Phasmophobia

If you love horror and love multiplayer games, it’s often hard to find a good one that blends both in any kind of meaningful way. Phasmophobia is the game everyone is talking about, because it is a classic psychological horror wrapped up in a multi-player package. In this game you are assigned to a team of ghost hunters, whose job is to confirm a ghost is in existence in a house, and measure what sort of threat it is. Your not the actual ghost hunters, you’re the team that breaks ground so ghost hunters can do their job.

Imagine playing Pacify, but across multiple maps and with multiple ghosts, and you’ll have a rough idea what playing Phasmophobia is like. This might sound easy enough at first, and Phasmophobia does a fabulous job of lulling you into a false sense of security with a few easy ghosts and nothing more than the mildest of scares. Don’t be fooled, it’s an illusion. After these first few easy runs, the true horror begins.

The fear is in your mind

One interesting factor in the game is that the ghosts seem to sense the mood of the team itself. This isn’t your imagination. The game uses voice recognition to pick up on the tone of the players. Any hint of fear in your voice will be picked up by the ghosts too—and they’ll pick off those who have even the slightest quiver in your voice. Some players have even gone as far as to try and provoke the ghosts deliberately with their voice, only to get nothing. They break off from the team for just one moment, and are immediately killed. The way this game is intuitive to you the player is part of what makes it truly scary.

Try to get out before the ghosts detect you

The whole goal of the game is to try and detect which one of 12 ghosts is in a map, where they are located at on the map, and get out before they notice you. As you advance this gets much harder, with ghosts noticing you on a hair trigger. You have a few tools that can help you, but can only carry 3 items at a time—and different ghosts need different equipment in order to be detected. This can get tricky, especially since you’ll want to bring at least one item that wards off ghost attacks as well.

VR and PC available

The game is also available for Virtual Reality, which adds to the experience of the game. The game played in VR is absolutely terrifying, with ghosts whispering in your ear and disappearing when ever you whip around. The game is very well done when it comes to sound and visuals, regardless of what version you play.

Indie Gaming

As beautiful and sleek as this game is, you would think it was made by a top performing game company. It’s actually from the indie gaming company Kinetic Game. It has rapidly become one of the top selling games on Steam, and one of the most streamed games out there.

Pros:

• True psych horror
• Challenging gameplay
• Never gets old

Cons:

• It may be too scary for some

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