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Ghost Rider (video game)
Encyclopedia
Ghost Rider is a third-person
game based around the movie of the same name
. The game's storyline is a sequel to the movie, and was penned by Marvel writers Garth Ennis
and Jimmy Palmiotti
. Players can play as Ghost Rider
both on foot, or on the Hellcycle. The villains are both from the movie and the comic. Such villains are Scarecrow
, Lilith
, Blackout
, Vengeance
and Blackheart
and for the GBA Mephisto
.
brings Ghost Rider
to hell. After fighting his way through hordes of demons, Johnny Blaze is goaded into stopping a group of demonic forces escaping hell with the intent of resurrecting Blackheart
. Mephisto sends Vengeance
to kidnap Roxanne Simpson
to force Johnny to cooperate. As Ghost Rider, he chases down, defeats Vengeance, and then returns to Earth. His next destination is the ghost town of San Venganza, where he battles demons and possessed bikers and catches up with Lilith
, whom he battles on top of a train.
Ghost Rider then meets with The Caretaker
Carter Slade
and Blade
. Ghost Rider heads to a government facility that has been targeted by Blackheart. Inside, Ghost Rider is ambushed by ninjas employed by Deathwatch
as well as water-based monsters. He then pursues his minion Blackout
down a river and defeats him. Before being killed, Blackout informs Ghost Rider that the demons are in the nearby city and have kidnapped Roxanne. Meanwhile, Blade fails to stop the demons from absconding with Blackheart's body.
Ghost Rider arrives at the city, battles hordes of enemies and reaches the church where Scarecrow
holds Roxanne captive. He frees her and defeats Scarecrow, demanding to know where Blackheart is. Scarecrow directs him to the now-derelict Quentin Carnival, where Ghost Rider battles more demons and killer clowns.
Ghost Rider then finds himself confronting with Mephistopheles, who turns out to have led him on a wild goose chase. His Hell Cycle has blazed a glyph into the Earth that the devil can use to free himself from Hell
and hasten the Apocalypse
. However, Mephisto is usurped at the last moment by Blackheart. Blackheart then becomes a giant, monstrous creature (more resembling his comic-book appearance) that Ghost Rider fights and ultimately defeats. The game then ends with Johnny reuniting with Roxanne.
, even having some of the same controls and style of attacks. Combos are done with bare hands and with the Demonic chain. The overall mood, setting and visual style are very much the same as those in the first installment of Devil May Cry
. When on the Hellcycle, Ghost Rider is still capable of performing many of the same chain attacks, and can shoot hellfire.
The Game Boy Advance
version has some elements of Road Rash
and Castlevania
.
, Ghost Rider 2099
, Vengeance
, and Blade
the vampire hunter.
and a 51% average on Metacritic
. Official PlayStation 2 Magazine UK gave the game a 7/10 rating, X-play gave it a 2/5.
Virtual camera system
A virtual camera system aims at controlling a camera or a set of cameras to display a view of a 3D virtual world. Camera systems are used in videogames where their purpose is to show the action at the best possible angle; more generally, they are used in 3D virtual worlds when a third person view...
game based around the movie of the same name
Ghost Rider (film)
Ghost Rider is a 2007 superhero film written and directed by Mark Steven Johnson. Based on the character of the same name which appeared in Marvel Comics, the film stars Nicolas Cage as Johnny Blaze, a stunt motorcyclist who sells his soul to the Devil and transforms into thevigilante Ghost...
. The game's storyline is a sequel to the movie, and was penned by Marvel writers Garth Ennis
Garth Ennis
Garth Ennis is a Northern Irish comics writer, best known for the Vertigo series Preacher with artist Steve Dillon and his successful nine-year run on Marvel Comics' Punisher franchise...
and Jimmy Palmiotti
Jimmy Palmiotti
James "Jimmy" Palmiotti is an American writer and inker of comic books, who also does writing for games, television and film.-Early life:Palmiotti is a graduate of the High School of Art and Design in New York City.-Career:...
. Players can play as Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze)
Ghost Rider is a fictional character, an antihero in the Marvel Comics Universe. He is the second Marvel character to use the name Ghost Rider, following the Western hero later known as the Phantom Rider, and preceding Daniel Ketch.Johnny Blaze was portrayed both in the 2007 film Ghost Rider and...
both on foot, or on the Hellcycle. The villains are both from the movie and the comic. Such villains are Scarecrow
Scarecrow (Marvel Comics)
The Scarecrow is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics Universe, in which he is an enemy of Captain America, Spider-Man, Ghost Rider, and Iron Man. His first appearance was in Tales of Suspense #51....
, Lilith
Lilith (Marvel Comics)
Lilith is the name of two fictional American comic book characters owned by Marvel Comics. Both characters exist in the Marvel Universe.The first of these two to appear was Lilith, the daughter of Dracula. Like her father, she is also a vampire, although her powers and weaknesses differ from most...
, Blackout
Blackout (comics)
Blackout is the name of two fictional characters, both supervillains, in the Marvel Comics universe.-Marcus Daniels:-Fictional character biography:...
, Vengeance
Vengeance (comics)
Vengeance is a fictional American comic book character owned by Marvel Comics. He was initially introduced as an antagonist for the Ghost Rider. Lt. Michael Badilino was the first known person to be host, now the entity is attached to Deputy Kowalski. Since his debut he has taken on the role of...
and Blackheart
Blackheart
Blackheart is a fictional demon in the . The character was created by Ann Nocenti and John Romita, Jr., and first appeared in Daredevil #270...
and for the GBA Mephisto
Mephisto (comics)
Mephisto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Silver Surfer #3 and was created by Stan Lee and John Buscema, loosely modeled on Mephistopheles - a character from the Faust legend.Debuting in the Silver Age of comic books,...
.
Plot
MephistoMephisto (comics)
Mephisto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Silver Surfer #3 and was created by Stan Lee and John Buscema, loosely modeled on Mephistopheles - a character from the Faust legend.Debuting in the Silver Age of comic books,...
brings Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze)
Ghost Rider is a fictional character, an antihero in the Marvel Comics Universe. He is the second Marvel character to use the name Ghost Rider, following the Western hero later known as the Phantom Rider, and preceding Daniel Ketch.Johnny Blaze was portrayed both in the 2007 film Ghost Rider and...
to hell. After fighting his way through hordes of demons, Johnny Blaze is goaded into stopping a group of demonic forces escaping hell with the intent of resurrecting Blackheart
Blackheart
Blackheart is a fictional demon in the . The character was created by Ann Nocenti and John Romita, Jr., and first appeared in Daredevil #270...
. Mephisto sends Vengeance
Vengeance (comics)
Vengeance is a fictional American comic book character owned by Marvel Comics. He was initially introduced as an antagonist for the Ghost Rider. Lt. Michael Badilino was the first known person to be host, now the entity is attached to Deputy Kowalski. Since his debut he has taken on the role of...
to kidnap Roxanne Simpson
Roxanne Simpson
Roxanne Simpson is a fictional supporting character of the Marvel Comics superhero Johnny Blaze also known as Ghost Rider.-History:With his mother having abandoned him and his father dead, Johnny Blaze was taken in by Crash Simpson and his family. As a child, he was friends with Roxanne Simpson,...
to force Johnny to cooperate. As Ghost Rider, he chases down, defeats Vengeance, and then returns to Earth. His next destination is the ghost town of San Venganza, where he battles demons and possessed bikers and catches up with Lilith
Lilith (Marvel Comics)
Lilith is the name of two fictional American comic book characters owned by Marvel Comics. Both characters exist in the Marvel Universe.The first of these two to appear was Lilith, the daughter of Dracula. Like her father, she is also a vampire, although her powers and weaknesses differ from most...
, whom he battles on top of a train.
Ghost Rider then meets with The Caretaker
Caretaker (comics)
Caretaker is a fictional Marvel Comics character. There have been two incarnations of the character, The first version appeared in Ghost Rider vol. 2 #28 in the Rise of the Midnight Sons storyline. After this version died his granddaughter assumed the role. She debuted in Ghost Rider vol...
Carter Slade
Phantom Rider
The Phantom Rider is the name of several fictional characters, Old West heroic gunfighters appearing in comic books in the Marvel Comics universe...
and Blade
Blade (comics)
Blade is a fictional character, a superhero/vampire hunter in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Marv Wolfman and penciller Gene Colan, his first appearance was in the comic book The Tomb of Dracula #10 as a supporting character.The character went on to alternatively star and co-star...
. Ghost Rider heads to a government facility that has been targeted by Blackheart. Inside, Ghost Rider is ambushed by ninjas employed by Deathwatch
Deathwatch (comics)
Deathwatch is a fictional character. He is a demonic supervillain in the Marvel Universe, most notably as an enemy of Ghost Rider.-Fictional character biography:...
as well as water-based monsters. He then pursues his minion Blackout
Blackout (comics)
Blackout is the name of two fictional characters, both supervillains, in the Marvel Comics universe.-Marcus Daniels:-Fictional character biography:...
down a river and defeats him. Before being killed, Blackout informs Ghost Rider that the demons are in the nearby city and have kidnapped Roxanne. Meanwhile, Blade fails to stop the demons from absconding with Blackheart's body.
Ghost Rider arrives at the city, battles hordes of enemies and reaches the church where Scarecrow
Scarecrow (Marvel Comics)
The Scarecrow is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics Universe, in which he is an enemy of Captain America, Spider-Man, Ghost Rider, and Iron Man. His first appearance was in Tales of Suspense #51....
holds Roxanne captive. He frees her and defeats Scarecrow, demanding to know where Blackheart is. Scarecrow directs him to the now-derelict Quentin Carnival, where Ghost Rider battles more demons and killer clowns.
Ghost Rider then finds himself confronting with Mephistopheles, who turns out to have led him on a wild goose chase. His Hell Cycle has blazed a glyph into the Earth that the devil can use to free himself from Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
and hasten the Apocalypse
Apocalypse
An Apocalypse is a disclosure of something hidden from the majority of mankind in an era dominated by falsehood and misconception, i.e. the veil to be lifted. The Apocalypse of John is the Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament...
. However, Mephisto is usurped at the last moment by Blackheart. Blackheart then becomes a giant, monstrous creature (more resembling his comic-book appearance) that Ghost Rider fights and ultimately defeats. The game then ends with Johnny reuniting with Roxanne.
Gameplay
The game features a system reminiscent to that of God of WarGod of War (video game)
God of War is an action adventure video game for the PlayStation 2 first released by Sony Computer Entertainment's Santa Monica division in March 2005...
, even having some of the same controls and style of attacks. Combos are done with bare hands and with the Demonic chain. The overall mood, setting and visual style are very much the same as those in the first installment of Devil May Cry
Devil May Cry
is an action game developed and published by Capcom, released in 2001 for the PlayStation 2. Although it is the first game in the series of the same name, the events in Devil May Cry are second in the series storyline's chronological order, taking place after Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening and...
. When on the Hellcycle, Ghost Rider is still capable of performing many of the same chain attacks, and can shoot hellfire.
The Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
version has some elements of Road Rash
Road Rash
Road Rash is the name of a motorcycle-racing video game series by Electronic Arts, in which the player participates in violent illegal street races. The game was originally released for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, but was ported to several other systems. Six different games were released from...
and Castlevania
Castlevania
Castlevania, known as in Japan, is a video game series created and developed by Konami. The series debuted in Japan on September 26, 1986, with the release of for the Family Computer Disk System , followed by an alternate version for the MSX 2 platform on October 30...
.
Alternate characters
After beating the game on certain difficulty levels, bonus character skins can be unlocked. They include Classic Ghost RiderGhost Rider (comics)
Ghost Rider is the name of several fictional supernatural antiheroes appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Marvel had previously used the name for a Western character whose name was later changed to Night Rider and subsequently to Phantom Rider.The first supernatural Ghost Rider is...
, Ghost Rider 2099
Ghost Rider 2099
Ghost Rider 2099 is a comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics, under the Marvel 2099 imprint, from 1994 to 1996.The series is set in the year 2099, in a dystopian possible future of the Marvel Universe, and features Kenshiro "Zero" Cochrane, a hacker who was killed but resurrected as...
, Vengeance
Vengeance (comics)
Vengeance is a fictional American comic book character owned by Marvel Comics. He was initially introduced as an antagonist for the Ghost Rider. Lt. Michael Badilino was the first known person to be host, now the entity is attached to Deputy Kowalski. Since his debut he has taken on the role of...
, and Blade
Blade (comics)
Blade is a fictional character, a superhero/vampire hunter in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Marv Wolfman and penciller Gene Colan, his first appearance was in the comic book The Tomb of Dracula #10 as a supporting character.The character went on to alternatively star and co-star...
the vampire hunter.
Blade gameplay
If the player chooses to start the game again as Blade, they get slightly changed gameplay. Blade only has his Daywalker Sword for a weapon, he does not have the shotgun or chain-link attacks of Ghost Rider. Combo attacks are much more limited. He also does not replenish health by absorbing flames from the occasional fire-drums staggered throughout the game levels. Instead, Blade can suck the life force from any wounded foe that is a non-boss (readiness is indicated by a circle above their heads). However, during the motorcycle-racing sections, his vehicle can still shoot firebolts, and he can use his sword for melee combat.Reception
Ghost Rider has generally received mixed reviews, with a 54% average on Game RankingsGame Rankings
GameRankings is a website that collects review scores from both offline and online sources to give an average rating. It indexes over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 games.GameRankings is owned by CBS Interactive...
and a 51% average on Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
. Official PlayStation 2 Magazine UK gave the game a 7/10 rating, X-play gave it a 2/5.