Co-op indie horror game Phasmophobia is the ghost hunting experience that horror fans need to experience this October. In Phasmophobia, players are tasked with entering a haunted location and attempting to gather evidence to successfully identify the type of ghost. Players use a wide range of ghost hunting equipment, including EMF Readers, spirit boxes and thermostats.
Many modern horror games follow the trend of games like Five Nights at Freddy's and Slender: The Arrival by focusing on the anticipation of a jump scare to terrify players. Here's how Phasmophobia breaks this trend with its unique approach to the survival horror genre.
When the player and up to four friends start a round, they'll get a brief outline of what to expect from the ghost. Players will get a name, whether it responds to large or small groups and a brief idea of how hostile the ghost will be. There's even a live graph that shows the ghost's current level of activity ranging from one to ten. From here, players move into the house and begin attempting to track the ghost to a specific room that it may be haunting, all whilst the ghost slowly begins to grow more angered at the players' presence.
In games like Five Nights at Freddy's, inevitably, the player will eventually run into a jump scare. That anticipation builds during gameplay, culminating in a huge jump scare. A game like Five Nights at Freddy's can eventually become predictable and formulaic as players begin to learn what to do to avoid the scares, become numb to the anticipation and altogether get much more used to the game's gimmick.
The anticipation of an eventual ghost appearance or attack is still there in Phasmophobia. The entire round is spent waiting for the ghost to do something. More times than not, the ghost will make their presence known fairly quickly, but it's those periods of inactivity that makes the game scary. There are some rounds where players could get in and out of a location, get all the evidence they need and never even hear the ghost.
What makes Phasmophobia such a unique game to play this Halloween season is it doesn't rely on constant threats or jump scares. In fact, there isn't a single "traditional" jump scare in the game. There's never a horrifying face that fills the player's screen and blows their eardrums out with a terrifying screech, even when the ghost kills the player. The ghost can appear, but it'll only ever be followed by the sound of breath in the player's ear or even with no sound at all.
Sound is another way that Phasmophobia turns the scares up to eleven. As soon as players walk through the front door of whatever haunted location they're investigating, they'll be greeted with a deep ambient hum that immediately sets a very uneasy tone. The game also uses proximity voice chat mixed with a global walkie-talkie system. However, the game makes it very clear that the ghosts are always listening. Players need to watch what they say and when they say it as not to accidentally draw the wrong kind of attention.
Even if it isn't always visible, the ghost is always moving. Stairs creaking, footsteps and breathing are all noises that the ghost can make as it moves throughout the building, which also keeps players on edge as they continue their paranormal investigation. There's never a quiet moment in Phasmophobia, and players will quickly find themselves looking over their shoulders at every creak and groan.
Whilst the in-game walkie-talkie system is a great way for players to keep in contact, it's not always reliable. During the ghost's hunt phase, the radio becomes inactive, meaning that players suddenly lose contact with their ghost hunting buddies. Even if the team sticks together, making any noise (including talking) will draw the hostile ghost's attention. Communication is a huge advantage for players in Phasmophobia, and losing it is terrifying.
With the pandemic keeping seasonal horror attractions like haunted houses and escape rooms closed, gamers looking to get terrified this Halloween season with their friends should give Phasmophobia a look. It's available on Steam and supports up to four-player co-op. Phasmophobia is a fantastic way for horror fans to get their scares in this Halloween season from the safety of their homes. Just remember: the ghosts are always listening.