With how unique Phasmophobia is, many are wondering how the game works. It’s not like most team-centric games, in which the objectives and how to do them are clearly established. Instead, players are tasked with exploring haunted locations and seeking out ghosts. This can be done solo (which isn’t recommended for new players) or with up to three other players.
We’ll go over a brief overview of how Phasmophobia works below. This won’t be a full walkthrough, but it should give readers a good grasp of what the game is about.
What do you do in Phasmophobia?
In Phasmophobia, players take the role of a paranormal researcher that searches locations for hauntings. The core objective is to collect evidence to determine what type of spirit resides in the area.
To determine what kind of ghost is haunting an area, players have to localize its territory. Usually, a spirit is drawn to one particular room. Depending on the location, this can be reasonably quick or take the team quite a bit of time. Starting locations like suburban homes only have a small area to search. However, professional-rated places, like the asylum and school, can cover a vast expanse of ground and include multiple floors.
Locating the ghost is done with sound sensors, night-vision cameras, and various scanners. Each of the 12 different types of spirits currently included in the game has different traits, and this can affect the search.
Once the team has located the ghost, they must perform experiments to figure out which type of spirit they’re dealing with. Some ghost types make the area freezing cold, while others will react to Ouiji Boards or saying their name aloud. Each spirit has three clues that lead to its identity. Once it is identified, the team’s primary goal is complete.
However, there are secondary objectives which can net players more money. These might require a team member to take a picture of a ghost or to locate spectral evidence via a UV light. These can be dangerous to attempt, though. Ghosts aren’t harmless. They eventually will become displeased by the team’s presence and will begin hunting them. When this occurs, players must hide or use countermeasures to survive.
All-in-all, there’s no game quite like Phasmophobia, and it has unique gameplay that excitingly combines horror and teamwork. It’s definitely worth checking out at $14, and even offers VR mode for even more immersion.
