New Ghost Rider MCU reveal is the best time to play this underrated PlayStation 2 gem

In case you missed it Marvel shared plans for the future of the MCU at San Diego Comic Con 2026.

The cast from Avengers: Doomsday spoke about the incoming crossover, Black Panther 3 was announced starring David Jonsson as T’Challa II, and Ryan Gosling was confirmed to play Ghost Rider in a future film.

Simply titled Ghost Rider, the film is scheduled for sometime in 2028, sometime after the release of Avengers: Secret Wars.

It’s expected the events of Secret Wars will ‘reboot’ the MCU in various ways, allowing for long-gone characters to return with new faces, and characters from other universes like the Fantastic Four to exist as if they’d always been there.

Ryan Gosling’s introduction to the MCU is particularly exciting as the Spirit of Vengeance is a fan-favourite for many, and the last time he starred in his own film was in 2011 when Nicolas Cage played the role.

The film’s reveal is great news, but it’s got us thinking about the criminally-underrated PlayStation 2 game, and how it really ought to return.

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Retro gamers need this PlayStation 2 banger added to their collection

Ghost Rider (2007) was developed by Climax Action and published by 2K Games. It was a spin-off from the Nicolas Cage film of the same name, which was released earlier that year.

God of War and Devil May Cry fans will feel right at home with this one, as it’s a hack-and-slash title where Ghost Rider uses his chains and fists to pummel demons back down to hell.

By combining his weapons with hellfire he can unleash some pretty wild combos, and the higher your combo the more powerful your attacks will be. Ghost Rider will even burn with a hotter, brighter blue flame as the battle rages on.

2K Games

When the action gets a little overwhelming you can employ some ranged attacks to give yourself some breathing room, but the best move is undoubtedly Ghost Rider’s iconic Penance Stare, which does devastating amounts of damage to what unfortunate soul he’s tormenting with it.

As you fight your way through the stages there’ll also be opportunities to ride his devilish motorcycle, as you tear down infernal highways and send more demons sliding across the asphalt.

Another cool aspect is how its story takes place after the events of the film, and partway through you’ll cross paths with another fan-favourite Marvel character; Blade the Vampire Hunter. After beating the game once you unlock Blade as a playable character and can replay the story with him, so in a way you’re getting two games in one right?

Unfortunately the game got a pretty mild reception when reviewers got their hands on it, but don’t let that sway you. It’s well-loved by those who’ve played it. It might not beat the God of War or Devil May Cry games it’s based on, but it’s well-worth playing if you’re a hack-and-slash or Marvel fan.

Like many licensed superhero games it never got re-released, and likely never will. We’d love to be proven wrong though as Ghost Rider has been a playable character in loads of Marvel games over the years, with the most recent being Marvel Tokon Fighting Souls.

Luckily anyone who still owns a PlayStation 2 can secure a physical copy easily. On the second-hand market they go for around $25/£20, but can be found cheaper depending on where you look.

If you’re tech-savvy you can also use the ROM from your physical disc to emulate the game on PC. With a boosted resolution and framerate it’ll probably be the ideal way to experience this classic.

We’d also love to see another Ghost Rider game in the future if Marvel wants to take the risk. Spider-Man has been the safe bet for video games for years, but with Marvel’s Wolverine already having its fans there’s potential for more.