Ghostrunner 2, one of the few games I've scored 9/10, is currently free

Night City is one of the greatest virtual worlds ever created. It perfectly encapsulates the juxtaposition of advanced, world-changing technology and sheer, unadulterated poverty. Our neon-tinted cyberpunk dreams often forget about the grit and grime that keeps these neo-dystopian metropolises going: for the rich to stay rich, the poor have to stay poor. But Cyberpunk 2077 is just one evolution of an age-old concept: One More Level's Ghostrunner 2 is another. Trading out open-world exploration for fast-paced, high-octane hacking and slashing while maintaining that sense of seediness, it's an absolute must-play if you liked CD Projekt Red's troubled masterpiece - and it's free right now.

Currently included in this week's free Epic Games lineup, Ghostrunner 2 drops you straight back into the blood-stained streets of Dharma, this time taking you out of the first game's aptly named Dhamra Tower and thrusting you into the wider city's winding back alleys. Cast as Jack, a combat android who's the last of the titular Ghostrunners, you're tasked with taking down a newly emerged AI cult. It's not going to be easy, though; after all, you die in a single hit. I said the game was good, I never said it was easy.

While the original Ghostrunner was a pretty linear action game (you essentially cleared floors in the Tower Judge Dredd-style), the sequel opens up the world a lot more, adding a new central hub zone that allows you to interact with the game's stellar NPCs, as well as vehicular combat that lets you live out your Tron fantasy - yes, you do, in fact, get a motorbike.

The gameplay loop is similar to the original's, too, but you have a slew of fresh gadgets to play with. The vast majority of the hacking and slashing is done with your trusty, upgradable katana, but you can also tear through foes with the new-and-improved shuriken system (a welcome departure from the first game's puzzle-centric version) and a grapple gun, which allows you to dart from rooftop to rooftop with ease.

Let's talk about the soundtrack real quick. I absolutely love electronic music, and, as perhaps expected, Ghostrunner has it in droves. From pulsing bass and hard electro to more more muted, celestial lowfi vibes, the game's score absolutely slaps, and I'd pick it up for that alone.

I gave One More Level's cyberpunk sequel a 9/10 in my Ghostrunner 2 review, calling it "a surprise GOTY contender." The Rahu boss fight is still one of the best that I've ever played, and the game's combat is unlike any other. That's why, if you pick up one free PC game today, make it Ghostrunner 2.

But Jack's tough-as-nails adventure isn't the only Epic Games Store offering this week. While much slower-paced and less bloody, the gorgeously-animated puzzle game Monument Valley 2 joins the roster after the first game's free stint last week, and the adorable Battle of Polytopia, which puts a fun spin on the turn-based strategy genre, is available as well.

Ghostrunner 2, Monument Valley 2, and The Battle of Polytopia are free on the Epic Games Store now, with the promotion ending at 8am PST / 11am EST / 4pm GMT / 5pm CEST on Thursday, September 18. You can pick them up here.

Did you know that the Ghostrunner devs are making a soulslike? Check out my Valor Mortis preview here; trust me, it's worth a look. While we wait for more information on that, though we have a list of all the best PC games if you're looking to try out something new.

Are you a Ghostrunner fan? Or is Monument Valley more your vibe? Let us know on Discord and, if you pick up any of Epic's free goodies, give us your review.