Can You Play Ghostrunner 2 Without Playing the Original?

Ghostrunner 2's embargo has finally lifted! If you've checked my review and wondered if you could play the game (or have been looking forward to the sequel) but are wondering if the original game will get in your way, we've got you covered! 

The Gameplay

Though Ghostrunner 2 shares a lot in common with its original, it received a major overhaul when it comes to its gameplay elements. You'll find the core of the original is still present in the form of one-hit-kill gameplay, but otherwise, One More Level scrapped a lot of the original systems entirely. Despite how that might sound to those who were interested in the first, as I stated in my review, it was pretty much an upgrade across the board.

What this means is that you should be able to pick up Ghostrunner 2 and play it without ever even seeing the gameplay elements of the first. Having hands-on experiences with Ghostrunner doesn't hurt, however, as a lot of the old systems were repurposed and reimagined, meaning that you will be able to comfortably fit back into the older elements and dominate through Dharma and The Outside a lot more comfortably. 

Meanwhile, those who are brand-new to the franchise should still be introduced to everything slowly enough, as you'll play the first three levels in the form of a tutorial (not the arduous kind, don't worry). Newer systems are also added to the experience to keep it from growing stale for old-timers, and everything is given sufficient explanations that you'll be an expert Ghostrunner in no time, veteran or not.

The Story

The story gets... a whole lot more complex. Ghostrunner 2 features one of the most important systems that any sequel should have, and it's a recap of the original. Hidden among the extras in a little box called "GR1 Recap", you'll be able to understand everything that happened in the first... with a caveat.

The short cinematic does work as a quick catch-up to everything that you need to know in technicality, teaching you about the world's ending, some narrative pieces, and even catching you up to speed with how your interactions with the final boss end, but it doesn't do it well. There is a lot of finer detail that is missing from those who have played it that are outright skipped in this quick recap, and it fails to mention anything from factions (The Climbers) to lingo (Dharma, GR, Ghostrunners). Yes, you could piece this all together from context, but the lack of it will lead to feeling less in tune with the world.

Not knowing what happened also invalidates a lot of the character's feelings when it comes to some reactions, and it'll make you — as the player and protagonist — feel like an outcast. It's smaller and finer details that those who don't really know much about the original will miss, and that lack of connection will affect you through the entire narrative. From not knowing your antagonists to not knowing your previous villains and even who you are fighting for.

Should you play the other game first?

 

From personal experience, I'd say that depends on your personal "desire" for the Ghostrunner franchise as a whole. If you want to experience everything to its fullest, the original Ghostrunner is a great title but becomes less so once you've tried the second. And although that makes it sound like the first isn't a good game, that isn't true — I genuinely enjoyed it and even finished it 100%, but there are a lot of systems from the second that I would miss.

Can you play Ghostrunner 2 without knowing anything about Ghostrunner?

Ultimately, you can definitely play Ghostrunner 2 without playing Ghostrunner or even knowing anything about it. The game does a great job of teaching you what you need to know to enjoy its gameplay elements and even dabble a bit into its narrative. For those who intend to become more hardcore fans or want to experience it to the fullest, however, Ghostrunner is something I'd recommend you try out.

The narrative gets the most upgrades from the first, giving you a wider cast of characters to interact with, but knowing those that come back from the original (and even those that have already passed, like the antagonist) helps make the narrative feel whole. Playing the second first outright spoils the first, even if you avoid GR1 Recap because of dialogue exchanged between various characters, meaning that once you've played the second, you'll know the culmination of the first.

That said, gameplay-wise, you can definitely jump into the game without knowing anything and enjoy it a lot. There aren't any hidden techniques or secrets that you need to know from the first that'll enrich your gameplay experience, though I can say that after playing Ghostrunner 2, the first's mechanics might feel a bit dated. From missing out on the bike gameplay to various Quality-of-Life improvements, playing the second one first might just ruin your experience through the original.