Thank you @unepic_fran for sending us this game to review!

Ghost 1.0 is a game I'm almost sorry I didn't pick up sooner. Exploratory 2-D games also known as "Metroidvanias" to many are quite popular. Yet these games are very hard to get people to invest time in. Without proper direction and challenge, people will put a bad Metroidvania on their backlog. While it may not be the very best game in the genre, it certainly shows the love of Metroidvanias are here to stay. This is Ghost 1.0.

Ghost 1.0 is set in a futuristic corporate world; the Nakamura corporation has finally developed an artificial intelligence that can make robots exactly like humans. These new robots with this new AI are built to be housekeepers. Two men have hired the assassin for hire, Ghost, to steal the blueprints. As the story unfolds however, Ghost learns just what the cost of immortality will come to. Artificial life is not without sacrifice.

Ghost 1.0 is a Metroidvania platformer with lots of love built into it. You go from room to room exploring the Nakamura space station looking for power ups, new weapons and various upgrades all while searching high and low for the AI blueprints. You have a map to guide you as well as assistance and narration from the two men who hired you. When push comes to shove Ghost can leave her body to possess other mechanical beings. You have no time limit and you can use a button to go back to your original body swiftly if you so choose. Throughout the game you can find trip alarms that start an enemy wave event; If you defeat the event you get rewards from currency to new weapons. If you die you'll be brought back to the last save point you activated with only one weapon. If you return to the last spot you died then you might get some weapons and power-ups back.

The game itself is well designed; you'll always know where to go and you have everything to aid you. The atmosphere and music help immerse you into the world of a kick butt robo-girl and nothing seems off about the game. The constant banter between the operations chief and Ghost can get a bit annoying but it's nothing that gets in the way of the game-play. Each narration moment has a purpose from tutorials on new abilities and mechanics to funny little moments and references. While the game's story and voice acting helps it stand out from the rest, the game-play itself is nothing new. While the game play is well designed it isn't exactly the most unique thing on the block. The weapons and mechanics are all truly familiar. You'll have your long range, AOE and short range weapons. You'll also sink back into the habit of exploring the area to look for safe rooms and out of the way upgrades. Thankfully it's at least done well. This game can bring new people into the Metroidvania type game. While I'll enjoy my time with Ghost 1.0, It will not always be my go-to game.

Sound effects and music are decent. The music is pretty immersive and fits the setting. The voice acting is decent and it helps move along the story. The sound effects fit the weapons and they have enough variation to keep things fresh, you wouldn't want to here a laser sound from a grenade would you? My only nit pick issue is I wish voiced scenes happened more often. Seems the earlier scenes were just to teach the game and then they slowed down as I progressed.

Morality isn't a big issue with this game. It has cartoony violence with explosions and gears, no blood. The language is very clean as well. The story can go into some complex issues that cover slavery so the story itself is not for the younger set.

While Ghost 1.0 is not the biggest thing on the block, it's definitely worth a purchase. Not every game has to wow you at every turn with something new. Returning to familiar territory from a new angle can be just what people need. I will also state that others that are new to the genre may just stick with Ghost 1.0. This game is filled with speed running potential as well.