- The 2007 Ghost Rider game borrows elements from games like God of War and Devil May Cry.
- Despite featuring decent metal hack-and-slash combat and amazing motorcycle sequences, the game was disregarded as a God of War clone.
- Ghost Rider deserves another shot with a faithful AAA adaptation, ideally by Insomniac.
One thing about the 2000s is that the developers were much more creative and willing to take risks with game development, showing true passion for their work. However, the same cannot be said for today’s industry, which has now regressed in creativity.
Despite their failures, we have seen many great creative titles in the last two decades, regardless of their commercial success.
One of the games that isn’t well remembered is 2007’s Ghost Rider, which fully copied God of War’s gameplay. But unlike the rest of the clones, Ghost Rider stood out with its metal hack-and-slash combat, cool motorcycle sections, and amazing aesthetics.
Why It Matters: Despite being a good, faithful adaptation of the character with decent gameplay, Ghost Rider was discarded for being a God of War clone. However, the game deserves more love and appreciation as it has aged well.
Ghost Rider Was The Perfect Combination Of God Of War And Devil May Cry
As I mentioned before, 2007’s Ghost Rider was a tie-in game to the movies and is set between the events of the first and second movies. I absolutely adored the idea of exploring more stories within the franchise via the gaming world, and it is something that modern movies and games lack.
Anyway, most of the game is set in hell, and without giving too much away, Johnny is tasked with killing many demons to prevent an apocalypse on Earth. The camera view and combat are similar to those in God of War.
On the other hand, the aesthetics and the theme are borrowed from the Devil May Cry games, bringing the best of both worlds. Players can fight with their bare fists or a demonic chain, much like Kratos’ Blades of Chaos.
The Combat System
However, the game has a slight learning pattern, and the combos are difficult to execute, but it feels amazing when you do so.
You can also build up 2 meters to trigger a huge power; one triggers a whole round attack, damaging multiple enemies simultaneously. The other triggers Retribution, the classic Ghost Rider attack that lets you stare into enemies’ souls and kill them.
Aside from these combat sequences, the game also allows you to drive motorbikes at the end of every level toward the next ones. The Boss battles in this game are also pretty cool and a treat for Marvel fans since most weren’t included or fully explored in the movies.
Vengeance, Blackheart, and a faithful adaptation of Mephisto were all included as Boss battles in the game. However, some game ports cut the ending fight between Mephisto as a narrative section.
The game also features cameos from other Marvel characters, such as Wesley Snipes’ Blade, who can be unlocked as a playable character after beating the game.
Ghost Rider Deserves Another Shot
Now, despite the game being pretty good, I wouldn’t want a remake or remaster of the original game. It just wouldn’t make sense to remake a tie-in video game all these years later.
However, what I do want is for Ghost Rider to get another shot with a AAA game. Ghost Rider is one of the most powerful characters in the Marvel universe and hasn’t received a film or a solo video game adaptation in years.
We already know how well Ghost Rider can work in a video game, and who better than Insomniac to give him a proper, creative, and deserved game?
Imagine all the destruction and amazing combat sequences possible with today’s hardware. The original Ghost Rider game was still pretty harsh on the consoles and experienced frame drops.
My dream Ghost Rider game would be an open-world M-rated game with different enemy varieties, such as humans, demons, and even archangels. Ranged weapons for combat and the ability to spawn your motorcycle.
Also, I’d love the option to switch to Johnny Blaze in the daytime and perform motorcycle stunts as more of a mini-game, just like those Quidditch Matches in older Harry Potter games.
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[News Reporter]
Shaheer is currently pursuing a Business degree while also working as a part-time Content Writer. With his deep passion for both writing and video games, he has seamlessly transitioned into a role as a Journalist. Over the past two years, Shaheer has contributed as a freelancer to various websites and landed positions on acclaimed platforms like Gamerant. Currently, his role at Tech4gamers is as a Features Writer, but he also covers News occasionally. Shaheer’s favorite gaming franchises are Assassin’s Creed and the God of War series.
Get In Touch: shaheer@tech4gamers.com