Ghostrunner 2

Ghostrunner 2 was provided by 505 Games for review. Thank you!

The first Ghostrunner game did extremely well in creating a gorgeous cyberpunk world with a fast-paced gameplay loop that kept me coming back for more. I loved that each enemy needed only one hit and how you would traverse the world. Even though it went by so fast, it didn't feel overwhelming and had just the right amount of challenge involved. So, with Ghostrunner 2, I was hoping for the same feeling as the original. And I am happy to say that not only did I get that, I got a more refined experience that kept me invested.

Set 1 year after the events of the first game; you will have to take on a violent AI cult that is now threatening the future of humanity. You must use your katana to slice enemies, wall-run, slide, and grind through the levels. The high-octane combat is back and feels even more refined and more accessible to control and maneuver around each level. Speaking of the levels, the world is vibrant, detailed, and beautiful. I felt like a badass playing through each mission, even more so than the first game, but there is more here that improved it even further.

In the sequel, we have new game modes, including a roguelike mode that I love, new ways to flesh out the story further, interactive environmental objects like exploding barrels and destructible walls, and brand-new skills to build yourself out in new ways. The new progression system implemented made me explore more of the non-linear levels to increase the slots to get new skills and ultimate abilities, which can save you in a real pinch.

When it comes to the actual game, I loved every moment of it. However, playing on the Steam Deck needed some compromises to play well.

Ghostrunner 2 - Steam Deck Performance

Ghostrunner 2 on the Steam Deck is a bit tough to run, but with some compromise, playing it in most areas is possible. With FSR on Performance and some of the settings set down to low, I was able to get a decently solid 30 FPS while the game still looked quite good. There are some spots with slowdowns, like in most cutscenes, and some more open areas. I also noticed the DirectX 12 version ran a bit better in these spots, but there were still some slowdowns.

When the game is in closed-off areas, it can hit higher framerates, like 40, but there are too many spots and levels that will dip below 40 no matter what the settings are and without any caps. It does feel a little weird playing the game at a lower framerate, but it sticks to 30 enough that I was still able to play and enjoy the majority of the game:

Accessibility

The game allows you to change your language, toggle subtitles, change how crouching works, show UI, camera shake, and some other gameplay elements. There are also some audio sliders, and you can increase the subtitle size so everything is more readable on the smaller screen.

The game does support 16:10 resolutions, so that means no black bars, and does fully support controllers and cloud saves.

Conclusion

Ghostrunner 2 is a fantastic follow-up to one of the best fast-paced slashers that exists. I wanted more of the same, and instead, I got a more refined experience with additional modes and new gameplay elements that highlight just how great this game is. I do wish it ran better on the Steam Deck, but it does run well for the most part, and I was able to play through it for the most part. This would be a fantastic 2.5-star review, but because I loved the game itself, I am happy to bump it to a 3.

Our review is based on the PC version of this game.

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