Phasmophobia

Phasmophobia is one of the latest hit games to play with your friends, especially if you're a fan of spooky, ghost-themed horror games. In this new indie title, players link up and take on the roles of supernatural investigators, using advanced technology to investigate haunted locations. Although it has an altogether refreshing concept, Phasmophobia is a combat-free horror game like Fatal Frame or Outlast. Using either standard “flat” gameplay or the immersive VR options, players will dive into a creepy experience with plenty of frights. While some of the features feel slightly bare-bones and there are a handful of glitches, Phasmophobia is a great time with friends!

Main Game Features

• 4-player cooperative ghost hunting
• Virtual reality compatibility
• Multiple maps and over a dozen unique ghost types

Story

In Phasmophobia, the story is to the point and simple as can be. You and your group of pals (up to four players) are experienced ghost hunters, sent to a seemingly haunted spot to investigate signs of paranormal activity. It's not your job to defeat the ghosts or fight them in any way, but rather to incite abnormal occurrences and document them. There's a variety of creepy locales to explore, including a variety of houses, an asylum, and more. Each area offers its own environmental storytelling, which is up to you to interpret. As you track down ghosts and discover their various quirks, you'll undoubtedly conjure up your own tale of what inspired these hauntings.

Gameplay

Phasmophobia is all about the thrill of the chase, and in this case, it's ghosts. Playing as a squad of paranormal researchers, you have a wide arsenal of equipment to use on your nighttime escapades. There are microphones to record EVP, cameras to capture ghostly apparitions, and much more. At the start of every ghost hunt, you'll be given a small list of optional objectives, which usually include tracking down pieces of evidence, documenting ghost sightings, and more. Some ghosts react more to singular investigators while others require the entire group to enter the premises. The investigators who stay behind can monitor activity from your trusty van, which contains a few handy screens with helpful stats.

As you investigate for ghosts, you can try to summon their spirits by calling out their name and asking questions. Using impressive voice recognition, the ghost will often respond to you, affecting where they appear and what supernatural activity happens. Experiencing frightening events will take a toll on your sanity, so in order to keep your cool, you'll either have to swap out with another investigator or use precious consumables. You have no way of defending yourself against malevolent spirits, so it's best to be on guard at all times. Once you've completed any required objectives, you're free to escape, bagging another successful hunt.

Conclusion

Phasmophobia is a horror game quite unlike any other. Instead of being packed with gory deaths or cheap jump scares, the game thrives off of an intense atmosphere and the joy of cooperative gaming. With the heightened immersion of VR, Phasmophobia can get exceptionally scary, but even non-horror fans should find the experience exciting.

Pros

• Very creepy atmosphere
• Tons of fun with friends
• Unique and entertaining concept

Cons

• Awkward voice commands
• Ridiculous glitches
• Underwhelming graphics