Phasmophobia is a horror co-op game in early access that can be played on PC and optionally in VR. It was released in September on Steam and is very well received there, as well as on the streaming platform Twitch. We at MeinMMO reveal what the game is all about.
What is the game about? In Phasmophobia, you take on the role of a ghost hunter and team up with other players, with a group consisting of up to 4 players. You start in a van and receive some information about the mission, as well as secondary objectives.
Your main task, however, is to identify the ghost in a house. To do this, you can use various devices such as cameras, thermometers, ghost boxes, and EMF readers. You set these up in the rooms. Additionally, you can find evidence such as old photographs.
However, you can also communicate with the ghost. The ghost reacts to your voice and what you say. For some missions, you need to ask the ghost certain questions. The best experience is to use a microphone and the English language. The ghosts in the game do not (yet) understand German.
However, you should not provoke the ghost too much, as it becomes increasingly aggressive over time. It can attack and kill you. Additionally, your paranoia increases and your mental health declines as the game progresses. The longer you take, the more crazy experiences you’ll have.
A round typically lasts between 15 and 60 minutes.
What makes the game so interesting? Phasmophobia is said to be particularly fun in a group and truly scary, especially when using a VR headset for full immersion in the game.
Although it has been out for a short time, it has already captivated tens of thousands of players, achieved extremely positive ratings on Steam, and even gained a good ranking on Twitch.
97% positive ratings from over 64,000 concurrent players
How is the game received? Phasmophobia was released on September 28 and has since reached an average player count of 22,062 on Steam. At peak times, even 64,793 players were playing the horror game simultaneously, and the trend is strongly increasing. The record was set just this morning on October 7 at 5:00 AM our time (via SteamCharts).
However, the standout feature is the positive rating of the game. Of the 14,672 reviews, a whopping 97% are positive. For comparison: The currently most popular MMORPG on Steam has 87% positive ratings.
Phasmophobia is praised for:
- The creepy atmosphere with a constant interplay of light and shadow.
- The teamwork required for mission success. For difficult missions, some reviews suggest forming a fixed team rather than relying on random players.
- The various ways Phasmophobia can be played. Those who want to avoid jump scares can guide the team from the van, while the brave venture directly into the musty basement.
- The affordable price, as the title is currently available on Steam for €11.59.
- The support of VR, which works particularly well in a horror game.
However, there is criticism for:
- Bugs and disconnects, as often occur in early access.
- The still limited selection of maps and varied content.
Note: Originally, it was mentioned that players were bothered by the need to cooperate with others. In our comments, it was pointed out that one can certainly play alone, but it is less fun. This criticism is therefore unfounded.
Horror creates highlights and clips on Twitch
How is the game performing on Twitch? According to Twitchtracker, Phasmophobia is also well-received on the streaming platform. In the last 7 days, it ranked 7th in terms of average viewers and also in total hours watched.
The game is popular there primarily due to its atmosphere and the reactions of the streamers.
In a clip from ItsSlikeR, he is so scared that he pulls his headset off his head:
In general, the streamer is very successful with the game. In another clip, he witnesses another player being killed and thanks the ghost at the end for doing him a favor:
It seems like Phasmophobia could create a hype, similar to what Among Us did recently on Twitch.
