With so many big releases in October, it’s easy to forget about titles like One More Level’s Ghostrunner 2. As a follow-up to the acclaimed action-adventure title from 2020, it launches on October 26th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC. The classic hardcore gameplay remains, but there are plenty of new features and mechanics to appeal to both veterans and newcomers. Here are 14 things you should know about the title before its launch based on the closed beta and demo.
Cyberpunk Aesthetic and Setting
When the original Ghostrunner was released, it was a few months before Cyberpunk 2077. As a result, its cyberpunk aesthetic and setting were compared to the CD Projekt RED’s magnum opus, which is far from a bad thing since it came out of nowhere and delivered a gritty future with stunning neon signs and futuristic architecture. Ghostrunner 2 carries on that tradition, with Dharma Tower erupting into chaos after the first game’s events. However, protagonist Jack will also venture outside of it into the wasteland to confront an AI cult.
Gameplay
Ghostrunner 2, like its predecessor, is a first-person title, but it’s not a first-person shooter or straight-up hack-and-slash game. It mixes parkour and platforming as players grapple, dodge, slide, wall-run and dash towards targets to one-hit kill them. You can also deflect shots back at enemies and slow down time to better analyze threats. Most everything dies in one hit, but so do you, so utilizing mobility and understanding your environment is key.
New Mechanics
Fortunately, Ghostrunner 2 also offers more defensive options. There’s a block meter now, but it drains energy, leaving you on the back foot if you tank too much damage. Timing the block button at the right time allows countering and executing an enemy, which is great for disposing of cybernetic shinobis. It’s also possible to air dash more than once, opening up your options when closing the distance on any threats or making it easier to escape.
Responsive Controls
Whether wall-running around an arena and disposing of enemies or grappling across gaps, Ghostrunner 2’s controls are incredibly smooth and responsive. Activating sensory boost in mid-air and dashing towards a spot can take some getting used to, but otherwise, everything feels on point, from the deflections and counters to the traversal and slashes. And if you die, respawns are instantaneous, allowing you to return the action faster.
Nonlinear levels
As showcased in the closed beta and demo, you can take alternative routes and approach certain situations differently. Want to get the drop on a squad of enemies? Explore nearby for a ventilation shaft and attack them from the side. Of course, you can still fight them head-on if you want. Environments, in general, are pretty large with rails to grind on, jump pads to propel off and more, presenting several different ways to eliminate every enemy to progress forward. Be careful – most aren’t going to sit around and will react accordingly to kill you.
Destructible Walls and Interactive Elements
Destructible walls are another thing to note in environments, as they can lead to alternate paths or secrets. Aside from exploding barrels to wipe out nearby enemies, recent trailers have also showcased the ability to pull down neon signs, crushing any foes beneath. You also encounter minor puzzles which require pushing around objects, hitting switches to turn off laser grids, and more. They’re nothing too crazy but offer some much-needed breaks in the combat.
Revamped Progress
One More Level has hyped revamped progression for the sequel, and while that hasn’t been showcased yet, we did see some new and returning abilities. Tempest is back and once again emits a force blast which can kill enemies and push objects. The new ability this time is Shuriken, a projectile with multiple charges that can slay targets from afar and explode barrels for some AoE damage.
Motorbike
Perhaps the biggest new addition is the motorbike. You control its acceleration and side to side movement, and boost, which has a meter. The demo and closed beta featured points that must be slashed to unlock doors, so knowing when to slow down and accelerate as you navigate tight corners, propel off ramps and avoid laser nets. The sheer tension and twitchiness reminded me of Thumper – it felt great to control and accentuates the overall gameplay loop of Ghostrunner 2. It also has weapons, and we can’t wait to see how those work.
Dialogue System
You’re in control more often than not during Ghostrunner 2’s plot, as allies like Zoe and Kira will converse with Jack and update him on the situation. Interestingly, a dialogue system allows players to learn more about the lore. It’s unknown if dialogue choices can influence the plot or ending, but they’re there for those who like to converse (or ignore for the sake of improving their clear times).
More Interactive Boss Fights
The demo and closed beta didn’t feature boss fights, so we can’t comment on how they’ll play. However, the development team promises they’ll be “more interactive” than the first game. Recent trailers have showcased some overwhelming threats to battle, with players needing to use all their movement options and reflexes to survive.
New Modes and Leaderboards
Though we haven’t seen them in action, One More Level has touted new modes for Ghostrunner 2. There are also leaderboards, allowing you to measure times against your friends and those on the same platform. So if you finish the story and are itching for more, try honing your skills and improving on your times. Here’s hoping that the first game’s rogue-lite Wave Mode makes a return.
Cosmetics
Cosmetics make a return, which is more or less what you would expect based on the previous game. You can equip different skins for your sword and hand, bike skins and a hand hologram that displays the player’s name. If you’re not keen on pre-ordering to obtain skins, there should be some to unlock in-game.
PC Requirements
The current PC requirements, as listed on Steam, are subject to change. Nevertheless, you need Windows 10 64-bit, an Intel Core i5-4590 or AMD FX-8350, 8 GB of RAM and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 960 4 GB or AMD Radeon RX 480 8 GB with DirectX 11 at the very minimum.
Recommended requirements include Windows 11, a Core i9-9900k Ryzen 5 5600X, 16 GB RAM, and an RTX 2070 Super 8 GB or Radeon RX 6800 XT 16 GB with DirectX 12 to run it. Regardless of your hardware, 65 GB of installation space is required, which isn’t too bad by modern gaming standards.
Season Pass
Ghostrunner 2 also has a Season Pass, available with the Brutal Edition. It includes cosmetic packs, each with sword skins, three hand skins and one motorbike skin. There’s also an “unforgettable” game mode, though further details, including release dates for all content, are yet to be revealed.
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