hand, that creativity hasn’t always translated to sales. On one hand, series like Mirror’s Edge and Titanfall have put a creative spin on first-person action, offering a unique sense of freedom and speed. Parkour games, much like their freerunning protagonists, are on precarious ground.
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