ghost runner guide

Ghostrunner: All Puzzle Solutions

This guide will show you how to solve each puzzle, but will otherwise be completely spoiler free.

As a titular  Ghostrunner , you're tasked with restoring the AI called the Architect by using your speed, agility, and combat prowess to navigate and cleave your way through the Dharma Tower. The game can almost be overstimulating between the incredible speed and complexity you can push the gameplay to, not to mention the bright neon art style, so a few moments of respite can be nice. However, these cybervoid  puzzles  can push things too far in the opposite direction, bringing the game's pacing to a halt. If one of these puzzles has you locked down, this guide will get you up and running again.

All Cybervoid Puzzle Solutions

There are a only a few of these cybervoid puzzles in the game you need to worry about, with additional ones just being platforming challenges, but just like everything else in the world of Ghsotrunner, they only get more difficult the further you get. This guide will show you how to solve each puzzle, but will otherwise be completely spoiler free.

Related:  Ghostrunner: All Swords Guide

Your first cybervoid challenge comes in level three. Called The Climb, this is primarily a platforming challenge that asks you to interact with the correct shapes in the right order to arrange the platforms to match the pattern so you can open a path to drop down in the center and exit the void.

Each switch, as it were, has a different number of blocks that represent which platform they move on the map. The order you need to hit hem is:

• Four Blocks
• Four Blocks (again)
• Three Blocks

Once you hit them all in this order, you can jump to the center and get back to the game.

The level five puzzle is not at all like the first. You will be in a room with two giant disks on the wall that you need to spin so that a circuit is complete. All you need to do is connect the gold section to the red by using the switches to spin the disks. The first section is very basic. Just hit the right switch once, then the left.

The second area ramps up the difficulty by an almost unfair factor. You now have three switches connected to five spinning disks. Here is the solution facing the wall:

• Left switch
• Middle switch
• Right switch

Once complete, a light will break open the exit and you're free to go.

Reign In Hell

The last puzzle based cybervoid in the game comes at you in level 14. You'll be in a courtyard of sorts with many doors, with a set number of lanterns hanging outside them. You need to determine the correct order you need to go through the doors to pick up all the orbs, starting with just two doors for the first room. Just grab the two orbs, walk through the door on the right with two lanterns, grab the third orb, turn around and take the one lantern door.

The order of the second room is:

• One lantern door
• Five lantern door
• Four lantern door
• Three lantern door

The final room works just the same. Here's the path:

• Go back through the five lantern door
• Two lantern door
• Go back through the two lantern door

With that, you will escape the final puzzle cybervoid.

Next:  Ghostrunner: All Artifacts Guide Part 1

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Ghostrunner – All Bosses and How to Beat Them

Posted by Dylan Blight | Oct 26, 2020 | Guides , Tips Tricks | 0

Each boss in Ghostrunner presents a new challenge and tests what skills you’ve learned in the game so far. If you’re struggling with beating any of the boss fights in the game (including the last level) you’ve come to the right place. I’ve got tips, tricks and videos to help you beat each fight and continue the fight up Dharma Tower.

T-073-M (Level: “The Gatekeeper”)

HEL (Level: “In Her Own Image”)

Mara (Level: “The Summit”)

The Architect (Level: “The Monster”)

“The Gatekeeper” – T-073-M

There are three stages to this fight and thankfully there are key checkpoints to make this fight a lot easier.

For the first part, you have to dodge the rotating laser beams as you move up to another platform and eventually blow your first strike to the massive T-073-M. If you’re struggling to work out where to jump and what lasers to move under or over, check out the video below.

The second stage adds a blast that will radiate up the side of the walls and kill you if it touches you. To reach a half-way checkpoint you simply need to grapple to the walls and when a blast moves up the wall jump out and over it.

At the half-way point, you’ll be face-to-face with the body of the machine again and have to grapple to some more wall-run platforms. However, there are now lasers moving around you and you still have to be aware of the blast moving up the walls. The lasers here are a lot simpler to predict than the first stage and the hardest part is simply being able to jump in time to dodge the blasts and then dash back into the wall-run. Eventually, you’ll reach the top and land your second strike on the machine.

The third stage is the easiest part of the fight and there’s a nice checkpoint halfway through this part for added safety. Simply jump over the blasts on the floor while sliding under the rotating lasers and land a strike on part of the machine in front of you (it’s marked with the current objective). Then do the same but rotating to the back of the machine. Finally, dodge and slide until there’s room for you to grapple up to the top of the machine and land the final blow on the core of the machine.

“In Her Own Image” – HEL

Hel may be the hardest fight in the game simply because there are no checkpoints throughout this fight. You have to take each of Hel’s four health bars in one run. Fortunately, there aren’t any surprises with the fight as Hel does the same attacks and you can learn how to dodge its attacks.

As the fight begins Hel will begin attacking you with its katana. You have to counter each attack like you would any of the other katana-wielding enemies in the game, just several times in a row. Just below Hel’s health at the top of the screen, there’s a blue bar, and you’ll notice as you block each attack the blue bar depletes. Once you block enough attacks from Hel you can land a strike.

Between each katana-off, Hel will jump to some random platform in the room and you have to dodge its ranged attacks until you can get in closer. If Hel lands on the side of the room where there is a “super-jump” power-up you can grab that and come at Hel from the sky which I found to be the easiest tactic. Otherwise, it’s simply up to you to use what you know to dodge the attacks until you get in close.

Repeat this four times and Hel will be defeated. “Flawless.”

“The Summit” – MARA

The Mara (AKA The Keymaster) boss fight is like an old-school mascot platformer fight. Mara has easy to dodge attacks and there are just three stages to the fight with the difficulty stepping up slightly each time. Luckily there is a checkpoint between each phase.

For the first phase simply dodge Mara’s strikes and her sweeping attacks by moving out of the way or jumping over one of her arms. Eventually, she’ll start doing piercing strikes and you have to line her up to hit one of the three electricity boxes in the room by dodging out of the way at the last second. Her arm will get stuck and you’ll be able to move in and slice that arm in half.

In the second phase Mara starts adding in attacks that go under the ground and strike AOE around you, so just make sure you’re well out of the way of those. Random thirds of the ground will also periodically get electrocuted. Eventually, she’ll make some remark like “how dare you” and the entire floor will light up with electricity, so grapple up to the walls above and just run around the room until it’s safe to drop back down. She’ll begin the piercing strikes now and you can get her to strike the second electricity box.

The final stage starts simple but then Mara will light up the areas to each side of you with electricity and begin moving to the left while still attacking you. Move slowly while dodging the attacks including a smash and the ground swipe. She’ll stop for a second and then begin moving back in the opposite direction so just dodge the attacks again in the opposite direction this time. She’ll then light up the entire floor again and you’ll have to grapple up to the walls running in a circle until it’s safe to drop down. After this, she’ll begin the piercing strikes once again and you can line her up with the final box to deal the last strike and put an end to Mara.

“The Monster” – THE ARCHITECT

The final level in Ghostrunner isn’t a boss fight per se, but it is still the final fight in the game. You’re in the cyber-space and racing against a wall of data looking to destroy you. The level tests your wall-running skills and pushes your reflexes. Fortunately, like previous boss fight levels, there are checkpoints between each key area. Of course, there’s a video at the bottom if you need a visual guide to help you through this area.

When the level begins just wall-run along with the first platform and works your way up to some simple wall-running and launcher. You’ll arrive at a platform in the sky with walls moving towards you on each side. Use the dash ability to line up your wall-running and jumps between each platform. There’s a launcher half-way but beware you’ll need to keep wall-running as it takes you up into the sky. When you reach the end make sure you don’t miss the grapple point either.

Next up is a bunch of moving platforms and red orbs that you need to dodge. Use the dash ability and your quick wits to move efficiently and quickly. There’s a grapple at the half-way point and you are aiming to reach the launcher at the back left corner which will take you to the next area.

Move onto the launcher ahead of you and then use the dash ability to keep running along with the platforms in front of you. When you reach the launcher at the end quickly turn around 180 so you can aim for another launcher, and then a third, before landing on another platform.

It’s another moving halfway of wall-running platforms, but this time there’s red orbs attached to some that you must dodge. If you start running on the left side you can jump over and dodge any orbs that appear in front of you by jumping diagonally over to the right and then quickly use the dash to jump back over to the opposite side again, landing just behind the orbs you just dodged. Repeat a couple of times and you’ll reach the end.

When you reach the next area it’s a bunch of red orbs moving towards you. Simply move ahead dodging between them until you reach the launcher at the end of the room. You can take this section slower, it probably helps.

The next section is some wall-jumping again, except with some launchers spread out to make you keep on your toes. When you’re reaching the final part of this section, the last couple platforms appear out of the air, but only as you get closer, so just be ready to use the dash to slow-down time and correct your jump projection if needed. In the end, you’ll need to grapple up and land inside another room of red orbs.

These orbs don’t have as many gaps as the previous room and there are segments of the floor missing. You’ll need to use the walls to run over those parts and then the dash to correct your landing so you go between the orbs as you run. Don’t be afraid to slow down the pace when you see the launcher ahead of you and just dash towards it when you see an opening. When you do, that’s it, the final level of Ghostrunner is complete. Enjoy the ending and the final cutscene.

If you found any part of this guide helpful be sure to let me know in the comments section below. Or even if you’re enjoying the game! I’d love to know as I gave it a glowing 9.5/10 in our review, which you read HERE.

About The Author

Dylan Blight

[He/Him] Founder & Content Manager of Explosion Network. Currently on a mission to get Rhea Seehorn an Emmy.

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14 Beginner Tips For Ghostrunner You Need To Know

Ghostrunner's incredible cyberpunk setting encourages players to go all out. Here's what newcomers need to know when playing for the first time.

Ghostrunner is a first-person perspective (FPP) action game that pits players against thugs in a world of tyranny. Taking place in a cybervoid, gamers can play as the Ghostrunner themselves, a katana-wielding assassin who is torn between the ruling class and a mysterious voice called “The Architect.”

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Published by 505 Games, Ghostrunner offers a range of gaming experiences that can make players feel alive in a lawless city . As a wanderer in search of his next kill, the player can use a handful of astonishing abilities and weapons to slash enemies in their wake. When jumping into the game for the first time, try these combinations of skills and tactics to wipe out foes without getting wasted.

Updated on March 6, 2022, by Chetan Shekar : Ghostrunner has been making headlines since the start of 2022. The developers of the game have been relentlessly releasing brand new content to improve Ghostrunner for its players. Kill Run, Wave, and Photo are new modes that have been introduced into the game.

The latest updates to Ghostrunner include the Metal Ox Pack, Neon Pack, and the Halloween Pack that have been recently added to the game. Gamers that are subscribed to PlayStation Plus and own a PlayStation 5 can play Ghostrunner for free as of March 2022. Take a look at these beginner tips that can help new players dominate Ghostrunner.

14 Sensory Boost Can Be A Life Saver

Ghostrunner provides loads of cool abilities that can be used in unique ways throughout the game. Sensory Boost is the earliest ability players can learn in Ghostrunner . With the touch of a button, people can activate Sensory Boost to slow time. This ability lets people move smoothly across the map and dodge enemies in life and death situations.

The Sensory Boost ability has a short timer that can be seen under the crosshair immediately after activating it. People have a few seconds to spare to decide the direction of their movement before exhausting the ability.

13 Get Better At Kill Run Mode

Kill Run is a new mode that has been available in the game since April 2021. People must dash through the streets of Dharma Tower and beat the clock to complete the stage. There are a total of 5 new stages that have been introduced to Ghostrunner in Kill Run mode.

Each stage takes close to 26 seconds to complete and provides plenty of clocks that can be grabbed along the way to replenish the time left. Depending on the time it takes to finish each stage, players are given a rank for their accomplishments. Novice, Veteran, and Master are the 3 ranks that can be obtained in Kill Run mode.

12 Find Out About Adam

Although Dharma Tower is a vast map to explore, Ghostrunner has a small cast of characters that can be known. Among the characters that people can uncover within the game, Adam is the most mysterious. As the chief designer of Dharma Tower, Adam dispenses his knowledge through several collectible audio logs placed throughout the game.

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A total of 7 audio logs can be retrieved from 15 levels in the game. These audio logs are narrated by Adam as he explains his vision of Dharma Tower. People can collect and play these audio clips to find out more about the mastermind behind the artificial intelligence that has taken over the cyberpunk city.

11 Practice Quick Kills In Wave Mode

Wave mode was released as part of the Neon Pack update to Ghostrunner . It is an action-packed mode that positions the player against an endless wave of enemies. These enemies are generated on a colorful arena with 20 levels to complete in succession. Each level requires the player to kill around 10 enemies to advance to the next wave.

People will encounter an onslaught of enemies including Shield Bots, Mechs, Enforcers, and Sluggers. Clearing a wave of enemies will prompt the player to choose from a range of passive and active abilities. Most of these upgrades are exclusive to Wave mode and provide a fascinating twist to the game.

10 Dodge Enemies With Dash

Dash is a basic ability that lets the Ghostrunner lunge in any desired direction. Players can learn to dash pretty early in the game, and set a custom button to help them dash as fast as possible. Pressing the dash button along with the crouch button can speed up Ghostrunner’s movements on the ground and ledges.

When faced with multiple enemies in a room, gamers can use their dash to get close to enemies and quickly slaughter them. Dash can also be used to dodge enemy strikes from a distance. While the dash is extremely useful throughout the game, it needs to be refreshed and replenished before being used again, so be sure to keep it at the ready

9 Deflect Incoming Damage With The Blade

For melee combat lovers, Ghostrunner doesn’t disappoint . The blade can be tremendously resourceful in battle, especially when dealing with goons with guns. Players can deflect bullets with the katana and slash gunmen right afterward.

Deflecting bullets at the right time and with the appropriate angles can even pierce enemies, as their own ammo comes back to bite them. The Focus gauge gains a little amount of charge every time players deflect incoming projectiles. Unlocking the sensory microbooster ability enables players to slow time for a short duration, making deflection easier.

8 Do Or Die

As a fast-paced action game, Ghostrunner leaves no room for error . Players have to be on their guard, as a single attack is all it takes to end the game. On the other hand, it also means that killing enemies is much easier. Glide on the ledges and dash through the cybervoid to cut opponents with the katana.

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The do-or-die mechanics of Ghostrunner makes it an exhilarating survival game. Players don’t have to kill all the enemies on the stage to complete a level , they just have to make it through. There are 17 distinct stages in Ghostrunner, and patiently executing enemies that are pivotal to the plot can be a good strategy to get ahead.

7 Make Constant Checkpoints Throughout The Game

The cybervoid can be challenging to navigate, and taking out all the enemies on a level without causing a critical failure can be a tedious task. Unlike most other action-adventure games, players can’t save their progress at will. New players will find this particularly frustrating , since clearing a level in one go can be nigh impossible.

Thankfully, there are plenty of checkpoints spread throughout the game. If killed, players can restart their mission from the last checkpoint . But be aware that reaching checkpoints doesn’t mean the game will load from that location after being closed — this only applies after death. When closed and then reopened the game restarts from the beginning of a level ; thus, players should finish their current level before taking a break.

6 Aim & Antagonise Enemies With Blink

Blink is an ability that lets players strike multiple enemies at once, and can be unlocked by solving a puzzle at The Climb level. Once unlocked, The Architect will take players through a tutorial to get them accustomed to the new ability. With it, gamers can aim at enemies with precision and take them down in a single cut.

While using Blink, players can slow down time and even dodge incoming projectiles. As players progress through Ghostrunner , they can increase the range of Blink, increase its affected area, and gain an additional charge.

5 Push Back Enemies With The Tempest

The Tempest is an ability that lets players send out a burst of energy directly in front of them. It can be unlocked by solving a puzzle in the Road to Amida level. The energy blast is strong enough to blow away enemies in the wind. It can also be used to force projectiles back at enemies, making the ability priceless in battles.

Players can use the Tempest on the ground, mid-air, and while moving on ledges . Later in the game, its range can be increased and the Focus gauge is instantly replenished on killing multiple enemies in a single burst.

4 Obliterate Enemies With Surge

Surge is an ability that lets players release an attack from afar, which wipes out enemies. It is the most devastating ranged ability in the game and can come in handy when dealing with surprise attacks. Players can unlock Surge after defeating the boss of the In Her Own Image level.

This ability can instantly mitigate foes and clear the way for the player. Depending on their usage, gamers can increase the size of Surge, its range, and its speed. Beginners can use Surge to get out of tight situations, such as being surrounded by hostile inhabitants of Dharma Tower.

3 Upgrade Abilities & Engage Enemies

Ghostrunner has hundreds of foes that are up for a fight. From turrets to sluggers, players will face an endless army of enemies who can shoot Ghostrunner and shut him down. Several upgrades, however, can help players match up to the malevolent mercenaries that thrive in cybervoid.

RELATED: Ghostrunner Review

Among the 29 total upgrades available in the game, ability upgrades are the most effective in combat . The ones that make the greatest difference in the overall experience include the following:

• Dash: Bulletproof
• Deflect: Boost
• Surge: Speed
• Focus: Technique Boost

2 Throw Shurikens At Unsuspecting Enemies

Adding to the vibrant cyberpunk theme of the game, players can get ahold of shurikens to throw at their foes. Shurikens can be found at certain locations such as corners and ledges. These sharp objects are ninja weapons that can cripple enemies from a distance .

Shurikens are one of the coolest weapons throughout the game. Players can throw them at boards to open pathways and corridors that are otherwise inaccessible. However, these ninja tools are only usable for a short duration and elapse within a few seconds.

1 Slay In Style

For players who have just picked up a new gaming console such as a PlayStation or Xbox, cyberpunk games are visually stunning and a joy to play . Ghostrunner also features a stimulating synth-wave soundtrack that can pump up the adrenaline while playing.

Befitting the immersive setting of the game, Ghostrunner has more than 10 unlockable sword styles . These swords are scattered around 17 levels and can be an adventure of their own to discover. A few levels such as Breath In and Echo provide multiple swords up for grabs.

Ghostrunner is available to play on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch .

MORE: Things We Loved About Ghostrunner (& Things We Didn't)

Ghostrunner 2 Review

Cool runnings.

The best sequels are the ones that can recapture what made the original so great, while also expanding those elements to make them feel bigger, grander, and more exciting than what came before. That’s exactly what Ghostrunner 2 manages to pull off. This is still a first person, one-hit-kill slasher where – to quote my review of the first one – you must run fast, slide fast, kill fast, and if you can’t do those things fast enough, you die fast. But now you get to do all of that while also occasionally riding an absolutely sick motorcycle, and with a wider variety ninja tricks to customize your playstyle. Couple that with a much more fleshed out world, excellent level variety, fantastic bosses, and a thumping soundtrack that enhances the action, and you’ve got one of the most exciting action games all year.

Ghostrunner 2 picks up shortly after the events of the first game, which are recapped in a handy dandy video. Story is a much bigger focus this time around, with most levels being preceded by a visit to a hub where you can chat with your fellow rebels. You’ll learn about their mostly interesting backstories, as well as the post apocalyptic cyberpunk dystopia that is Dharma City, with conversations that were always interesting enough to make me want to check in with everyone before my next mission. There’s Zoe, your friend from the original that helped you find your humanity; Saul, the kind hearted doctor who fixes you up; Kira, a brilliant but morally questionable scientist that used to work for the other side; along with another surprise face or two. It’s not RPG levels of characterization and world building, but these interactions did a great job of grounding me in Ghostrunner 2’s world.

Lethal Weapon

Fundamentally, Ghostrunner 2 plays very much like the first – It’s one hit, one kill for both you and your enemies, which makes for a lightning fast flow. You’ll be darting all across very carefully crafted combat arenas as you desperately try to avoid fire and close the distance between you and your opposition at the same time. If you die, respawns are super quick and checkpoints are very forgiving, which meant I could die 10, 20, maybe even 50 times trying to beat a tricky combat encounter without feeling any frustration.

Basically, imagine Hotline Miami or Katana Zero, but in a 3D space, and with all sorts of mobility options that let you dodge bullets and outmaneuver foes with ease.

While that core is still the same in Ghostrunner 2, there are several notable changes that affected how I approached its challenges. For one, there’s now a stamina meter that governs your newfound ability to block attacks and dash multiple times in succession. Blocking may sound exceptionally strong in a game where all it takes is one hit to die, but evading enemies is still the way to go when it comes to surviving the chaos that is Ghostrunner’s combat encounters because of how quickly the meter depletes, the many unblockable attacks that enemies use, and the fact that blocking certain attacks will still send you reeling backwards. Still, being able to just block as opposed to having to perfectly time a parry offers some nice leeway that makes many boss encounters much more forgiving, and fun.

More substantial are your new special abilities. Shurikens return, but are now available on demand as opposed to being a limited time powerup, which gives you a powerful, but meter managed, ranged attack to go along with your trusty katana. It’s especially fun to use on big enemies like the bipedal mechs, as a hit with a shuriken turns them into a grapple point, which allows you to quickly, and satisfyingly, go in for the kill while also staying on the move. The Ghostrunner gets a few other brand new special abilities and ultimate techniques added to his arsenal as well, such as the Shadow skill, which allows you to turn invisible and create a double at the spot where you activated it, and Flux, which allows you to shoot out a continuous laser beam for a few seconds to decimate groups of foes.

Whats your favorite game in the one-hit kill genre?

Thankfully, you no longer have to arrange blocks like a puzzle to upgrade these abilities. Skill progression is much more straightforward, with you unlocking a variety of upgrade chips naturally just by playing through the campaign. You can purchase whatever chips you want, but in order to equip them to your motherboard, you’ll have to add slots by finding purple memory chips hidden in each level. This adds a nice incentive to really explore for the secrets of every stage beyond just unlocking superficial collectibles, like new sword skins, glove colors, etc.

I always looked forward to coming back to the base and seeing what new skill chips were available, because they really do a great job of giving noticeable perks that could dramatically change my approach to a level. I could invest in Shurikens and give myself more of an edge from a distance, or I could invest in my sword skills and get rewarded more heavily for executing perfect parries. Or,r if I feel especially confident, I could invest in flow and gain powerful buffs, but only if I’m able to string kills together without letting the combo counter drop.

Now Leaving Dharma City

One of the best qualities of the first Ghostrunner was how just about every level introduced some sort of new element for you to deal with, making the campaign feel fresh all the way through. Apparently that well of ideas never came close to running dry because the same is true for Ghostrunner 2. Throughout the entirety of its 10-12 hour campaign, you’re constantly encountering new enemy types, gaining new powers or abilities, visiting a variety of gorgeous and visually distinct areas both in and outside of Dharma City, and getting thrown into arenas that give you exciting new ways to use your existing powers.

The different styles of gameplay can basically be broken down into: Combat arenas, parkour challenges, and motorcycle segments, but there’s a truly impressive amount of variation within each of those styles. Because of the one-hit kill nature, combat often becomes a puzzle where you have to figure out which way to approach from, what enemies you should target first, which of them can be easily taken out with environmental hazards, and so on. Every encounter is an incredibly satisfying combination of planning, execution, and on the fly improvisation.

On the parkour side, it’s a lot of what existing fans are probably used to: Lengthy stretches of wallrunning, railgrinding, grapple hooking, and pole swinging. But in Ghostrunner 2, it’s everything in between those actions that makes it special. Sometimes you’ll need to use a shuriken to power up a device, and then quickly move onto it before certain death; other times you’ll need to use your shadow ability at just the right time to interrupt a beam of light that causes a life saving swinging pole to emerge; and in my absolute favorite section, you’ll need to swap between making two different colored objects tangible as you jump between them, much like you would in Guacamelee or one of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’s more challenging bonus rooms. It’s tough as nails, but absolutely exhilarating.

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And then there’s the motorcycle, which is responsible for some of the coolest moments in all of Ghostrunner 2. You’ll not only use it for high speed tunnel chases, but also as a key exploration tool in the back half of the story to explore huge open environments. Some of the best bits are when you’re speeding through a claustrophobic tunnel, quickly shifting to riding on the ceiling to avoid a hazard, or when you leap off your bike, send it careening towards a group of enemies, and then grapple hook right back on it. Ghostrunner 2 is full of moments like this where I had to take my hands off of the keyboard for a second and just admire how cool a game just made me feel. All of this is enhanced by a perfectly matched thumping electronic soundtrack that had my head bobbing all throughout.

Rogue Ghost

In addition to the campaign, there’s also a really fun side mode called Rogue Runner that cleverly uses the upgrades, enemies, and powers from the main game, mixes them in with randomized parkour and combat challenges, and turns it all into a very compelling roguelike formula.

The way it works is that every run you start with just a basic set of moves, a limited number of lives, and you’re able to choose what type of level you play next; whether that be a combat level, a parkour level, or a harder version of those levels that promise a better reward. The levels themselves are procedurally generated, making it very important to be able to quickly read and understand the nuances of a particular challenge, since the element of trial and error is largely gone when you only have a handful of lives to take you through the whole mode. Beating a level may reward you with more lives, or you can choose one of three upgrade chips, most of which can be obtained in the main game, but some of which are exclusive to this mode.

Ultimately, it’s an expanded version of the wave mode that was introduced as DLC in the first game, but it’s still nonetheless a compelling extra mode that I’m having a great time coming back to even after having completed the main campaign.

Ghostrunner 2 is an electric sequel that supercharges everything that was great about the original and elevates it to a whole new level. The lightning fast, skill-heavy, one-hit kill combat is as exciting as ever, packed with even more tricks that give you plenty of new options to approach every scenario. The parkour also remains as smooth as silk, and some of the new motorcycle sequences are among the most exhilarating moments I’ve had all year. Those who didn’t vibe with the intensely reflex-heavy gameplay of the first Ghostrunner probably won’t be swayed by any of these improvements, but if the original was up your alley, I can’t imagine a better sequel than this. 

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Ghostrunner is an intense cyberpunk world and experience fierce, dynamic combat! Conquer your enemies in the physical world and in cyberspace. Hunt for answers in humanity’s last remaining shelter.

Ascend humanity’s last remaining shelter, a great tower-city. The tower is torn by violence, poverty, and chaos. Conquer your enemies, discover the secrets of the superstructure and your own origin and obtain the power to challenge The Keymaster .

The game takes place in the future, after a global cataclysm where the remains of humanity live in a tower built by The Architect , who died mysteriously years ago. Everyone knows the truth, no one says it aloud.

• How to play guide for Ghostrunner
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• 1 The Ghostrunner

Ghostrunner: movement guide for precise parkour

Ghostrunner  has the tendency to really put people through the ringer. You’re gonna die… a lot . But, you’ve got tricks at your disposal to stay alive. This guide is mostly going to focus on general movement. While things might be fairly simple, getting a feel for the way everything works and letting muscle memory kick in can make a large amount of difference. If a section is giving you a lot of trouble, just be patient. No matter how impossible it can seem, some memorization and a bit of luck can make all the difference in the world.

The basics of moving Jack are mostly standard in Ghostrunner. You move around in first-person, and you can wall-run, grapple at blue grappling points, and dash forward or to the side. Wall-running is one of the most important aspects to get a feel for once you begin. As long as you touch a flat wall while moving forward, you’ll start wall-running automatically. You’ll often jump back and forth between walls as well. One thing that’s important is that you’re going to want to change direction before jumping.

It would make a certain kind of logical sense to merely leap off a wall via the jump button, but that won’t move you as much and it might not be enough to connect you to the other wall. Most of Ghostrunner ‘s wall-running sections can be bested without using the side dash, but if you’re having trouble, that will certainly be the safest way to make sure you make contact. It’s also extremely important to try and land higher on walls rather than lower, as not being high enough on a wall prior to jumping to another one can result in you literally coming up short and not being able to touch the other one to begin with.

Dash, dash, dash

Jack’s dash is extremely valuable in Ghostrunner . It can either be used to move him forward or to the side. His dash can also be used on the ground or in the air. If you use it in the air, you slow down time for as long as the meter indicates. This is useful for both parkour and combat scenarios. If you’re jumping from one wall to another, you can slow down time by holding the button and moving directly to the side. This is the best way to ensure that you make it all the way to the other wall. The dash recharges quickly enough that you can use it for each jump. But you can only dash a single time per jump, which resets when you make contact with a wall or the ground.

There will also be times when you need to kick off a wall, dodge an obstacle, and then land back on said wall. Dashing is absolutely necessary to pull these off, and the slow-mo is very helpful. Dashing forward is also often necessary to make it to platforms in front of you that you wouldn’t be able to reach otherwise. It’s best to wait until you approach the edge of a platform, and then dash right at it. Jack will then pull himself up over the side. If Jack crouches while moving forward, he’ll slide, which you’ll need to dodge specific obstacles.

Any time you see a downward slope, make sure and slide down it, as it’s much faster than simply running. Jumping during a slide is also a fantastic way to get a large amount of momentum. Speaking of momentum, you don’t need to worry about that when using grapple points, as Jack will pull himself to these the same way regardless of how fast you’re going.

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Ghostrunner 2 review: an unforgiving cyberpunk slasher you'll either love or despise

A love or hate relationship

I know some things aren't for me: The sitcom Friends, a small bowl exclusively filled with olives as a side dish, V-neck t-shirts. But I appreciate that while I might not get on with them, many others will enjoy the bite of an olive on its own, or the increased airflow to their larynx as they chortle at Joey doing the silly thing he does at Rachel, or whatever. Ghostrunner 2 , a first-person cyberpunk slasher and sequel to Ghostrunner , has joined the echelon of things that aren't for me but might be for you.

That's because the game's relentlessly unforgiving, and sets margins so small you're rarely afforded much freedom. Sometimes it really does put you in the RGB kicks of a cyber ninja as you dash between the halves of cyborgs you've cleaved in two, but these moments can often be the weary culmination of agonising trial and error. If you're into that, great! If you're not, then I'd slink back into that shadow.

Ghostrunner 2 follows on from the events of the first game and sees you reprise your role as Jack, a metallic ninja who's basically a legally distinct Genji from Overwatch . This time Dharma, a big tower where people live, is under siege from an AI cult of other metallic ninjas who have shining red eyes and speak of things like everlasting power. You are to hunt them down and slice them to bits, which is what you'll end up doing, but it's about as gripping a tale as the "about us" page on Lloyd's Bank. Don't expect to build a lasting bond with any of the folks you'll speak to over the radio either, because they like irritating small talk and Jack feeds them with short, gruff responses.

Nonetheless, your route to murdering the baddies is split across missions that took me around 10 hours to complete, much to my relief. For the most part they're linear platforming sections where you run along walls and dash and grind on rails, stitched together by bouts against cyborgs in arenas filled with boost pads. Only once you've sliced all the baddies up with your katana are you allowed to move on.

To navigate most challenges you'll rely heavily on dashes, well-timed jumps to hops, and the grappling hook. Some of the game's greatest thrills stem from a steady flow of these three things, as you skip between grind rails to avoid incoming laser beams, monkeybar into a cool kneeslide, crash through a wall, then grapple across a ledge into a wallrun. I'm convinced Ghostrunner 2's greatest joys lie in these sections of solace, where your focus is uninterrupted by anything else.

Later, as you gain the ability to chuck shurikens or blast enemies backwards, platforming sections become a little more complex. You might have to grind along rails, but instead of just dodging those lasers you've got to chuck shurikens at blue buttons to make the door in front of you open up. While tricky, I liked how slight puzzley bits added some extra spice to platforming, although the game does then develops a frustrating habit of disrupting your momentum by conveniently closing doors and asking you to find "another way around".

You can't knock the game's drive to keep things fresh, though, as you jack into cyberspace and take on platforming challenges that conform to different rules: suddenly your jumps are floatier; orbs of a different colour need to be destroyed in a certain sequence as a clock ticks down; tokens let you double jump, so you're sort of cashing them in to bounce up and between obstacles like flappy bird. At one point you barrel down the side of the tower on a cyberbike, then take it for a thrash around a desert.

Easily one of my favourite slices of the game lies in a mission where you're given a wingsuit to glide between vents that propel you upwards, resetting your ability to whizz through tight gaps and soar across bigger ones. The wingsuit elevates the game's arenas by bringing airspace into the mix, marrying puzzling, movement, and combat in a rare instance where it enabled me to experience the thrill of the fight for once.

For those with sharp reflexes and infinite patience, the Ghostrunner 2's combat won't be a problem. If anything, you might be able to pull off silky manoeuvres with ease and slice everything to ribbons like a Russell Hobbs-branded pinball. And there were a handful of instances I managed to pull off some cool things, as the tools you're given can help alleviate the pressure of fights against multiple lads. Shurikens can stun robots, turning them into helpful grapple points to cover ground quickly. Leave a decoy behind and enemies will focus on it briefly, giving you a chance to slice the worst of the bastards. Hold the dash button and you're given a slow-mo window to strafe out the way of oncoming laser beams.

But again, the game's teaching methods lie in trial and error, in a similar vein to platformers like Celeste. Unless you're an absolute demon, most fights may not be as open-ended as the game's tools tout. There's often clearly a best route through these arenas, and most fights become an exercise in input repetition where straying from the script means a bullet to the back of the head. Did I mention everything in this game just murders you instantly? I died so often to dudes who shoot you in the arse from miles away, just as I was about to get in the rhythm of things. In the end, I opted for the path of least resistance: being as uncool and boring as possible.

And as much as I sing the praises of the platforming, much of my time was marked by me wanting to place a fist through the nearest available surface. So often I found myself just not making a ledge or just dribbling off a wall and dying. If you're not prepared to meet its demands, the game will piss you off to no end. Then again, you've got to wrangle platforming that feels imprecise and, at times, as if you're less of a ninja and more a slice of EVA foam somehow drawn magnetically to every surface with a snap. Scurrying across walls or scampering over ledges is fluid in the sense of connecting them together in sequence, but you must adjust to movement that feels quite abrupt whenever you hit a surface.

Despite my misgivings, I think plenty of people with the right mindset and fast-twitch muscle fibers will enjoy Ghostrunner 2 and its demands. There's a lot of variety on offer here, whether that lies in options to slice foes or just veering between bikes and cyber realms and large areas. But for the rest of us who aren't as enamoured by relentless trial and error challenges, I'd find it a difficult one to recommend.

Ghostrunner: All Puzzles Guide

Stuck on one of the puzzles? No problem a simple step by step complete guide should help you.

Level 3 The Climb

In the image here from this perspective the correct order would be right middle right left.

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Ghostrunner, common sense media reviewers.

Insanely fun action leaps from mature, bloody parkour play.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

While Jack is working towards the overall goal of

Jack's actions might lead to a greater goal, but h

The controls have a steep learning curve and the o

There's no shortage of blood and gore. The game us

Profanity regularly occurs, including enemies yell

Parents need to know that Ghostrunner is a downloadable sci-fi cyberpunk first-person action game available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Windows based PCs. Players run through a futuristic city in parkour style, dodging attacks and killing any enemies in their way…

Positive Messages

While Jack is working towards the overall goal of reclaiming his memories and freedom for what's left of humanity, he's still essentially just a tool being used for a specific role.

Positive Role Models

Jack's actions might lead to a greater goal, but he's doing so more out of necessity than anything else.

Ease of Play

The controls have a steep learning curve and the one-hit kill mechanic means players will die a lot. As players adjust to the controls, they're able to string together more moves in a fluid manner, but one misstep still means instant death.

Violence & Scariness

There's no shortage of blood and gore. The game uses a first-person point of view and the player's main weapon is a sword. This makes kills a close up and personal affair, with a graphic view of bloody dismemberments and eviscerations.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Profanity regularly occurs, including enemies yelling "F--k you!"

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Ghostrunner is a downloadable sci-fi cyberpunk first-person action game available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Windows based PCs. Players run through a futuristic city in parkour style, dodging attacks and killing any enemies in their way. There's a high level of difficulty due not only to the game's controls, but especially due to it's "one hit, one kill" mechanic which leaves little to no room for error. Violence is not only constant but graphic, with close up views of enemies getting cut into pieces, complete with showers of blood and viscera. Parents should also be aware that various enemies will taunt the player with profanity, which also appears occasionally in the main dialogue of the game.

Where to Play

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (2)
• Kids say (14)

Based on 2 parent reviews

Hotline Miami meets Titanfall

What’s it about.

GHOSTRUNNER is a futuristic action game that seamlessly blends the speed and maneuverability of parkour with the action and brutality of close-quarters combat. In a distant post-apocalyptic future, the surviving remnants of humanity call Dharma Tower home. The massive megastructure was originally designed to protect and provide for its people. But that was before the coup, and before the reign of the tyrannical Keymaster began. Now society has collapsed into chaos and violence, as the strong prey on the weak under the Keymaster's rule. You were once a Ghostrunner, one of the elite bodyguards tasked with protecting the Architect, the original creator of Dharma Tower. When the coup happened, the Architect was assassinated and you were tossed from the top of the tower to the Base, the lowest levels of the tower which is a place that only the downtrodden and refuse can call home. Discovered by a rising rebellion, you were rebuilt as a weapon to fight back against the Keymaster. Working with these rebels, as well as an AI ghost of the Architect still lurking within the system, it's up to you to make your way back up through the floors of Dharma Tower and bring down the Keymaster once and for all. But be wary. One wrong move means certain death. Do you have what it takes to survive?

Is It Any Good?

Failure isn't always just an option, it's sometimes an inevitability. At least that's the case with Ghostrunner, because this game is unforgivingly hard. The controls feel awkward and unintuitive at first, going completely against anything familiar in the first-person action genre. And then there's the punishing one-hit, one-kill mechanic, which is great when it comes to taking out enemies but not so much when you realize the same rule applies to you as well. These elements alone make for a learning curve that's more like a sheer vertical climb. But despite all of this, it's insanely fun to play and nearly impossible to put down. With practice and patience, the controls feel more natural and before too long, you're moving in fluid combos that feel like a real accomplishment.

Ghostrunner is gorgeous, with that mix of grime and neon that's almost a staple of the cyberpunk genre. The visuals are crisp and detailed, and more importantly, keep up with the rapid pace of the game. In fact, once everything clicks, keeping up with the movements is almost too dizzying to follow. This can cause its own set of problems, with the game moving so fast that it's easy to miss things like alternate paths or hidden collectibles with no way to backtrack. It can also make it difficult to see exactly where an enemy is, leading to a quick end from a stray shot seemingly out of nowhere. Which leads to comba, because all players need to do is get one good swing in on an enemy and they're toast. But some enemies use things like shields to block players' attacks, requiring more strategy and maneuvering to get in strikes. Thankfully, upgrades can be found and configured to give players an edge, such as reflecting bullets back at enemies or gaining an extra time-slowing Dash. While these upgrades and abilities help to level the playing field a bit, there's never a moment that you're not still the underdog. Still, as frustrating as your climb through Dharma Tower might seem, progress is always right around the corner and one more life away.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about violence in video games . Is the impact of the violence in Ghostrunner affected by the amount of blood and gore in the game? What level of violence is acceptable to parents for kids of various ages? What sort of impact can graphic violence have on younger audiences?

What are some ways that we can learn from the mistakes we make? How can we apply that knowledge to future circumstances?

Game Details

• Platforms : Nintendo Switch , PlayStation 4 , PlayStation 5 , Windows , Xbox One , Xbox Series X/S
• Pricing structure : Paid
• Available online? : Available online
• Publisher : 505 Games
• Release date : October 27, 2020
• Genre : First-Person Shooter
• Topics : Sports and Martial Arts , Adventures , Robots
• ESRB rating : M for Blood and Gore, Violence
• Last updated : October 26, 2020

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Ghostrunner Achievements

• Ghostrunner News
• Walkthrough

Ghostrunner

• 4 want to boost

Full list of all 45 Ghostrunner achievements worth 1,195 gamerscore. It takes around 12-15 hours to unlock all of the achievements in the base game on Xbox One.

The base game contains 34 achievements worth 1,000 Gamerscore, and there is 1 DLC pack containing 11 achievements worth 195 Gamerscore.

• Achievement View View Image view List view Sort by TrueAchievement desc TrueAchievement asc Achievement name Achievement name desc GamerScore desc GamerScore asc TA Ratio desc TA Ratio asc Gamers desc Gamers asc Xbox.com order Date won desc Date won asc
• DLC Packs Group DLC packs together in list DLC Filter All Owned None
• 45 Offline Game Mode
• 45 Single Player
• 8 Main Storyline
• 1 Story Completed
• 6 Collectable
• 7 Cumulative +
• 4 Time/Date
• What are achievement flags? Click to find out Apply

Base Game (Excludes DLC)

Obtain all the other achievments/trophies<

Complete a level without dying

Finish line

Decomission Tom

Defeat the Keymaster

Collect all the audiologs

Collect all the story items

Complete your sword collection

Collect every single collectible item in the game

Run 42 kilometers

Kill X enemies

Kill 3 enemies with a single use of Blink

Kill 3 enemies with a single use of Surge

Force enemies to kill 4 of their allies using Overlord

Kill 3 enemies with a single use of Tempest

Block Warden's attack 5 times in a row

Block 5 projectiles in a row using your sword

Kill 30 enemies with projectiles reflected using your sword (Reflect module required)

Kill 3 enemies at once witah a falling Drone

Kill an enemy with a projectile reflected by Tempest

Fill up GR-SCP so that there are no empty slots left

Kill 5 enemies within 10 seconds using just your sword

Use 2 different special abilities within 10 seconds

Kill a Splitter before it manages to split itself

Save the residents of Sector Five

Kill 10 enemies in a row without using Sensory Boost

Kill 74 enemies right after jumping off a wall

Kill a sniper without getting near him

Kill 3 Sluggers using Blink, while they are in the air

Kill 23 enemies in a row without dying

Kill 5 enemies with your special abilities, while they are protected by a Beacon Shield

Unlock your full potential!

Use dash, wallrun, slide and gap jammer within X seconds

Project_Hel

Defeat Commander Bakunin.

Defeat the Golem.

Find all the collectibles on Hel levels.

Complete "No Other Choice" without killing any enemies (excluding beacons).

Complete "Another Awakening" without dying.

Stay Enraged for 20 seconds.

Defeat Bakunin in less than 3 minutes.

Kill 3 enemies with Surge during one jump.

Complete "My Friend" without using any upgrades

Complete "Down Below" without using Surge on the enemies.

Fill up your Rage Bar just by deflecting projectiles

• How many achievements are there in Ghostrunner? There are 45 achievements in Ghostrunner, worth a total of 1,195 Gamerscore. You can view the full list of Ghostrunner achievements here .
• Is Ghostrunner on Game Pass? No, Ghostrunner is not currently available on either Xbox Game Pass or PC Game Pass.
• When did Ghostrunner release on Xbox? Ghostrunner was released on October 27th, 2020.
• How long does it take to complete all the achievements in Ghostrunner? It takes between 12 and 15 hours to complete the base game achievements in Ghostrunner.
• How many secret achievements are there in Ghostrunner? There are 5 secret achievements in Ghostrunner.