Ghostrunner 2 goes free on the Epic Games Store starting March 26, and the window runs through April 13. It’s normally $39.99, currently $7.99 on Steam with an 80% discount — but on Epic you claim it permanently for nothing. Do it even if you’re not playing this week.
Metacritic 81. IGN 90/100. DualShockers 95/100. Very Positive on Steam (80.5% from 3,038 reviews). This is a real game, not a giveaway filler.
Havendock is also free the same week (March 26 – April 2) — a cozy ocean colony sim, 87% positive on Steam. Grab it as the bonus. Ghostrunner 2 is the main event.
What Ghostrunner 2 Actually Is
One More Level built this as a direct sequel to the 2020 original. The setup: you’re a cyber ninja in a post-apocalyptic tower called Dharma City. Enemies die in one hit. So do you. Every combat section is a puzzle — read the arena, figure out the movement path, take out the sightlines before they take you out.
The sequel layers new mechanics on the same core loop:
- Motorcycle sections — new to this entry, and they land. Linear bike segments where you dodge obstacles and fight enemies at speed. The open-world bike hub is the weakest part of the game, but the structured moto levels are genuinely cool.
- Skill customization — you unlock ninja techniques and build a combat loadout, including a wingsuit for aerial traversal that opens up late-game movement significantly.
- A hub world — between missions you return to a rebel base and talk to characters: Zoe (returning from the first game), Saul the doctor, and Kira, a morally grey scientist who used to work for the other side. IGN said the conversations were “always interesting enough to make me want to check in with everyone before my next mission.”
- Boss fights — multiple, varied, and legitimately one of the highlights.
- Synthwave soundtrack — excellent. The kind of music that makes the movement feel 20% faster.
Is It Worth Playing?
If you liked Ghostrunner, Katana Zero, Sifu, or Neon White — yes, immediately. IGN called it “one of the most exciting action games all year” at launch in October 2023.
The user score gap is real and worth understanding. Critics gave it 81/90+. Steam users are at 80.5% positive. The difference: this game is punishing in ways that aren’t for everyone. There’s no difficulty setting. If you play action games on easy to experience the story, Ghostrunner 2 will chew you up and spit you out. You will die 50 times on a single combat encounter and that’s not a bug.
The open-world bike hub is empty. The story is serviceable but not the reason to play. Those are the two legitimate criticisms. Everything else — the movement, the combat flow, the boss design, the pacing — is well-executed.
Free is a no-brainer. Even if it sits in your library for six months, claim it now.
Do You Need to Play the First Game?
No. Ghostrunner 2 opens with a recap video. The sequel is the better game across the board — more mechanics, better world-building, improved bosses — and plays fine as a standalone.
If you want context, the original Ghostrunner regularly drops below $5 on Steam sales. Check IsThereAnyDeal.com for current pricing.
Also Free: Havendock
Havendock is a cozy colony builder where you construct a floating settlement on the ocean, managing castaways and resources. Released April 2025 from YYZ Studio, 657 reviews at 87% positive. Normal price $6.79. If the genre sounds like your kind of thing, it’s a solid grab — just know it shares the free window only through April 2, a week before Ghostrunner 2’s window closes.
And if you want more upcoming Epic freebies: Castlevania Anniversary Collection goes free starting March 30 — eight classic Castlevania games in one pack, including Bloodlines which was a Sega Genesis exclusive for over 30 years. That one runs through April 13 as well. Claim everything in the same trip.
How to Claim Ghostrunner 2
Head to Epic’s free games page, log in or create a free account, and add Ghostrunner 2 (and Havendock) to your library. Free accounts work fine — you don’t need Epic Games Pass or any subscription. The game is yours to keep.
PC only. If you want it on console, $7.99 on Steam (80% off) is the current deal, or check CDKey markets at $8–12.
For a full rundown of everything free across Epic, Steam, Prime Gaming, and Game Pass right now, check the every free PC game available right now roundup.
The Bottom Line
Ghostrunner 2 is the best free game Epic is giving away this month — and probably this quarter. Metacritic 81, IGN 90, one of the tighter skill-based action games of 2023. The one-hit-kill format isn’t casual-friendly, but if you’ve ever enjoyed a game where getting good feels genuinely earned, this is worth your time. March 26 through April 13. Claim it.
