Ghostrunner

Ghostrunner is a cyberpunk action video game developed by Polish development studio One More Level and co-published by All In! Games and 505 Games. It was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in October 2020, and Nintendo Switch in November 2020 and will also release for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in 2021. Ghostrunner is co-produced by 3D Realms and co-developed by Slipgate Ironworks.[1]

Ghostrunner
Developer(s)One More Level
Slipgate Ironworks
Publisher(s)All in! Games SA
505 Games
Composer(s)Daniel Deluxe
EngineUnreal Engine 4
Platform(s)
ReleasePlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows
October 27, 2020
Nintendo Switch
November 10, 2020
PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S
2021
Genre(s)Action, platform
Mode(s)Single-player

Gameplay

As Jack the Ghostrunner, the player must traverse dangerous environments by dashing, jumping, wall-running, and grappling. The player will also encounter enemies, which must be handled carefully, as both enemies and the player can be killed in one hit. Jack can use a mechanic called Sensory Boost, allowing him to slow down time and dodge and deflect bullets in midair. As the player progresses through the story, they will unlock new abilities and upgrades, which they can apply using tetramino-like pieces on a grid system.[2]

Plot

Ghostrunner is set in Dharma Tower, a massive skyscraper-like arcology housing the remainder of humanity after an unspecified global calamity known as the Burst. The Ghostrunner awakens with no memory, but is directed to liberate a digital intelligence known as the Architect, the preserved mind of Adam that created and ruled Dharma Tower and designed the Ghostrunners, technologically enhanced supersoldiers that served as a peacekeeping and policing tool. The Architect was betrayed by his confidant Mara in a coup which destroyed most of the Ghostrunner units, with her being now known as the Keymaster. The Ghostrunner was found by a group of rebels known as the Climbers for repairs, though the rebellion was exterminated immediately prior to the Ghostrunner's reactivation. The Architect tasks the Ghostrunner with defeating the Keymaster.

The Ghostrunner accesses the remaining Cybervoid systems, the digital network connecting Dharma Tower, and the foundation upon which the Architect's intelligence is supported. Doing so allows the Architect to correct damage to the Ghostrunner's code. The Ghostrunner is contacted by Zoe, a surviving Climber who aids the Ghostrunner in his journey to defeat the Keymaster. Zoe also names him 'Jack’, a codename the Climbers used while they attempted to make repairs. Mara disables the air filtration systems of the district the rebellion took place in, which would result in all residents of the district dying to the radioactive dust present in the Outside atmosphere. The Ghostrunner complies with Zoe's request that he reinitialize the turbines to the Architect's dismay, who considers such matters a distraction.

The Ghostrunner uses the Amida elevator to reach Dharma City, the Tower’s privileged region. The Ghostrunner moves to access the Repository, a secured Cybervoid server containing pre-Burst information, as well as some data on Project Ghostrunner. Zoe notices a distortion in monitoring systems which turns out to be a facsimile of the Ghostrunners built by Mara, who originally collaborated on their design. The unit steals the data, forcing the Ghostrunner to defeat it to gain the upgrades stored in the data. During their fight, the Keymaster announces to the Architect and his “puppet” that when the Ghostrunner is defeated, she will destroy all remaining Cybervoid systems, removing the Architect intelligence. The Ghostrunner then proceeds to the Core, the heart of the Keymaster's power. The Architect continually expresses disdain for the Ghostrunner's camaraderie with Zoe, and considers the Ghostrunner's willfulness to be a deficiency from the perfect weapon the Architect intended.

While the Ghostrunner traverses the Core, Zoe receives a distress signal, causing her to leave her safe area in the hopes of rescuing a fellow Climber, despite the Ghostrunner suggesting that it could be a trap. Nevertheless, she bids farewell to him. The Keymaster addresses the citizens of the Tower directly, explaining her end goal: invasively modifying the human body to be able to tolerate the conditions of the Outside, allowing humanity to leave. The products of her research are indeed capable of this, but the nature of the augments would damage their minds, leaving little that can be recognized as human. The Ghostrunner stumbles upon a final Cybervoid server, and gains the ability to hack the ubiquitous 'Atma' neural implants of his foes. This capacity causes the Ghostrunner to realize the Architect had the ability to control people, and comments that the Architect is worse than Mara. As the Ghostrunner closes in, Mara addresses him and the Architect, who she considers monstrous and demonic. Mara realizes the only reason why the Ghostrunner would have saved the sector from earlier instead of continuing his journey to confront her is because the Ghostrunner was not perfectly obedient, and attempts to convince him that the Architect is little more than an insane machine. When the Architect silences her, the Ghostrunner realises the Architect has been lying about his capacities within the Tower.

The Ghostrunner reaches and finally defeats Mara, upon which the Architect forces the Ghostrunner into Cybervoid due to the Architect’s strength increasing when the Ghostrunner interacted with the Cybervoid servers, with him intending to completely assimilate the Ghostrunner into itself as the Ghostrunner is now independent and sentient. The Ghostrunner resists and traverses the landscape, as the goal of both the original Adam and the Architect is revealed to be complete control of humanity. The Architect considers this for the greater good, while the Ghostrunner considers Mara's initial coup to have been correct. The Ghostrunner reaches the manifestation of the Architect, who notes that without him, Cybervoid will cease to exist, killing the Ghostrunner. The Ghostrunner destroys him anyway, telling the Architect that his name is Jack. Zoe narrates the epilogue, stating that humanity was now free to choose its own path without being controlled by the delusional Architect or Mara. She expresses gratitude for Jack, who is hinted to be re-activated.

Development

Polish developer One More Level worked with 3D Realms to create the game. The game was made using Unreal Engine 4 and supports Nvidia's RTX technology. Publisher All In Games and 505 Games were set to release the game worldwide on October 27, 2020 for Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and on November 10, 2020 for Nintendo Switch.[3][4]

Release

Ghostrunner was announced during Gamescom 2019.[5] A demo was available May 6 - May 13, 2020 on Steam.[6] The game received positive comments prior to its release. Forbes called the game a mix of Titanfall, Dishonored and Superhot.[7] Andy Chalk from PC Gamer called the game a mix between Mirror's Edge and Dishonored.[8] The game was released for Microsoft Windows, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on October 27, 2020 by All In! Games and 505 Games,[3] with a Nintendo Switch version launching on November 10, 2020[9][4] and will also release for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in 2021.[10]

References
  1. Reeves, Brianna (November 18, 2019). “3D Realms to Produce and Distribute Cyberpunk FPS Title Ghostrunner”. PlayStation LifeStyle. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  2. Goslin, Austen (June 13, 2020). "Ghostrunner is a first-person platformer that makes you feel like a ninja". Polygon. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  3. Mercante, Alyssa (September 16, 2020). "Cyberpunk hack-and-slasher Ghostrunner gets an October release date". GamesRadar. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  4. Moyse, Chris (November 4, 2020). "Ghostrunner cuts a path onto Nintendo Switch November 10". Retrieved November 4, 2020.
  5. Winslow, Jeremy (August 23, 2019). "New Ghostrunner Game Unveils Cyberpunk Dystopia In Reveal Trailer". GameSpot. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  6. Hornshaw, Phil (May 11, 2020). "You Can Try Cyberpunk Ninja Game Ghostrunner, But Only If You Act Fast". GameSpot. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  7. Kain, Erik (August 23, 2019). "'Ghostrunner' Is A Crazy Mix Of 'Titanfall', 'Dishonored' And 'Superhot'". Forbes. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  8. Chalk, Andy (May 6, 2020). "Mirror's Edge meets Dishonored in this time-limited demo for Ghostrunner". PCGamer. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  9. Morics, Peter (October 28, 2020). "Cyberpunk First-Person Platformer Ghostrunner Delayed On Switch". Screen Rant. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  10. Camacho, Ron (October 23, 2020). "Ghostrunner Will Offer PS5, Xbox Series X Upgrade". GameRant. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
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