Ghostrunner

Ghostrunner is built for that subset of gamers who enjoy the steepest challenge. The story is solid, the world is beautiful, and the precision insane - but this is a hardcore experience from start to finish

91%Game Brain Score

gameplay, story

grinding, stability

91% User Score Based on 23,493 reviews

Critic Score 79%Based on 54 reviews

Platforms

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About

"Ghostrunner is a fast-paced, cyberpunk slasher game set in the aftermath of a world-ending cataclysm. Players must...climb a megastructure, taking revenge on the tyrannical Keymaster while utilizing advanced blade fighting techniques and superhuman reflexes to survive in a one-hit one-kill combat system."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 23,493 reviews

gameplay2.4k positive mentions

grinding200 negative mentions

gameplay
5,306 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
51%
4%
The gameplay of *Ghostrunner* is widely praised for its fast-paced, fluid mechanics that combine parkour and intense sword combat, creating a thrilling experience reminiscent of titles like *Mirror's Edge* and *Hotline Miami*. Players appreciate the one-hit kill mechanic, which adds a layer of challenge and satisfaction, although some find the difficulty frustrating at times. While the story is often considered secondary and somewhat predictable, the engaging gameplay loop, stunning visuals, and excellent soundtrack make it a standout title for fans of action and skill-based games.
- “What really sets Ghostrunner apart is its fast-paced, tight gameplay.”
- “Gameplay-wise, it is extremely fun; the slow-mo bullet dodging and fast-paced movement-based combat was really engaging and fun to play.”
- “The gameplay is fast, fluid, and incredibly satisfying, with tight controls and a wide range of acrobatic moves and combat abilities that allow you to take on enemies in a variety of ways.”
- “I went in excited for a fast-paced first-person ninja experience, but I found it to be an unrefined, uncommunicative, and unfortunately dull gameplay structure.”
- “The gameplay sadly is the worst and laziest part of this game.”
- “The gameplay is very punishing, the faint of heart would not have a good time with this gameplay.”
story
4,546 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
57%
8%
The story of *Ghostrunner* is generally viewed as predictable and somewhat cliché, often serving merely as a backdrop to the game's fast-paced gameplay. While some players appreciate the minimalistic approach to storytelling, delivered primarily through dialogue during gameplay, many find it lacking depth and character development. Overall, the narrative is considered functional but not a primary draw, with most players emphasizing that the gameplay mechanics and visuals are the true highlights of the experience.
- “The story had a lot of character and love put into it, without being overbearing.”
- “The story is simple but does a good job of leading you through the game and best of all whilst it does give lots of exposition it's all delivered while you're doing parkour segments so you don't get bogged down.”
- “The story is engaging and very well executed, with good voice acting and a minimal cast.”
- “Ghostrunner is more than adequate in terms of gameplay, but in my opinion, it's a bit lacking in story and narrative.”
- “If they had integrated the story more into the gameplay and not just used subtitles in such a fast-paced game, I'm sure my score would have been higher.”
- “The story is absolutely nothing to write home about, but it's an enjoyable enough way to string a bunch of levels together and it's completely in line with pulpy mid-tier cyberpunk fiction, and its associated tropes.”
graphics
2,552 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
66%
33%
1%
The graphics of "Ghostrunner" have received widespread acclaim for their stunning cyberpunk aesthetic, vibrant colors, and intricate details that create an immersive atmosphere. Many players highlight the game's ability to run smoothly even on lower-end systems, while the visuals are often compared favorably to AAA titles, showcasing impressive lighting and design. However, some users have noted performance issues, particularly with ray tracing, and occasional graphical glitches that detract from the overall experience.
- “The graphics are stunning, with a futuristic and dystopian world that's both beautiful and terrifying.”
- “The visuals are chef’s kiss, dripping in neon and dark, gritty details.”
- “The cyberpunk aesthetic is beautifully realized, with neon-lit environments and intricate details that create a rich and immersive world.”
- “Even the graphics, which seemed like a big selling point, were mediocre at almost all points of the game, feeling more like an asset flip than anything else.”
- “The game runs unfathomably bad; I have a very solid PC with no issues in any other game on high graphics, but even with the lowest graphics settings, it tears and drops frames really bad, to the point of being unplayable.”
- “I don't hate the game or think it's outright bad, but aside from some pretty graphics, it feels like a budget title with poor design choices, and for the price, I was hoping for better.”
music
2,547 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
37%
2%
The music in "Ghostrunner" has received widespread acclaim for its energetic and immersive synthwave soundtrack, primarily composed by Daniel Deluxe. Reviewers highlight how the soundtrack enhances the fast-paced gameplay, creating a thrilling atmosphere that complements the game's cyberpunk aesthetic. While some note that the music can become repetitive over time, many agree that it significantly elevates the overall experience, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “The soundtrack is an absolute banger—pumping up your adrenaline as you cut through enemies like a cyber-ninja on a mission.”
- “The game has been praised for its fluid gameplay, stunning visuals, and engaging soundtrack.”
- “The soundtrack is a standout feature, with a pulse-pounding synthwave soundtrack that perfectly complements the game's intense action.”
- “The soundtrack is a banger with electronic synthwave tunes.”
- “The music is basic retro 80's synth.”
- “The soundtrack, while nothing special, adds to the atmosphere and also helps keep you in movement with its constant bpm in their songs.”
replayability
537 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
55%
6%
Overall, "Ghostrunner" is praised for its high replayability despite its relatively short campaign length of around 6-10 hours. Players appreciate the game's fast-paced mechanics, challenging gameplay, and various modes such as speedrunning and hardcore mode, which encourage repeated playthroughs to improve times and complete collectibles. While some reviewers note a lack of depth in replay options beyond speedrunning and collectibles, many agree that the game's design fosters a strong desire to master levels and refine skills, making it a compelling experience for those who enjoy perfectionist challenges.
- “Despite its short playtime, Ghostrunner is a game that feels endlessly replayable, perfecting sections and hitting that ultimate clip.”
- “The game is highly replayable if you like beating levels with better times and/or fewer deaths.”
- “The fast-paced gaming experience and stress-inducing gameplay make the game very rewarding at the end of each level; this is the most difficult fast-paced replayable action game I've ever played.”
- “All in all, no replay value because there are no perks you don't get in the first playthrough and everything else is just cosmetic.”
- “The game doesn't have much replayability, especially when there's no achievement to beat the game in hard mode.”
- “The game is short and sweet, but I think it has quite a bit of replayability.”
optimization
331 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
39%
18%
The optimization of Ghostrunner has received mixed feedback from players. While some users praise its smooth performance and ability to run well on lower-end systems, others report significant stuttering and frame drops, particularly when using ray tracing or in certain levels. Overall, the game shows potential for good optimization, but persistent performance issues detract from the experience for many players.
- “Graphics are still pretty good and the optimization is immaculate with it running flawlessly at 1080p max settings.”
- “The gameplay is challenging yet addicting and the movement is super cool and well optimized for the most part.”
- “Fast-paced gameplay, awesome soundtrack, well-optimized on PC.”
- “Unfortunately, Ghostrunner suffers from severe optimization issues.”
- “Had a lot of performance issues, mainly stuttering, even after I turned down all graphic settings to low.”
- “The game is beautiful and runs very smoothly, but it has major stuttering issues and I'm running it on an AMD RX 5700 XT and a Ryzen 7 2700.”
atmosphere
298 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
66%
33%
1%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive cyberpunk aesthetic, characterized by vibrant neon visuals, a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack, and a gritty, dystopian setting. Players appreciate how the atmospheric design enhances the gameplay experience, creating a captivating world that draws them in, despite some critiques regarding the predictability of the story and occasional gameplay frustrations. Overall, the combination of stunning graphics, effective sound design, and a well-crafted environment contributes to a compelling and engaging atmosphere that resonates with fans of the genre.
- “The atmosphere, design, and overall graphics are awesome.”
- “The level design and visual aesthetics create a vivid cyberpunk atmosphere that is both immersive and haunting.”
- “The lighting effects, especially in the rain-soaked levels, create a moody, atmospheric experience that draws you deeper into the world.”
- “The story and the atmosphere are just....empty.”
- “For starters, Ghostrunner seems to think it has an interesting story to tell; between its collectibles, blabbermouth sidekick and near constant output of boring, generic sci-fi exposition, the game wants to set an atmosphere by explaining it rather than showing it, as the levels struggle to break apart from one another in any meaningful way.”
- “Clunky controls, unsatisfying 'combat' (i.e. dodging bullets coming from several directions and pressing right click close to the enemy), trite storyline, trite atmosphere, wholly boring game.”
grinding
258 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
21%
78%
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players finding certain sections tedious and frustrating, particularly during boss fights and puzzle segments. While some enjoy the challenge and satisfaction of mastering difficult sequences, others feel that the repetitive nature of the gameplay detracts from the overall experience, leading to a sense of monotony. Overall, the game is described as enjoyable but marred by moments that can feel excessively grindy and unengaging.
- “Relatively simple, fast-paced and precise, but not tedious or clunky.”
- “Upgrades exist but they're not tedious to obtain, and a pretty cool cyberpunk environment.”
- “A bit grindy sometimes.”
- “Unnecessarily difficult, does not become fun but tedious and frustrating.”
- “The game does look great and the opening is pretty enjoyable but the more you play the more you realize how tedious the game is and how broken some of the fundamental mechanics are.”
- “The cyberspace segments are extremely boring and tedious, and they slow down the pace in such a bad way.”
stability
214 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
89%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with many players reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and inconsistent mechanics that can disrupt gameplay. Issues such as collision glitches, unresponsive controls, and frustrating platforming challenges are common, particularly in later levels. While some players have experienced minimal problems, the overall consensus is that the game is quite buggy, which can detract from the otherwise engaging experience.
- “The game performance-wise also runs great even on my older mid-range build.”
- “Looks great, runs great, and plays great.”
- “Since I've bought it, I've experienced no glitches, FPS has been amazing, and it is very well optimized.”
- “The game is buggy, the game has no full screen which gives a lot of input lag that feels unfair when in a fight and the game has no way of rendering at native resolution so overall the game looks blurry.”
- “The last level was incredibly buggy; I kept clipping through those floaty walls you're supposed to wall run on, very infuriating.”
- “It's an unpolished, buggy nightmare.”
humor
108 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
3%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with players finding it both intentionally and unintentionally funny. Many enjoyed the slapstick moments during gameplay, such as misjudged jumps and quirky character interactions, while others criticized the writing for being overly cliché or forced. Overall, the game's blend of comedic elements, from character banter to absurd gameplay scenarios, contributes to a lighthearted experience despite some frustrations with mechanics and story depth.
- “Ghostrunner, developed by One More Level, is a side-splittingly hilarious game that combines lightning-fast parkour, precision combat, and a whole lot of faceplants.”
- “Watching your cybernetic ninja avatar hilariously misjudge a jump or collide with an obstacle mid-dash is like witnessing a slapstick comedy routine in a futuristic setting.”
- “The banter between you and the architect, the one who helps you remotely, is pretty funny and provides fairly good exposition for the areas you explore.”
- “The architect is so obviously evil that it's unfunny.”
- “The jokes fall flat and feel forced, lacking any real wit.”
- “The humor tries too hard to be edgy but ends up being cringeworthy.”
emotional
78 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
87%
13%
The emotional aspect of the game elicits a wide range of feelings, from adrenaline-fueled excitement and satisfaction to frustration and disappointment. While many players appreciate the fast-paced gameplay and the sense of empowerment it provides, they often criticize the lack of a compelling story and emotional depth, leading to mixed feelings about the overall experience. Some moments resonate deeply, evoking tears and joy, but the inconsistent emotional engagement leaves players divided on its impact.
- “This game made me cry, cheer, yell, and laugh a ridiculous amount of times in a short playtime.”
- “I thank this game for making me a bit emotional for the story.”
- “This game made me feel more pain than my past ever could. 10/10”
- “Downside is a boring story told only through voicelines and a mediocre ending.”
- “I don’t know why, but the studio thought it would be a good idea to interrupt this fast-paced and fun gameplay with these slow and boring story segments.”
- “However, the game feels very uninspired with a boring story and boring characters and a very linear level design.”
character development
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
47%
10%
Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the subtle growth of the main character, particularly towards the end, while others criticize the overall lack of depth and predictability in the story. Many reviews highlight strong character and enemy designs, but feel that the narrative fails to fully explore its potential, leaving character arcs feeling shallow or underdeveloped. Overall, while the aesthetics and gameplay are praised, the character development is often seen as insufficient, with room for improvement in storytelling and world-building.
- “Character development peaked at the very end in which the Ghostrunner truly understands who he is and what he was meant to do, completely flipping what was happening in the world on its head. So, 8/10 for that too.”
- “The story is also decent; it's not mind-blowing and slightly predictable, but the great voice acting and the highest amount of character development that can be achieved for a platforming action game is pushed throughout, making your character that little bit more awesome throughout the progression of the game.”
- “Personally, I was satisfied. I loved the subtle character development of the main character, and I enjoyed learning more about Adam and the Architect, putting all the pieces together.”
- “I'm putting it as a con because they could have been longer to leave more room for story and world building and character development outside of the collectibles and dialogue that's already in the game, which is already super shallow, clunky, and sounds like something someone with little writing experience would write.”
- “The game doesn't offer much in the way of character development for anyone but the ghostrunner himself and overall the story is not very interesting.”
- “No character development, no (unexpected) plot twists, and certainly nothing deep.”
monetization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for being "disgusting," with players feeling misled by the advertising that promised an exhilarating experience but instead delivered frustration. While the game itself is enjoyable, the presence of microtransactions and the overall marketing strategy detract from the experience, leaving players feeling tired and annoyed rather than empowered.
- “But remembering how this game handled monetization, I decided to look a little more carefully and it's just disgusting.”
- “Step two: microtransactions.”
- “The advertising for this game makes it feel like it'll be a rush that makes you feel godly, and instead by the end I felt tired and annoyed, unable to even enjoy the combat thanks to some odd decisions for enemy design and how the combat works in this game.”