Cyberpunk ninja parkour
Ghostrunner is a new cyberpunk game that places an emphasis on gruesome high-speed kills and acrobatics. Ascend a high-tech tower and uncover your origin in this ‘First Person Platformer’.
Speed-runs and parkour-kills
Play the part of a fleet-footed cyber-ninja in a race to defeat the Keymaster at the top of a tower.
Dharma Tower is in many ways a typical cyberpunk setting; gleaming metal surfaces bathed in intermittent neon light, with cyborg guards and industrial grime. Less typical is the titular Ghostrunner. A cyber-ninja gifted with an acrobatic move set, it’s your job to ascend the tower-city and defeat the ‘Keymaster’ who controls it all.
Although the plot itself involves the videogame mainstays of amnesia and evil corporations, it’s the gameplay itself that stands out. ‘First Person Platformer’ isn’t a new concept, but it is a tricky one to pull off successfully.
Thankfully, vertical movement spices up the action. Ghostrunner favors speed and finesse. Every enemy can be killed with one hit - but so can you. This also means that each death is quick, allowing a fast restart and chance to progress. This creates a delicate balancing act where momentum is key. Keep moving forward (and up), slice that guard, somersault over the next one, grapple onto an adjacent wall.
Where can you run this program?
Minimum specs needed to run Ghostrunner are: a PC running Windows 7 64-bit.
Is there a better alternative?
No. Although there are a few other First Person Platformers out there, none quite match the visceral action of Ghostunner. Mirror's Edge comes closest for speed.
Our take
Ghostrunner combines the style of Superhot and fluidity of movement of Mirror’s Edge, wrapped in a violent cyberpunk skin. Recommended for those with fast reflexes.
Should you download it?
Yes. As frustrating as it can be to meet a quick death after one enemy hit, Ghostrunner’s vertical arcade action feeds directly into ‘one more go’ gameplay.
