Those in the horror scene will be more than aware of Phasmophobia's long-awaited console release. PS5 and Xbox Series X|S ports of ??the game launched?? just a day ago. However, as with so many new releases in this modern gaming era, there are a few teething problems.

In this case, it's effecting players on the Xbox. A recent post over on Reddit has noted how Phasmophobia crashes when played on the Microsoft console. While this may only be a problem with the trial version, develop?er Kinetic Games has issued a brief statement on social media.

Posting to X, the studio has acknowledged that there are problems when booting up the trial version on Xbox Series X|S. An additional post says the team has "continued to investigate this issue" and will be sending out a fix as soon as possible. For now, it's best to keep an ey?e on a??ny updates.

New content for the spoopy season

The console ports have gone hand-in-hand with the game's recent Halloween "Crimson Eye" patch, which features the Blood Moon event, and some tweaks to the game. This includes �according to the patch notes �optimiz?ation improvements, the abilit?y to invite people via your Steam friend's list, crossplay with the aforementioned PS5 and Xbox releases, plus plenty of fixes.

The console ports of Phasmophobia have felt like a long time coming. The game originally launched for PC back in September 2020 and �perha??ps because of the pandemic which saw gaming experience a massive uptick in popularity as billions were confined to their homes �the indie horror game became a massive success.

Kinetic has been promising PlayStation and Xbox versions for some time now, so it feels like a relief to many that they can now get stuck into the ghost hu??nting phenomenon. So long as the developer keeps an eye on any issues that are plaguing console players.

The post Phasmop?hobia dev is awar?e of Xbox Series crashes, is on the case appeared first on Destructoid.

The Steam Deck has bee?n something of a revelation for PC gaming. This powerful device allows you to play your PC games on a portable screen, allowing for an experience more akin to something like the Nintendo Switch.

This is all well and good, but some PC games require the pinpoint precision of mouse-and-keyboard input. That's why we're taking a look at the 15 best S??team Deck games, so you know which titles are worth playing on your portable PC device. All of the following games are marked "Steam Deck Verified," meaning you can guarantee a solid experience with these selections.

15. Phasmophobia

Hunting ghosts with friends, what could be more fun? Despite still technically being in Early Access, Phasmophobia is arguably the best game in its genre. You're placed on a map, which can be as small as a suburban house or as large as an entire pr?ison, haunted by a ghost.

There are 24 different ghost types, each offering up three types of evidence to help you and your friends decipher what they are. You find this evidence using various types of ghost-hunting equipment, from spirit boxes to EMF readers. It's not entirely that simple, as these ghosts will drain your sanity before hunting and killing you. Phasmophobia is a bl??ast, and we recommend playing with friends.

14. Diablo 4

Blizzard's long-awaited follow-up in its iconic ARPG series was worth the wait. Diablo 4 follows the same general gameplay loop as previous iterations, defeating powerful enemies through??out dungeons while collecting hordes of loot to upgrade?? your build.

While technically an RPG, Diablo 4's quests and storyline play second fiddle to the game's unique brand of chaotic action. There's nothing quite like melting swarms of demons while finding a rare item that takes the havoc up a notch. Some might recommend a mouse and keyboard for Diablo 4, but you can definitely do just fine on a S??team Deck.

13. Balatro

Balatro isn't your standard card game. There's almost too much complexity to sum up in a few sente?nces, but the gist of it is this: it's a roguelike deck-builder where you must score points by playing poker hands against blinds. With these points, you can upgrade your deck and buy joker cards, which affect the game in various ways. It's a?bsurdly addictive and puts an impressive spin on a classic card game.

Given the nature of Balatro's controls, it really doesn't matter whether you play on a regular PC or on a Steam Deck. It plays very well on Valve's portable devices, so if you're looking for a more laid-back Balatro, Steam Deck is the way to go.

12. Portal 2

Portal 2 might be well over a decade old at this point, but it can still kick it with any modern release on the market. With sharp humor, challenging puzzles, and an endlessly replayable co-op mode, Portal 2 remains one of the best video games ever made.

Valve gets so much ??mile?age out of one simple concept: you have a portal gun that you can use to open portals around the game world. You must use these portals to solve puzzles throughout each level, most of which are physics-based. Luckily, these puzzles don't require pinpoint mouse precision, which is why this is perfect for chilled-out Steam Deck play.

11. Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 had its troubles upon its 2020 release, disappointing almost everyone. In the years since, CD Projekt Red has remained committed to making it the best game it can be via countless patches and the sublime 2023 expansion, Phantom Liberty.

At long last, Cyberpunk 2077 is (almost) everything it was hyped up to be, and it runs great on the Steam Deck. With engaging characters, powerful RPG choices, and the staggeringly beautiful open world of Night City, Cyberpunk 2077 is a game you can really sink your teet??h into nowadays.

10. The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth

If The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth isn't the best roguelike ever, then I don't know what is. Straight from the brain of Super Meat Boy developer Edmund McMillen, The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth sees you fight through proced?urally-generated dungeons against some of the most terrifyingly-designed monsters you'll ever see in a video game.

As you progress, you collect items on each floor. ??This contributes to your build, but not every item complements one another. Thi?s means you're constantly making important choices about what to pick up and what to leave behind. Each run is permadeath, resetting you right to the start if you die while progressing through the floors. Because of the randomized floors and items, it might be one of the most replayable games ever made.

9. Dave the Diver

How many games do you know that can blend the action-adventure and restaurant simulator genres seamlessly? There's not many, let me tell you that much. Dave the Diver is one such title, and it's undoubtedly one of the best gam??es on the ??Steam Deck.

Dave the Diver is split into two gameplay sections. During the day, you dive into the sea, collecting ingredients from the ocean floor while fighting sealife with your harpoon gun. Late??r in the evening, you use these ingredients to run a sushi restaurant, improving its reputation through good food and service. All of this is complemented by a gorgeous pixel art style, resulting in a game unlike anything you'll have played before.

8. Resident Evil 4

2023's Resident Evil 4 might be the best remake in the series to date, and that's a high bar to clear. The game sees the return of Leon Kennedy, who is tasked with res??cuing the presi??dent's daughter, Ashley. You're faced with hordes of the undead throughout your adventure, which tops the 2005 original in just about every way.

Its graphics? Stunning. Its controls? Modern. The story? It has a tighter pacing this time around. And that's before we even get to the atmosphere, which is the real star of the show in the Resident Evil 4 remake. It's?? absolutely d??ripping with tension, which carries over even on the small screen of the Steam Deck.

7. Skyrim

13 years after its launch, and there's still nothing that quite evokes the same feelings as Skyrim. It's a classic RPG in every sense of the word, with one of the most detailed open worlds you'll ever explore, even after all this time. Interesting questlines and memorable characters are? the tip of the iceberg in Bethesda's magnum opus.??

On PC, Skyrim modding takes things to another level. Nexus Mods has almost 100,000 mods to download for the game, so the question is: can you mod Skyrim on Steam Deck? Yes! It's a bit more hassle, but it's certainly possible, meaning you can bring Skyrim up to modern standards on your handheld device.

6. RimWorld

Ludeon Studios' RimWorld is a far deeper game than it seems on the surface. At first glance, it appears to be just another construction and management simulator. Simply put, it isn't. RimWorld gives you numerous starting scenar??ios, where you must attempt to survive and escape from a procedurally generated planet.

To make every playthrough unique, it employs the use of an AI storyteller, which can make decisions on the fly to affect proceedings. You can choose from various storytellers, each of which will change its behavior based on various parameters. Want something intense? Go with Randy Random. Want a more traditional narrative? Cassandra Classic will make that happen. The third is Phoebe Chillax, which offers a more laid-back experience. It's this storyteller feature alone that elevates RimWorld above every other game in the genre.

5. God of War

2018's God of War finally arrived on PC in 2022, breaking Santa Monica Studio's masterpiece free from its PS4 restraints. The game tells a powerful story between Kratos and his young son, Atreus, and their journey to spread the ashes of their wife a??nd mother, Faye, at the highest peak in Jötu??nheim.

Its hack-and-slash gameplay is similar to previous God of War games, yet the combat still manages to feel distinctly modern. That's an achievement in itself. Just everything, from the impeccable score from Bear McCreary to the awesome world design, comes together as a full package to make God of War one of the best Steam Deck games.

4. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

How will CD Projekt Red ever top The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt? The culmination of an epic trilogy, this title is an extraordinary RPG, with impactful choices to be made even in the smallest of moments. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt features some of the most well-written side-quests you'll ever see, as well as two fantastic expansions in Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine.

For a 2015 release, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt holds up extremely well from? both a visual and gameplay perspe??ctive. The combat still feels very fluid, which is why it remains one of the best Steam Deck games you can play after almost a decade.

3. Stardew Valley

There's a reason life-simulation fans are still returning to Stardew Valley almost nine years after its release. ConcernedApe's game strips the formula back to basics ??but does everything it attempts just about perfectly.

There's farming, fishing, building, mining, socializing, romancing, and even combat - it's a pretty simple life in Stardew Valley. If you enjoy life-simulators, there's a good chance you've already played this game. If you haven't, there's a good chance Stardew Valley will convert you to the genre.

2. Elden Ring

Elden Ring is not for the impatient gamers out there. This open-world RPG by FromSoftware will test the limits of your patience, punishing you with sweet, sweet death over and over again. It's a classic Souls-like, defined by nigh-impossible bosses and frustratingly infrequent checkpoints, but with a bigger scale than anything the studio has ever attempted before. The satisfaction from victory in Elden Ring will have you jumping for joy.

Given that many would recommend Elden Ring with a controller anyway, I feel safe say??ing the game works great wit?h the Steam Deck joysticks. Go forth and explore the Lands Between from the comfort of your own couch.

1. Baldur's Gate 3

Top spot was only ever going to Baldur's Gate 3. Larian's 2023 CRPG is an instant classic. With deep customization, fun combat, brilliant companions, and a gripping narrative, Baldur's Gate 3 is a game we'll all be playi??ng for many years to com?e. I could wax further lyrical about its epic world, engaging quests, and a staggering level of freedom, but I reckon you get the picture.

Baldur's Gate 3 feels made for the Steam Deck in many ways. The turn-based combat lends itself well to the joystick controls, and the slow-paced gameplay in general makes it perfect for kicking back on the couch?? and playing at your own pace.

The post 15 Best Steam Deck Games appeared first on Destructoid.

Horror is way ??more fun when faced ?in a group because you gain extra resilience against minor threats and get even more scared when the fear and paranoia seep into and destroy your party.

Sadly, most studios don't risk going for AAA co-op horror experiences, but they sho??uld, as they provide some of the most thrilling experiences you can get out of a game. Let's look at the best co-op horror?? experiences out there.

Lethal Company

A true horror creator's only fear is to have their creation ridiculed. No one wants to pour their soul into making what they think is the scariest monster of all time and then have audiences laugh their asses off at it. The best example in gaming is the ghost baby from Layers Of Fear, who runs into a wall and falls down in a??n unintentionally hilarious manner. It's a perfect "what were they ?thinking" moment capable of tainting your every memory from that game.

Lethal Company is miraculously immune to that problem, as it's known for getting players to laugh hysterically at their predicaments while also pissing their pants in fear. Aside from capitalism itself, the other enemies we face in Lethal Company are ridiculous in one way or another, but they still manage to get the job done.

Resident Evil 5

Most of the complaints aimed at Resident Evil 5 focused on the co-op NPC's AI. I'd add that the other aspect preventing RE5 from being an all-timer among Resident Evil fans was that it came out after Resident Evil 4, and pretty much any RE game wou?ld ?be a step down after that. Still, and I challenge you to take me up on that, I'd argue that a RE5 playthrough with a real human co-op partner is just as fun as RE4 at its best. Punching boulders is great, even more so when your partner is screaming "COME ON!" as they wait for rescue.

Definitely nothing to read into regarding AI vs real people in th??is entry.

Phasmophobia

You know what sucks about Reality tv shows about ghost hunting? They suck for many reasons, I'm sure, but the main one is that they're all fake. Whether you like those or not, Phasmophobia is a great option because you get to experience actual contact �and likely death �?by ghost.

These ghosts aren't really real, I think �and hope �but they are in the context of the game, and it works so well. Phasmophobia would've worked as a single-player gam??e, but it's elevated to such greater heights by allowing players to c??reate their own team of ghostbusters.

Killing Floor 2

Most great horror games of recent times follow Silent Hill's rule of putting players in the shoes of a mostly defenseless or at least untrained character in a nightmare scenario. I love that, but I also love Killing Floor 2 for taking us back to a ti??me when we got weaponry to match the monstrosities we're up against. Though it never reaches the heights of Left 4 Dead 2??, Killing Floor 2 is a hell of a lot of fun because of its completely bonkers setting and the plethora of monsters we have to get rid ??of.

Deceit 2

Deceit 2 is a co-op game with a masterful twist. You see, you must co-operate with all but two of your friends, you just don't know which ones. A real-time take on Werewolf, Deceit has you and your team work together to find out who's the impostor, and though it features a formulaic "escape map-type" gameplay seen in games like Dead By Daylight, it manages to feel fresh for much longer because the true horror here comes from your uneasy team dy??namics. Try this one out if you want to have a lot of fun harmlessly testing your group's bonds and ability for betrayal.

Escape the backrooms

The backrooms are the Slenderman of our time. An Internet-born myth about an inescapable liminal place that's as mundane-looking as it is dangerous. The meme has spawned a fantastic YouTube video series, but it's even more interesting as a co-op title. One of the scariest elements about the backrooms mythos is that you'd have to travers?e this place in solitude. The ga??me allows you to face this place with the help of a group, and, guess what, it doesn't get any better.

Left 4 Dead 2

Well, you know this one would come. Valve has a long history of excellent multiplayer games, but those tend to put you against other people. The Left 4 Dead series was the company's first foray into the competitive shooter scene, and it remains one of the best in the genre even over ten years after its original release. The rules are simple: four people have to go from point A to point B and face off against fantastically large numbers of zombies. There is no lack of cool setpieces or enemy variety, to the point that going back and playing the old campaigns remains as fun nowadays as it did so long ago. It also helps that you can get Left 4 Dead 2 at deep discounts multiple times per year.

With all that, only one question remains: when are we getting Left 4 Dead 3?

SCP: 5K

Another game born from Internet creepypasta, the SCP games have you working as an agent in the field of paranormal entity containment. You find yourself and your friends in a facility meant to imprison all sorts of possibly demonic entities, but something has gone very wrong and you now have to do your best to deal with them and hopefully come out alive. 5K is especially great if you're looking?? for a fresh perspective on co-??op horror.

Returnal

Returnal was originally a single-player-only modern bullet hell affair, but the developers quickly realized it was too good not to be shared. An update introduced the option to share the experience with a buddy, and it's an absolute blast. Instead of running away from monsters, Returnal has you runnin?g away and dodging their projectiles, but I assure yo??u it's just as fun.

Also, this is one of the few times when a co-op horror experience features AAA production values, so there's no reason not to give it a shot if you're looking for a?? truly excellent experience in surviving hell together.

Call Of Duty Zombies

Zombies began as a fun novelty game mode but it quickly grew into something bigger than most non-Call of Duty games out there. Using CoD's mechanics to face off against the undead horde is incredibly fun, even more so when most iterations add even more perks to make this mode stan?d out even more.

Now, you just have to find which Call Of Duty has the best-suited Zombies mode for you. If you're into straight-up gruesome horror, I'd go with Call Of Duty WWII. If you want the most fun out of the mode, however, I'd recommend Black Ops 3. Feel free to check out this list we created to let you know about the Zombies experience tha?t best fits you.

Devour

Cultists are the bad guys in whatever intellectual property they show up in, but not in Devour. Here, they're just dumbasses. They're also who you play as. Devour has you not trying to unleash an evil deity via some dark ritual? but rather having you stop it after the it has already gone bad. The concept is pretty fun, and Devour sure has gameplay and looks to match.

Labyrinthine

When it comes to horror, you either get survival, psychological, or a mix of both. You rarely get actual cerebral horror, but Labyrinthine has that in spades. On top of a creepy atmosphere, Labyrinthine is the? rare game that invites you and your team not merely to shoot the monste??rs until they die but also to get your brains in tune to solve a bunch of cool puzzles.

The post Best Co-op horror games appeared first on Destructoid.

Since Phasmophobia made its frightening debut on PC, console players have eagerly awaited their shot at the popular ghost-hunting game. Even though the chances seemed slim, the time has finally come for everyone to experience the horrific journey. Here's when to expect Phasmophobia to release on consoles.

Phasmophobia console release date, explained

According to the game's recent trailer, Phasmophobia will debut on consoles on Oct. 29, 2024, just in time for Halloween. Early Access will be available for PlayStation 5, PSVR2, and Xbox X|S. However, this does not include the Xbox Game Pass, as there are currently no plans for this subscription service. You can now wishlist the game on the PlayStation and Microsoft stores.

The only setback is that voice recognition may only be available until after the console launch. This feature allows PC users to communicate with the ghosts with a Spirit Box, utilizing recognized phrases?. Console users will, instead, use text input. However, Kinetic Games is working on? this mechanic to possibly get it ready for launch.

Phasmophobia will cost $19.99 upon release, showcasing a six-dollar increase from its current version. The Eventide update will also be available, bringing the terrors of the Point Hope map. In the future, new updates are expected to launch simultaneously on all platforms. So, there's no need to worry ??about console or PC-ex??clusive content.

Cross-play features will also be available for all players, allowing you to experience the horrors of Phasmophobia with everyone.

The post When does Phasmophobia come out on consoles? appeared first on Destructoid.

After a few delays, Phasmophobia will fin??ally be coming to consoles this year. It's certainly been a long time coming, and fortunately, the wait won't be too long with its expected release date set for the game's Halloween Event.

If we go by the release of Phasmophobia's past Halloween releases, console versions may debut around Oct. 26, 2024. This includes features like cross-play and VR compatibil??ity. As Kinetic Games cont?inues developing, voice recognition will also be coming soon. However, console players must input text temporarily until the studio finds a solution.

Although it will be available on Xbox, Phasmophobia will not be on Game Pass. Even more so, there are "no plans" to make it available on this service. It will be purchasable for $1??9.99, a six-dollar increase from the PC version. The price ??difference correlates with the new content that has been added over the years, hence why we're seeing a slight bump in cost.

Phasmophobia's console debut will match the current 0.10 version, also known as the Eventide major update. The f??armhouse reworks for Bleasdale and Grafton won't be a part of this?? just yet, but it will be introduced soon.

With Phasmophobia Version 1.0 on the horizon, veteran players can look forward to new ghost models, hallucinations, and horrifically entertaining events. And, if you are planning to try it on a console, Kinetic Games has indicated that the game's graphics will be "as clo??se to PC as possible."

As the console version is set to debut around the Halloween Event, newcomers can rest assured that they won't be left behind. These celebrations have always been inclusive, allowing all types of players to participate and earn special rewards. Personally, I'm overjoyed to see Phasmophobia finally making its way to consoles. The prospect of experiencing it on a larger screen is both thrilling and terrifying in equal?? measure.

The post Phasmophobia gets another console release date, with voice recognition featu??res expected to come appeared first on Destructoid.

Since Phasmophobia took the indie world by storm with its co-op ghost hunting mechanics, there have been a few imitators. Some of them, like Ghost Exile or Demonologist, have kept the basics of developer Kinetic Games' formula, but put their own spin on it. Even things like Lethal Company are going for a somewhat similar vibe. But Mirowin's Bureau of Contacts is trying something a little bit more advanced.

Very much taking cues from the likes of Phasmo, Bureau of Contacts is, on the surface, a ghost hunting horror game for up to four ??players. However, its biggest sell is that it attempts to magnify the scares with spooky goings-on that are intelligent and able to shift at will. According to the website, it does this through the use o?f "generative AI technologies," with the studio boasting that it has "trained a neural network to kill."

Over on the Steam page, the studio describes this neural network as being ab??le to control each ghost’s "behavior and tactics," which changes depending on the actions of players. It's also said to be able to hear your voice and adjust how it acts based on what you say.

How could I not go ahead and i?nstall it after a sales pitch lik??e that?

Bureau of Contacts? More like "bureau of crap-pants"

If you're familiar with Phasmophobia, you already know how this is going to go down. Players enter a haunted location and, with a series of tools at their disposal, must locate and identify the kind of ghost that's hanging around. However, with Bureau of Contacts �much like ?other ghost hunting games �there are some tweaks which do make it slightly more advan??ced.

For example,? while you can ascertain where paranormal activity is happening based on thermometer readings, this game has a little more nuance. The temperature might rise, it might lower, or it can even fluctuate. Similarly, with the EMP reader. It's not just a one and done mechanic; you have to actually decide what kind of sound the device is emitting.

It also looks great at the moment, despite it being in the early stages of development. Adequately spooky and atmospheric. However, where the game comes into its own is through the use of ho??rror as imagined by this neural network. This may well be the first of its kind in the gaming industry, with Mirowin selling the idea that this is the most "human-like intelligence."

It definitely does increase much of the tension via unpredictability. If ghosts are able to change their behavior on the fly based on what's happening during investigations, then it stands to reason that you can't ever truly know what's around the corner. The video below shows it in action. Phasmophobia has similar voice-activated scares, but here it's purported to be more state-of-the-?art.

Sure enough, our time in Bureau of Contacts may?? have been short, but it was pretty intense. There may be just the one map so far (it's still in Early Access), but ??it's sizable enough to get a decent amount of playtime out of it.

As for the scares themselves, it seems there is something ?to be said for having a highly advanced algorithm as the director, deciding how and when it attacks players. We noted numerous instances of unexplained sounds, such as running footsteps, being knocked down by invisible entities, as well as literal traps being laid.

How much of what we experienced was scripted or just ambient sounds is hard to say. It definitely felt like we were never safe so long as we remained in the house. If a ?neural network is pulling the strings on digital ghosts which watch our every move and listen to what we say, there's gotta be some potential for a truly horrifying experience.

I will admit that it's perhaps a little too soon to truly appreciate what Bureau of Contacts is trying to achieve. It's still very much in development, but that does mean it's on the cheap side. Currently, of the few hundred that have reviewed the game on Steam, many ?are impressed with what they've played so far, with one person admitting they "nearly pissed" themselves about four times. Not something I would readily admit ??to on a public forum, but I'm perhaps more traditional when it comes to embarrassing tidbits.

The game's not been out long, ?having launched June 20. There was an update recently which did add in a tutorial section. Honestly, if you want to actually get to grips with the basics, it's best to learn via these sections, even if you are familiar with other r??eleases in this genre.

This could be one to watch out for. One of the backlashes of this is how? people feel about games with generative AI. Everyone has their own opinion, of course, with many fearing it could spell the end of human input in the creative industr??ies.

In this case, however, it seems like Mirowin is interested in using AI/neural networks for scare factors only. It's up to you to decide whether this is a slippery slope into generative artificial intelligence dominating video games and other?? media, or whether you think it can have its uses. Is scaring players half to death "useful"? Only time will tell.

The post Bureau of Contacts is a Phasmophobia-like us?ing gen AI ghosts appeared first on Destructoid.

As many of you horror lovers out there will know, Phasmophobia recently launched its Eventide update. Of the many things the patch contains?, perhaps the one that caught most people's attention was the new map: Point Hope. This lighthouse location is pretty different compared to other maps, designed to really test your mettle against th??e ghostly denizens that dwell within.

Unlike pretty much every other level in Phasmo, this one favors verticality over lots of rooms spread out over a vast area, as is typical with the medium and large levels. Developer Kinetic Games even says in the patch notes on Steam that you'll "have to use different techniques" while ?investigati??ng.

So this guide will take you through some of ?the details about Point Hope?? and what you can expect from this unique place.

How big is Point Hope?

One thing that stood out to pretty much everyone was how many floors and rooms the new map contains. While the lighthouse has a total of 10 floors, it's only really 12 rooms overall, with m??ost floors hav??ing the one room; a bedroom or bathroom, for example.

As such, it's techn?ically classed a small map, but it definitely doesn't feel like that if you have to go up to ?the very top to lay down some equipment or escape a hunt.

This is partly what makes it such a unique location. That? and the fact that the rooms themselves can feel small. Some of the larger ones, such as the games room, feature a central pillar, which makes them seem much more cramped. As you can imagine, this makes dodging a ghost that's giving chase more of a challenge.

In short: Point Hope feels small, especially when there's several of you ??cramped into a tiny bathroom, but it kind of makes up for it with an interesting view of the ocean from the top. It can be difficult for one or two players, especially on higher? difficulties, so this map is probably best reserved for three or more given all the flights of stairs one may have to take.

The layout itself

As I say, there?? are ten floors in total, including the actual light of said lighthouse (clue's in the name, really). Here's a quick breakdown of what you can find on each one and the rooms they contain:

So, shall I tell the current?? occupiers you want to put in an offer. Wai??t...what was I doing?

The usual gubbins

As with any other Phasmophobia map, Point Hope has static places where the Cursed Possessions will spawn??. There are also quite a number of hiding spots from what I can see.

Of course, the bone will appear on the level in a random location. However, ??I did find that, because of the number of floors, it can be difficult to spot, especially given the mess that's in some of the rooms.

Additionally, there's a pret?ty nifty secret that will?? unlock a special badge after you end the investigation. But I'll be saving that for another article. Oh, I am such a tease!

In general, the new map is a pretty interesting one. As I said above, on harder difficulties, things do get tough. I mean, you could say that about most of the levels in the game, but in this one, being chased by a ghost down several flights of stairs, and not a lot of space to kite it around, does ??create a pretty intense experience.

The post Phasmophobia: Point Hope map layout and details appeared first on Destructoid.

By now, many of Phasmophobia "phans" will have been getting to grips with the Eventide update, espec?ially the brand-new map. Being a literal lighthouse, Point Hope offers something a little different for your gho??st hunting experience.

The fact that it contains 10 floors in total can seem a? little daunting at first. However, on the plus side, this does suggest that there may be more than a few hiding places whenever that spectral being decides to go on a rampage.

And you'd be right. When the going gets tough, there are a number of spots to keep out of sight of that angry Demon or Revenant, so here's a quick list of all the hiding places in Phasmophobia's Point Hope map.

Where to hide in Point Hope - They'll never see us in here!

Just as a quick aside: I'?m still learning the layo??ut of Point Hope, even though it is pretty straightforward (just go up?) so I'm hesitant to include the screen next to the bathtub in the main bathroom on the fifth floor. It feels like it could be a place to hide, but it's quite wide open, and I haven't played the map enough to conclude whether a ghost can find you there.

Now that that's out?? the way: he??re are the actual hiding places:

As always with Phasmophobia, the harder the difficulty you're playing on, the more hiding spots will be blocked off. But you don't ??need to worry about that. You're a brave ghost hunter after all, aren't you? Still, it's nice to hunker down in the dark to gather your thoughts every so often. Maybe have a little whimper.

The post Phasmophobia: All hiding places in Point Hope appeared first on Destructoid.

With the Eventide update rolling out for Phasmophobia, a lot of us have been checking out the extra content and changes implemented to our ghost-hunting excursions. In particular, much of my time has been spent exploring Point Hope, the brand-new map that has us investi-mi-gating a lighthouse.

On top of a new place to get our as??ses handed to us by a spooky specter, Point Hope also has a bit of a secret to uncover. This goes beyond a simple Easter egg, and does actually have a (sort of) end goal. Whether it means anything in the long run cannot be sa?id at this stage, but it's interesting all the same. Plus, you get a badge/ID card when you complete it.

So without further ado, here's how to solve the "Ferryman of the Drowned" puzzle in the new Phasmophobia update. Quick note: make sure you take a UV light in with yo??u as soon as you start. You will need it further along.

Ferryman of the Drowned, Phasmophobia Eventide's new puzzle

Towards the top of the lighthouse �on the floor where the gears for the light its??????????????????????????elf are turning �you'll notice a small cupboard by the spiral staircase. When you approach it, you'll see that you can't interact with it, but there is a locked symbol that appears. This indicates that there's likely a key around somewhere, but how do you get it?

Go down to th?e games room on floor 4 and you'll see a pool table sitting there all innocent, like. You'll also see several balls on said table. We?ll, you need to pot some of them; just the green, blue, and orange-y/red one. You'll need to do them in that order, I believe. At least, that's how I did it.

You'll then hear what sounds like a key falling from some place. Go round to the end of the? pool table �so the wall with the cues on is to your left �and look down at the ball release slot. You should see a key in there. Guess what that's for?

Back up to floor 9?? and you can now open the locked cupboard by the staircase (there are a lot of stairs in Point Hope). You'll see there's not much in there besides what appears to be an empty slot that may or may not be just the right size for a specific cog.

Right, now go down one floor to the workshop. If you've been paying attention while playi??ng, you'll have noticed this room has a few cogs dotted about. Most of them can't be interacted with, but there is one you'll need to find. Basically, it's leaning against a cupboard somewhere in the workshop. Look for a broom.

Pick up said cog and go back up to floor 9. Now, you can insert it into the empty slot. Once you do, you should start to hear ticking sounds. This is just the light from the lighthouse blinking. It will do this in sequences of three while still rotating. This indicates you've done this part corr?ectly.

Out of breath yet? Tough. Now, head all the way down the stairs and back outside. Jus?t before you enter Point Hope, there's a large bell that you can interact with. While we all pressed it endlessly ??for fun, now it has a function. Ding it three times and you should hear a confirmation sound (can't actually recall what it specifically is, but it should be obvious).

I'm sorry to have to say this, but you need to go all the way to the very top of the lighthouse. Right out onto the widow's walk. Look out to the horizon. Admire the view, obviously, but you want to look for a cave entrance in the distance. Check in the same direction as where the truck is parked. When you see the light from the cave, you should also see the letters UV spelled out on the bea?ch.

I hope you remember?ed to bring the UV, 'cos you're going to need it. Now, the last thing to do is "charge" Point Hope's light by shining the item at it. After a few seconds, you should see it glow violet. Once done, go for a nice walk around the perimeter of the top of the lighthouse.

Bask in the visually eerie spectacle. As I say, I have no idea if this will have an?y significance. But it looks nice. Probably looks better if you've set the sky to night, though.

When you finish your investigation, you'll be given this?? rewa??rd at the game summary screen. Hoorah! You did a thing!

The post Phasmopho??bia: What does the locked cupboard in Point Hope do?? appeared first on Destructoid.

Last week, the team behind the ghost hunting hit Phasmophobia whet appetites with talks of the Eventide update. Well, the patch s??hould be rolling out as we speak, and because it's a pretty significant one this time around, there are quite a number of new things being implemented.

I'll go through some of the bigger changes, but suffice it to say that probably the biggest thing in the game is the Point Hope map. We don't often get treated to brand-new locations (the last couple were esse??ntially rebrandings of ones that already exist), so this should at least make anyone who's not played for a while pay a bit of attention.

Sadly, there's still no word on when the console version of Phasmophobia is likely to drop. We know that Kinetic Games is still working on it, a??nd there'll be some news about it soon enough, but many have been waiting patiently for some time now.

Still, we PC players get all this:

Point Hope lighthouse map heads to Phasmophobia

As I say, the?? most significant addition to the game is Point Hope. It's essentially a lighthouse, which is described as having 10 floors and 12 rooms. The developer says we'll have to "use different techniques for some of those pesky ghost abilities while playing on lower-evidence game modes." The map unlocks at level 15.

At the time of writing, the Eventide patch hasn't been sent out, so I haven't had chance to check Point Hope out. Rest assured, I will be back with?? a quick guide once I do get to grips with it.

The last new-new map we got, technically, was Maple Lodge Campsite, the first outdoors level of Phasmophobia. This was released with the big Nightmare update that went live at the end of 2021.? Besides that, we've had a smaller version of the campsi?te and some changes to the Asylum level.

The Eventide update's big equipment changes

As well as Point Hope, Kinetic has adjusted some of the equipment. A quick look at the patch notes on Steam shows that ??it looks like some of it has been nerfed slightly to make things a bit easier. ??I'll give you some examples:

• Tier 1 D.O.T.S has had its light range increased, while Tier 3 now has the option to pause the rotation.
• Tier 3 Parabolic Microphone can now scan for sounds one floor below or above the player.
• Both Tier 1 and Tier 2 Sanity Medications will increase restoration time to 30 seconds and 20 seconds, respectively.
• Additionally: Tier 3 Sanity Medication will instantly refill your sprint and maintain it for 10 seconds.
• You can mute the Sound Sensors using buttons from the truck's UI.
• Tier 2 and Tier 3 Thermometer will now continuously update the temperature, rather than resetting each time you use it.

Optimizations and bug fixes

Of course, no update would be complete without the all-important optimizations? and big fixes. Eventide definitely has its fair share. In fact, the developer itself says that the former has had some many, they can't all be listed.

In short: there have been tweaks to th??e game to make it run smoother on lower-spec systems, with particular attention being paid to things like the UI, shadows, audio, reflections, textures and shaders, and the weather and sky effects.

A lot of glitches have been ironed out as well, such as player movement no longer being effected by held equipment, ghosts no longer interacting with painti??ngs they've already thrown, ??a lot of tweaks to items, and removed instances in Sunny Meadows where the ghost can clip through the world.

Check out the full patch notes above for a complete breakdown on what's new in Phasmophobia. See you in the truck, everyone!

The post Pha??smophobia Eventide patch note highlights include Point Hope, optimizations, and equipment tweaks appeared first on Destructoid.

The last major update for Phasmophobia was the big Ascension reset that rolled out last? August. Since then, developer Kinetic Games has been sending out hotf??ixes and smaller updates; little tweaks here and there, but nothing to write home about. But there is one thing on the way, and it's coming soon.

As outlined in a recent post on Steam, Phasmiophobia wi?ll get the "Eventide" patch on Tuesday, June 25. Along with some Ascension adjustments, "a host of optimizations, changes, and fixes," we're also getting a new map: Point Hope, which looks like it will be a lighthouse.

Now, we knew this was in the pipeline, but according to the developer, the ?adjustments to the current build and the new location were originally planned to be separate releases.

But is it what everyone actually wants?

I'm a big fan of Phasmophobia and I'm very excited about checking out the new map next w??eek. However, if you?? look at the comments under the post on X I've embedded above, it seems many are more keen for the anticipated console port of the game.

Indeed, Kinetic did address this on Steam, but it doesn't really say anything more than the team is "still working to meet the high standards we've set for the game." The console version of Phasmo has already been delayed a couple of times, sadly. For now, there's no release date yet, but the message assur??es us that details will be inbound "within the next fe??w weeks." So hold onto that, at least.

Aside from the smaller campsite and changes to the asylum locations, it feels like forever since we've had a brand-new map. Maple Lodge Campsite arrived October 2021, so Point Hope does at least give us something new to play with. Either that, or we can get one of those Cursed Monkey Paw plushies.

The post Phasmophobia is getting a new map next we?ek with the Eve?ntide update appeared first on Destructoid.

So you've been playing Phasmophobia for a while now. You've absolutely nailed down the unique characteristics of each ghost to such an extent that all that investigation equipment is merely an afterthought. Good for you, I sa??y, but maybe there's more you ??can do.

While identifying the spectral being is the key selling point of Kinetic's horror release, there are additional ways to get that sweet, sweet cheddar. In fact, you can take it one step further and follow this guide on how to get a Perfect Investigation bonus in Phasmophobia.

NOTE: all the below must be fulfilled to earn the bonus, and the final amount you earn will depend on the multiplier that's added to the contract.

Get the correct ghost

Why am I even telling you this? If you're reading this article and you've played the game even a bit, you know the main thing you need to do is find out which apparition you're dea??ling with. That much is obvious. However, I think it's still worth mentioning at the start. Covering all our bases, yeah?

Depending on how familiar you are with the way Phasmo works, wh??at difficulty you have it on, and/or what map you're playing will all depend on how easy the main objective is. It goes without saying that ghost identification becomes more lucrative in tougher settings and on larger levels. Just don't forget to mark it off in your journal. Man, the times I've missed out on hard-earned cash because of that schoolboy error.

Complete the additional objectives

Again, this one might sound obvious. Of course, achieving a Perfect Investigation bonus will require c??ompleting all three tasks, as well as pinpointing the correct ghost. But sometimes people can neglect these extra jobs, especially if they're slightly more tricky, such as escaping during a hunt.

Because the game randomizes which objectives it wants you to (optionally) complete, some contracts can be easier than others. I'm not saying this is the best way to play, but if you want to see things like "get? an EMF reading" or "witness an event" on?? the corkboard, you may need to exit and reload the map until you get what you want.

Find the bone

This one is a little easier to forget about, as it's not one the game will list as part of the objectives on the board. However, veterans of Phasmophobia will probably have developed muscle memory for this one. Muscle memory for bone-finding; the??re's something I never thought I'd ??say.

If you're fairly new to the game, I'll give you a quick rundown. Basically, ever?y time you load a new map, a bone will spawn somewhere in the location. It's up to you to find where it is and retrieve it (after taking a photo - more on?? that below). Sometimes they are easier to spot, especially if it's something big like a rib cage or spinal column. Other times, it can require some detailed sleuthing. Also, my friend and I are convinced the bone doesn't always spawn as soon as the level loads, so maybe bear that in mind.

Fill the photo book

Completing this one for the bonus does require a bit more time. In a nutshell: you need to fill the journal up with a maximum of ten photographs. But they can't just be any photos; they must be worth three stars each. To achieve three stars, the subject must be within close range of t??he camera and nicely fram??ed, i.e. in the center.

Fortunately, there are a number of ways to achieve this objective. You can take a photo of e??ach of the following in any investigation:

• The ghost itself
• The bone that spawns in the map
• The Cursed Possession item
• A burned Crucifix
• Dirty water seen in a sink
• A dead body (you or one of your teammates)
• A disturbed salt pile
• Handprints and/or fingerprints
• Writing in the ghost book
• Any other interaction, such as seeing a door open (but you may need to be pretty quick for this one)

You can mix and match these as well; they don't have to be ten different photos. We often get away with having three-star ratings despite having taken about four or five shots of the exact same thing. I'm sure this isn't within the spirit (heh) of Phasmo, but it can speed things up.

The post How to get a Perfect Investi??gat??ion Bonus in Phasmophobia appeared first on Destructoid.

Just like the Tarot Cards, the Cursed Possession items in Phasmophobia can be equal parts useful and dangerous. While the equipment at your disposal is the best way to accurately identif??y the ghost type you're dealing with, the addition of these special items gives a bit of an edge to each investigation.

Whenever you begin a contract, a randomly pre-?selected Cursed Possession object will spawn. You can also customize your settings and force the game to spawn a specific item, but where's the mystery in that?

Much like any item in the game, a Cursed object has a unique ability, such as showing you the ghost room, triggering an interaction, forcing the ghost to manifest, etc. However, knowing where each one spawns is the first step, so here's a quick guide on where to find all the Cursed Possession items across Phasmo's 11 (technically 12) maps.

6 Tanglewood Drive

The map that most will be familiar with, Tanglewood Drive is the smallest location, essentially turning it into a contract for beginners or those who just want a quick game. It being so small means finding any spawn?ed item is much easier, but newcomers might have a little bit of trouble wi?th one or two of them.

42 Edgefield Road

For all intents and purposes, this?? is the second map. Much like Tanglewood, Edgefield is small and easily manageable, but it does ?have more floors than its predecessor.

10 Ridgeview Court

Another pretty small location. Ridgeview Court also has three floors, as well?? as a ridiculously huge garage. Seriously, who needs a garage that big? In fact, a lot of the rooms in this home? are pretty spacious. Someone's doing well for themselves!

13 Willow Street

It kind of feels like we're just doing a tou??r of all these lovely houses as we search for the Cursed Possession item. Maybe we're property hunting. Who knows? Anyway, Willow Street is the last of the suburban homes before we move on. You'll soon miss the comfort of residential streets.

Bleasdale Farmhouse

For something a little more rustic, Bleasdale Farmhouse is a pretty home for the country bumpkin inside a??ll of us. It's also the fi?rst map we've looked at that has an attic, which in no way increases the creepy factor at all.

Grafton Farmhouse

A lovel?y little getaway for those who are tired of the hustle and bustle of city livin??g. If you don't mind the abject terror caused by hauntings, of course. Grafton is similar to Bleasdale in terms of style, but is somewhat smaller. It also only has two floors, which does make things easier.

Camp Woodwind

Our first exterior location (two in total - both campsites). Camp Woodwind is one of the newest maps in Phasmophobia. As such, I'm not overly? familiar with this one, so bear with if I do get?? us a bit lost.

Maple Lodge Campsite

Now we're getting into the big leagues. This is the first medi?um-sized map we've encountered. It also had its layout changed in the?? big update. Actually, thinking about it, Camp Woodwind is more in-line with what Maple Lodge sort of looked like. Anyway...

Prison

Definitely one of the more intimidating maps, especially if you're playing Phasmophobia on your own. It isn't as massive as the next two locations (still pretty big, though), and it is a fairly simple layout. Still...a haunted prison? Who'd want that? NOTE: All Cursed Possession items are within the main entranceway, which is very gracious of the developer.

Brownstone High School

We're in the big leagues now. This is one of two of the game's biggest maps. Its sheer size and creepy, abandoned vibe makes this one way more intimidating than the Prison. And seeing that gymnasium just brings back awful, awful memories. NOTE: Much like the Prison, the Cursed items are within a small radius to make them easier to find.

Sunny Meadows Mental Institution

If you thought Brownstone was pretty intense, that's nothing compared to Sunny Meadows, the abandoned mental institution that?'s been lifted from so many horror? movies. It should be said that this section also covers the smaller, "restricted" version of the map. In fact, all the Cursed Possession items will be near or in the chapel.

Point Hope

Point Hope is the new map that came rolling out with Phasmophobia's Eventide update. It's something that was being teased by the developer for some time. One of the key things about this particular location is its sense of?? verticality. Despite not having that many rooms, the fact that the lighthouse stretches up ten floors can feel daunting at first. Despite being brand-new, it still has all the Cursed Possession items, and they are in the following places:

The post All Cursed Object Spawn Locations in Phasmophobia appeared first on Destructoid.

As well as a host of tech and equipment at your disposal, Phasmophobia offers up Cursed Possession items as well, which can help you out, but also leave you feeling worse off. One such example of this is the Tarot Cards. Whether you're playing with friends or you're doing a solo investigation, these cards can give you an edge, but there'??s a lot of danger when it come?s to using them.

Much like the Ouija Board, Monkey Paw, or any other Cursed Possession item, the Tarot Car?ds have a one in seven chance of spawning when you start a new contract. When you find them, you'll be given ten cards to draw, with each reveal affecting either the player holding them or the ghost itself.

Currently, Phasmophobia has ten Tarot Cards that can be pulled. However, it's important to note that they each have their own draw chance?, with some being more common than others. This means you can draw a particular card more than once or not have one at all. Below you'll find the effects of each of them in order from worst to best i??n terms of their danger levels, as well as the chances of drawing each one.

The Hanged Man

By far the most dangerous Tarot Card in Phasmophobia??. This one does not mess about. Quite simply, if a player pulls this one from the pack, they'll immediately be killed. No warning, no hunt. Just *POOF* dead. The sanity level is inconsequential.

This means if you've been investigating for a long time, that's it. Game over. Conversely, if you're in a team game and you pull the Hanged Man at the start, you'll be spending the rest?? of the round wandering about being all ethereal and what-not. Fortunately, it is pretty uncommon to get this one.

Chance of drawing this card: 1% (N??OTE: this card can't be drawn if playing on a custom difficulty setting with Friendly Ghost turned on.)

Death

This can be a little confusing. You would assume the Death card would do what the Hanged Man card does.? But that isn't the case. However, it can be just as deadly, and does have a higher chance of being drawn when compared to some of the others.

When the Death Tarot Ca??rd is pulled out, a hunt will begin immediately. Again, it doesn't matter your sanity level. The ghost will be on the pro?wl. To add insult to injury, it'll be a cursed hunt as well (because the cards are Cursed Possession items), so it'll last longer.

Chance of drawing this card: 10%

The Moon

Our beautiful, spherical satellite in the sky has been the subject of romance and poetry for as long as the written word has existed. The moon, in all its glory, is Earth's companion. But in Phasmo, pulling t??he Moon Tarot Card will put you on the quick path to death.

This is because drawing this card from the deck will reduce your sanity to zero. While it will only affect the player holding the cards, it will still mean the average s??anity for the team will also drop. As anyone who's played the game will know, sanity is key to staying alive, so getting the Moon Tarot Card will mean your chances of being hunted are significantly increased.

Chance of drawing this card: 5%

The Devil

This is the first Tarot Card on the list that isn't technically dangerous. It can, however, be a little spooky. When The Devil is revealed, it will immediately initiate a ghos??t event. This could mean it will manifest and begin humming or whisper in the player's e??ar.

While it's useful for getting a? ghost photo, seeing a ghost event will also reduce sanity, so it can still have its downside if you're already running pretty low.

Chance of drawing this card: 10%

The Wheel of Fortune

It's difficult to know how to judge this Tarot Card. On the one hand, the Wheel of Fortune can be good, but it also has an equal chance of it being bad. In a nutshell: it can reduce your sanity by 25% but it ?can also increase it by the same amount.

I'm not quite sure how it decides what the outcome will be, so it could be a 50/50 chance of it doing someth?ing good. You'll know which way the wheel has spun by the color that burns after the card is drawn. If it's green, you gain sanity. If it's red, you lose some. It's also one of the most common cards.

Chance of drawing this card: 20%

The Hermit

This is a pretty useful one to pull. When th?e Hermit Tarot Card is drawn, the ghost will be forced back into its room and will be trapped there for one minute. It's sort ?of like using a smudge stick, as it prevents a hunt.

However, it doesn't work during a hunt, but if you ?happen to get this card while your sanity is low, it can buy you a bit of time. It's especially useful i??f you're dealing with something like a Demon or you're playing on Nightmare mode, you absolute maverick, you.

Chance of drawing this card: 10%

The Tower

Much like the Devil card, the Tower will force the ghost to do something. However, it's less dangerous, which is why it's far down on this list. When this Tarot Card is pulled, it will initi??ate an interaction of some kind, as well as doubling ghost activity for? 20 seconds.

This is particularly useful if you want to know where the apparition actually is. It's also pretty handy if one of the objectives is to get an EMF reading or you're on the lookout for fingerprints. On top of al??l that, it's the most ??common card next to the Wheel of Fortune.

Chance of drawing this card: 20%

The Fool

It's hard to know where to place the Fool Tarot card on a list of worst-to-best, as it technically doesn't do anything. However, it's more the split second reaction that players have to?? it that can make it quite a tense one to pull.

When it's drawn, the Fool will show itself as any other Tarot Card at first before revealing its true self. If it's on??e of the gentler cards, then there's no worry. However, if it looks like the Hanged Man or Death cards, then this can cause a brief amount of panic as you and your teammates become tricked for a second.? The Fool card itself, however, is completely harmless.

Chance of drawing this card: 17% (NOTE: this card has 100% chance of being pu?lled during a hunt).

The Sun

Very much the opposite to the moon, in both the cosmos and Phasmophobia. Whereas getting the Moon Tarot Card will reduce your sanity to zero, pulling the Sun will full??y restore your sanity back to 100%.

As you can imagine, this is a card a?ny player would want to draw. The one downside to it is if you have the objective to get your average sanity below 25%. That could undo some of your work. However, it's still a bit of a life?saver overall.

Chance of drawing this card: 5%

The High Priestess

The High Priestess card is proof that death is not the end. If a player dies and this card is drawn,? it will immediately revive them. If more than o?ne player is dead, the card will randomly choose someone to bring back to life.

It should also?? be noted that it can be saved up for when someone does die. This means if it's pulled from the pack, but everyone is aliv??e, when someone does die, they will be immediately revived. Your items will still be dropped, so you will need to go back and collect them.

Chance of drawing this card: 2%

The post All Phasmophobia Tarot Cards ranked worst to best appeared first on Destructoid.

There's nothing quite like a bad dream to put you on edge for the day. Trying to hunt a Mare in Phasmophobia may end?? up doing the sa??me since the folklore behind the spirit brought about the origin of the word 'nightmare'.

As you do with most ghosts in Phasmophobia, to hunt a Mare requires you to find evidence by watching for the spirit's behavior. There are three pieces of evidence to gather, but you'll have an easier time by hunting the Mare in the right conditions. Oh, did I say easier? Sorry, what I meant to say was that this is going to get a b??it dicey.

Phasmophobia: How to hunt and find evidence of a Mare

While playing Phasmophobia, open up the Journal (the J key) and look up how to hunt a Mare by clicking on the 'Ghosts' tab??. Navigate to the Mare, and you'll learn just what it takes to find ?this particular spirit.

"A Mare is the source of all nightmares, making it more powerful in the dark," the in-game description reads. Ah, see! Nightmare. It all adds up. According to this text, the Mare becomes more active in the dark. Running with that logic, the Mare is weak to the light. The book says lig?ht?? will "lower its chance to attack." But maybe we don't want that.

The Mare is active in the dark, which means you should try and gather evidence when the lights are out. This is risky, mind, as the gh??ost is more aggressive, and your sanity will drain at a faster pace. But it's also the best way to gather evidence quickly. Also note that if the ghost is doing very little with all the lights on, that too is evidence of a Mare.

Here's what you need to find evidence of a Mare:

• Spirit Box
• Ghost Orb
• Ghost Writing

Mare unique ghost evidence, tips, and strategies

When the match starts, grab the Spirit Box, Ghost Writing Book, and Video Camera. Drop them off in the building and return for other tools like the Flashlight. To find the Mare, enter a room with the lights off and chat with it using the Spirit Box. Once you find the ghost's spawn room, turn the light back on and grab the other tools. Place the Ghost Writing Book on a surface and, with the lights off, continue talking with the ghost to try and get it to write?. While this is happening, have the camera equipped to search for Ghost Orbs.

• Keep other lights in the house on, that way you can escape to safety if the Mare gets ornery
• Memorize the location of the fuse box, since you don't want to be in a dark building with a Mare for long
• Watch to see if the ghost turns the light off as soon as you turn it on, as it could be evidence of a Mare
• Keep the light off in the spawn room as long as possible to keep the ghost from moving areas

For the most part, if you think you're on the hunt for Mare evidence in Phasmophobia, you'l??l want to stay cognizant of light and dark. Keep tabs ?on light switches and make sure you're not in a situation where you're stuck in the dark for a lengthy period. Follow those steps and you should get the evidence and be on your way.

The post How to hunt a Mare in Phasmophobia appeared first on Destructoid.

Although Phasmophobia is a game built around team investigations, some of you may like the idea of going it alo?ne. Part of the thrill of horror gaming is testin??g your own mettle in an isolated setting, shut off from the comfort of group banter. Expect paranoia.

To that end, Kinetic Game?s' ghost-hunting title does allow for solo play, which makes for a somewhat more intense experience overall. It is, of co??urse, entirely possible to complete an investigation without help from others.

However, it can be a little more trying without adequate backup, so I'm throwing a few tips your way. These should allow you to be more prepared when deciding to play sans friends. And as the old saying goes: in Phasmophobia, no one can hear your frightened whimpers.

(NOTE: for any "mad lads" who are eage?r to dismiss all the below, feel fr?ee to go about your day disregarding this guide. And remember to kiss your dad on the lips when you see him next)

Stick with smaller maps

Phasmo currently has 12 maps, each one rife with ghostly activity. Of these, a few of them are more suited for solo inv??estigations. Now, veterans out there may be able to cope with the immense size of Sunny Meadows or the Prison, but it's generally a good?? idea to stick with some of the smaller locations; the houses, including the farmhouses, and possibly Camp Woodwind.

The reason for this is simply a case of not being able to cover all the areas effectively when on your own. The bigger maps are built for teams of people, so playing alone is more of an exercise in frustration as you move from room to room, struggling to pinpo?int where the ghost even is.

While there are more rewards for completing larger maps, the difference between something like Grafton Farmhouse and Brownstone High School is about $25. Add onto that the time you'll be sp?ending wandering these locations means it's probably not worth that extra bonus. Tanglewood and Ridgeview may be small and feel like beginner maps, but they're pretty quick if you just want to get in and out with some earned cash.

Avoid playing above Professional difficulty

Look, I'm not telling you what you should be doing. All I'm saying is, if you're relatively new to the game or you typicall?y play with friends, you might not want to make your investigations any more stressful. If you're absolutely dead set on playing in Nightmare or Insanity mode, please feel free to skip to the next section.

Much like playing on larger levels, playing on higher difficulties does reap more rewards. However, I usually don't go above Professional. Once you go be??yond this, you'll find th??ings can be trickier, not just in terms of your sanity levels, but how you go about finding the ghost.

For starters, the apparition won't give all three pieces of evidence. Seeing as you need three to truly identify which type it is, playing solo on Nightmare or Insanity (or a custom difficulty you've set) will require a lot more detective work. If you're not familiar with the characteristics of each ghost in Phasmophobia, missing one or two pieces ??of evidence can turn a fun investigation into a bit of chore. That and there ?are fewer places to hide. Speaking of which...

Seek out all hiding spots before you begin

You could argue that this is good advice even in team games. However, it's important to know that when playing solo, the ghost is going to target you specifically, so you need a backup. You can't sit in the comfort of the van while your friend runs around like a blue-arsed fly trying to avoid being killed.

When entering the location, look for any possible places to hide should a hunt ensue during your investigation. This could be an empty closet, a little? alcove for??med out of wooden planks that have been propped up, a space behind an armchair, inside your own imagination. Maybe not that last one.

This is partly why I would recommend playing on easier difficulties. Amateur and Intermediate modes give you a grace? period at the start? to set up before your investigation begins (as well as more hiding places). While the clock is ticking, you at least get a bit of time to seek out those all-important spots for the inevitable ghostly ass-kicking that's coming your way.

Don't worry about the additional objectives

As well as playing on more challenging difficulties, one of the best ways to make a decent amount of money in Phasmophobia is to complete as many objectives as possible. Identifying the ghost is the main one that you need to do in order for it to be a successful inv?e?stigation, but the extra tasks give you more to do with more rewards.

If you are hellbent on just making as much cash as you can in one go, then the additional objectives are the way to do it. But they are entirely optional, so they can be ignored if you're playing alone and just want to experience a good old-fashioned ghos??t hunt.

Some objectives may even require having extra people anyway, such as taking a ?photo of the ghost. If you're on your own and your hands are already full, ??if you don't have a Photo Camera at your disposal, that's one task you can easily miss when the apparition suddenly appears. If you're not sure about completing the extra objectives, just stick with the main job at hand.

Take advantage of the Video Camera

In single-player, you can only really depend on your own eyes. There's no one else there to verify evidence. As such, there can be a bit of trial and error when playing alone. Fortunately, the game gives you all the tools you need at your disposal, such as the Vide??o Camera.

While mainly used to find D.O.T.S. and ghost orbs in Phasmophobia, the Video Camera is also a great way to keep an eye on other equipment. From the comfort of the van, you can monitor what's going on in complete safety. Setting up items from the came?ra's viewpoint means you can potentially be on the lookout for more than one piece of evidence.

As you can see in the image above, I've placed a Ghost Writing Book, D.O.T.S. Projector, Tier 1 Thermometer, and a Crucifix next to each other. I can then place the Vi???deo Camera down, which will allow me to watch all these items from a distance. It does, however, help if you have a greater tier camera, which will boast higher quality images.

Safety first!

The crux of Phasmophobia is deciphering what apparition is haunting the location before sai?d apparition can hunt you down and kill you. While you can never truly tell when this will happen, it's often a good idea to try and preven?t such a thing before it's too late.

If you have a Crucifi?x or two, placing them in the ghost room will give you a radius of protection, stopping the ghost from initiating a hunt two times. This will buy you a bit of extra time to continue your investigation, especially if you're dealing with something like a Demon.

Also, keep an eye on your sanity levels. Nightmare and above will leave you with broken monitors in the van, so it makes it more difficult to know how close you are to a hunt. Utilizing sanity pills, only using Cursed Possession items when absolu?tely necessary, and not saying the ghost's name too often are good ways of making sure you?? make it out unscathed.

The post Best Phasmophobia Solo Ghost Hunting T?ips and Tr?icks appeared first on Destructoid.

In Phasmophobia, the D.O.T.S. projector is an extremely useful piece of equipment. In fact, you'll oftentimes have to use the D.O.T.S. Projector to rule out or confirm a ghost when on a contract. However, the tool can be a bit tricky to use if you've never done so far. Here's how to use the D.O.T.S. projector in Phasmophobia and get the most out of it.

How to properly setup the D.O.T.S. projector

In order to use the D.O.T.S. projector in Phasmophobia to properly identify evidence via tracking a ghost's movement, you need to set up the projector on the wall or floor. In this ??regard, it's a bit like the motion sensor. Once you have the D.O.T.S. Projector in your hand?s, use the 'F' key to place down the projector. You can then use the scroll wheel to rotate the projector around to get it the best angle.

The D.O.T.S. projector emits a cone of green lasers from the projector itself in the direction it is facing. If you are using the Tier 1 D.O.T.S. projector? which all players begin with, I recommend right-clicking. This will enable a cone of the beams as opposed to just focusing on one singular location.

Once you have a good location picked out as to where you? think the ghost may be, aim the D.O.T.S. projector so that the beams are shining where you think a ghost will walk. If a ghost walks through the dots, you will be able to see a translucent entity as it walks through the grid of laser dots??. It can be tricky to see, however, and most players have luck by setting down a video camera with Night Vision enabled aimed at the dots and then checking the cameras on the van. Also, the Goryo cannot be seen on the D.O.T.S. projector without using the Night Vision-enabled video camera.

Which D.O.T.S. projector is best in Phasmophobia?

As you might have guessed, the Tier 3 D.O.T.S. Projector is without a doubt the best one to use in Phasmophobia. It has the biggest range, the widest spotlight, and even has automated scanning. Here are all of the tiers of D.O.T.S. projectors in Phasmopbia:

• Laser Pen D.O.T.S. Projector - The Tier 1 version is a small pen available by default that has a narrow spotlight of up to 5 meters. While it works, the cone of the dots is extremely limited and requires focus on a specific location.
• Infrared Sensor D.O.T.S. Projector - This Tier 2 version of the projector is unlocked at Level 29 and has a smaller ranged of only 2.5 meters, however, it creates a big projection in an area of effect aimed out from where it's placed. This makes it great for attaching to the floor where you think the ghost will walk, as it will cover the entire area.
• Motorized D.O.T.S. Projector - The final Tier 3 version of the projector is unlocked at Level 60 but is worth the wait. The motorized projector has a massive range of 7 meters and casts a wide spotlight in the area you are aimed at. The best use of this projector is to place it on a surface or stand where it has a wide area to automatically scan and record with infrared light. You can even place two on opposite sides of a room to capture the entire room in dots!

The post How to use the D.O.T.S projector in Phasmophobia appeared first on Destructoid.

The team behind Phasmophobia has put a lot of effort into creating a more grounded ghost hunting experience. I, for one, applaud the developer's efforts to realistically depict someone who can barely run for three second??s (I am so out of shape, I'm non-euclidean).

What else makes it such an intriguing horror game is the pretty accurate array of tools to help you identify spectral beings. One of those is a good old-fashioned thermometer, as some Phas ghosties turn their room into po?psicles with freezing tem??ps.

We're all aware �whether we're believers or not �that ghostly activity is typically linked with a sudden drop in temperatures; sometimes referred to as "cold spots." Phasmo e??mbraces that idea, so we'??re going to take a quick look at the game's Thermometers and how each tier can help you identify what type of apparition you're dealing with.

How does the Thermometer in Phasmophobia work?

We've all been there. We've all experienced illness where we've been left to sweat it out in bed. We all know what it's?? like to have a thermo??meter jammed into our mouth and other orifices (orifi?). If you're old school, it's waiting to see that red or blue line move up the scale, letting you know there's no P.E. for you today (hoorah!).

You know how they work, even if you don't know how they work. Well, the ones in Phasmo are exactly the same. The game incorporates environmental temperatures into? each invest??igation. All ghosts and ghost rooms will see temperatures drop, which clues you into where you should focus on.

However, it's the presence of subzero temperatures that are a big clue, as only some apparitions will make temperatures drop that low. It used to be that seeing your foggy breath was a surefire way to determine whether you were in a freezing room or not. Over time, though, ?the Thermometer has become more important.

The three Tiers of the Thermometer

Like all items in Phasmophobia—such as the Spir??it Box—the Thermometer comes in t??hree tiers:

Thermometer unlock requirements:

• T1 Thermometer, available immediately
• T2 Thermometer, level 36
• T3 Thermometer, level 64

Weirdly, the Tier 1 Thermometer is arguably the best one. As it's just a simple one with the classic red liquid inside that rises or falls, i?t works passive??ly. This means you only have to hold it in your hand and wait a couple of seconds to see a real-time change in temperatures. Also, because it's non-digital, it doesn't get interfered with during a ghost hunt, which also makes it a vital in challenges banning electrical equipment.

Tier 2 and Tier 3 are digital, giving visual readouts on a small screen. While they work by emitting a ray a short distance in front of you—thus giving you a?? reading from further away—they require more interaction. For starters, you need to turn them on. Then, when you need to take a reading, you hold down the ri??ght-mouse button (default). The difference between Tier 2 and Tier 3 is the latter provides a much quicker reading.

Some additional tips for freezing temps

The Thermometer in Phasmophobia is a pretty str??aightforward, though ultimately useful, tool in helping you identify the ghost type. However, for that extra dose of help, here are some tips and things to consider when using it:

• The temperature readout is set to Celsius by default. You can change it to Fahrenheit in the settings.
• A lot of players find the Tier 1 Thermometer superior to the other two for reasons already mentioned.
• When deciding where the ghost room is, be on the lookout for temperatures in single digits (for Celsius). Some suggest around 5°, but I often find anything below 10° should be a good indication.
• Do be wary of cold weather or investigating outside locations, such as Maple Lodge Campsite, as temperatures will naturally be a bit colder so you may need to wait for much lower readouts to be certain.
• All three tiers cost $30 in the store.

The post How to identify Fr??eezing Temps in Phasmophobia with the Thermom?eter appeared first on Destructoid.

If you have yet to join the ghost-hunting sensation that is Phasmophobia, well...that's totally fine. You're free to do as you please. I do, however, think you're missing o??ut, especially if you're into horror. But the fact that you're here suggests you are actually looking to play the game. You know what, forget I said anything.

When it comes to investigating haunted locations, most of us ?know that one of the most classic pieces of "evidence" people typically come across is the ghost orb. For those who don't know, these are little specs of �what appears to be �dust that floats about and often lead many to conclude an apparition is present. It could also just be dust. Some paranormal investigators even dismiss them as proof, but they are a mainstay of gho??st hunts.

As such, Phasmo includes these as a way to help you narrow down what you're dealing with. N?ow, in the real world, you can't normally see orbs without the use of a camera (usually digital). So to that end, t??he game provides three Tiers of Video Camera that you can use for your investigation.

How does the Video Camera in Phasmophobia work?

Like with any type of camera with video recording functionality, the ones in Phasmophobia are great for distance surveillance. Setting one up in a room mean?s you can watch from the safety of t?he van, monitoring any unusual activity.

It can also be used to watch other ?equipment, such as seeing whether the ghost walks through the D.O.T.S. Projector or tam??pers with the Ghost Writing Book.

The Video Camera also has a night-vision feature. This is especially usef?ul for helping you see your way around when the lights go out. However, its main purpose it to help you see whether any ghost orbs are in the vicinity. Th??ere are three Tiers of Video Cameras, each essential to an investigation.

The three Tiers of the Phasmophobia Video Camera

The Video Camera is a "starter" equipment in Phasmo. This means you always have it with you when you load up a map. They are easy to use in t??he game, but also quite powerful. When you pick it up in the van at the beginning, the viewfinder will be closed. However, as soon as you exit and head towards the main area of the map, it will automatically open up.

When walking around the location, keeping an eye on the night vision will allow you to spot any ghost orbs that?? are nearby. When you see one, they may float in one direction, but can also change course. As the game doesn't really have any dust, seeing this is your clue that you're in the right area.

The Tier 1 Video Camera is very much the baseline of this piece of equipment. While it does have a viewfinder, it's very small with extremely low resolution. The night vision is also a ??blurry green, so seeing through it can be quite difficult when it's in your hand. Placing it on a?? surface or tripod means you can go back to the van and keep an eye on it from the monitor, but even this is low-quality.

Tier 2 is much better, with a clearer and much larger display screen, giving you a crisper night-vision image overall. Tier 3 is where it's at, though. Having a bigger viewfinder still (that's always up) and the best resolution, you could argue that this is even ??a good substitute for the flashlight.

All three Video Cameras can be placed down, such as on the aforementioned tripods. This means you don't have to hold it constantly, making it a great way to in??vestigate safely while still keeping a watchful eye on any ghost orbs floating into view.

Some Video Camera tips

An all-around useful piece of equipment, Phasmophobia's Video Camera works in tandem with other items to help you detective-ly (that's a word, right?) sol?ve the puzzle of which ghost you have on your hands. Here are some things to consider when using it:

• During snowy weather, snowflakes can often appear as ghost orbs on the Video Camera. Be wary of this, and try to keep the item facing away from windows if at all possible.
• The Mimic gives ghost orbs as evidence. I'm mentioning this as it's a secret fourth clue that the game doesn't tell you about. This isn't about the Video Camera itself, but I still think it's worth mentioning.
• Make sure all lights where you've set the item up are off to enable stronger night vision.
• As mentioned earlier, setting up other equipment nearby (such as the Ghost Writing Book) means you can use the Video Camera to watch multiple things at once, making things much easier, at least with Tier 2 and Tier 3.
• You can remotely switch between night-vision and regular view from the computer in the van, as well as switch between multiple Video Cameras if you have more than one setup.
• All three items cost $50 in the store.

The post How to identify ?Ghost Orbs in Phasmophobia with the Vide?o Camera appeared first on Destructoid.

Many of you long-time Phasmophobia fans may well be getting a kick out of the recent Easter 2024 event. Those who are looking to start playing the game �or have been away for a long time �may have questions. In particular, how the Spirit Box in Phasmophobia works has changed in sm?all, but sometimes unclear, ways.

Questions such as: What does it mean when I see the red light on the Spirit Box? Or; why won't my mother return my calls? The first I can help with, the second... that may be beyond my expertise, I'm afraid. Keeping it light, let's take a look at the three different types of Spirit Boxes in Phasmophobia and how you utilize each one. There's a difference in T1, T2, and T3, and some of those may net you a better success rate with call?s.

How does the Spirit Box work in Phasmophobia?

There are 20 pieces of equipment in total to support your ghost-hunting antics. Of tho??se, eight of t??hem are what's known as "starter" items. These are instruments and tools included in your investigation loadout. The Spirit Box is among them, and if you've ever watched a paranormal TV show before, you're probably already familiar with how they work.

For those who are completely new to them, a Spirit Box in the real world works by emitting a white noise signal via radio waves. Once it's turned on, it begins rapidly cycling through a range of frequencie?s.

The theory goes that a coherent word or sentence shouldn't be audible via a radio station that's being picked up, as the Spirit Box is cycling too fast and can only pick up bits of sounds. As such, when the investigator does manage to decipher something cogent or clear, it could well be a ghost trying to communicate (or it's auditory pareidolia).

Phasmophobia's Spirit Box Controls

The Spirit Boxes in Phasmo function in the same mann?er, essentially allowing you to attempt to speak to the a?pparition in a call-and-response type of experiment.

The Voice Activation microphone setting should trigger the Spirit Box automatically. Otherwise, for Local Push to Talk, press V; for Global Push to Talk, press B. After asking a question, watch your respective tier's indicators for signs t??h?e ghost heard you.

How to use the T1 Spirit Box in Phasmophobia

As y??ou ?can imagine, the Tier 1 Spirit Box is fairly basic. It still works, but is more primitive. For starters, it's just a basic AM/FM radio with no display and a weaker response signal. Also, you must be within three meters of the ghost's location in order for it to work.

The bottom-right hand corner is what y?ou want to be looking at. When the game detects your microphone, it will show a blue light. A red light indicates the Spirit Box (and thus the game) has heard a valid response from you. Finally, the white "ghost" icon is for when you've asked a valid question and the apparition has responded.

How to use the T2 Spirit Box, plus its requirements

The T2 Spirit Box is the one pretty much all Phasmophobia players k?now, as it was the default Spirit Box right from the start. Not only does this look like a more advanced version of Tier 1, it's also the only version with a visual di??splay.

For Tier 2, you can be a bit further away, with the ghost being able to pick it up from four meters. Because there is a small screen, it's a lot easier to know whether the Spirit Box is worki??ng (that and the audio cues, of course). The audio for ghost responses should be more clear, too.

The top-left corner displays a microphone icon when it detects your mic. When you speak, the bottom-right shows an X for a valid question that the game recognizes??, and a ghost icon when there is a p?aranormal response.

The Tier 2 Spirit Box unlocks at Level 27.

How the T3 Spirit Box works, plus level requirements

Altho??ugh it's the most advanced Spir?it Box when compared to the other two, Tier 3 doesn't have a display. However, it doesn't really need one with such stellar audio quality.

This one also has light indicators to let you know what's going on. It can be a bit confusing seeing as there appears to be a lot going on with ??t?his Spirit Box. In a nutshell: the white light on the right sort of halfway down the item lets you know the mic has been picked up.

The array lights along the bottom are where you receive responses. If it glows white, it means the game recognized your question, but there's no response. When it glows red, that's when you're in ghost town. It also works from five meters away.

The Tier 3 Spirit Box unlocks at Level 54.

What questions can you ask the Spirit Box?

You may now b?e wondering what type of things you can ask through the Spirit Box. My, you are full of questions today. But that's good, given what we're talkin??g about.

Below are all th?e questions you can ask for a potential answer:

• Where are you?
• Are you close?
• Give us a sign?
• Speak to us.
• Can you talk?
• Are you here?
• Is there a ghost here?
• What is your location?
• Show yourself.
• Are you friendly?
• What do you want?
• Why are you here?
• Do you want to hurt us?
• Should we leave?
• How old are you?
• Are you a child?
• Are you old?
• Are you young?

Quick tip: Remember, the ghost can only respond if you're within a certain range. If you're not getting anything, make sure y??ou're in the ghost's location or as close to where you think the ghost is. It's also a good idea to use the Spirit Box pretty early on in the investigation, just in case the apparition changes rooms.

The post How to use the Spir??it Box in Phasmophobia (T1, T2, ??T3 item guide) appeared first on Destructoid.

So you've decided you want to be cursed while playing Phasmophobia. Despite being a pretty terrifying horror experience �especially for newcomers �Kinetic Games' ghost hunting sensation has a heavy focus on detective work and deduction rather than just straight-up scares. Inve?stigate first, piss pants later. That's my motto (spoiler: it isn't).

The crux of the game is to use your powers of logic to successfully work out who the culprit is. Think the board game Clue, but with more palpitations. To aid you, there is a lot of equipment to help you ??narrow ??things down. There are also Cursed Possessions that are an optional method of finding the ghost. However, they're called "cursed" for a reason.

One of the newer editions in Phasmophobia is the Monkey Paw. This d??ismembered and shriveled hand allows you to make certain wishes to give you a bit of a leg up. But there's a terrible price to pay. So with that, let's take a look at what type of wishes you can make, and how it will ultimately lead to your untimely death.

Ghost-based wises

Like the other?????????????????????????? Cursed Possessions, the Monkey Paw has a one in seven chance of spawning on the map. It's a powe?rful tool that can help out, but also lead you to more danger. These are the wishes you can make that relate to the ghost itself (NOTE: this is specifically for those using the game’s voice recognition):

Player-based wishes

You can mess about with the ghost if that's your bag. However, the Monkey Paw is also useful when you wan?t to give yourself a bit of an advantage. There are still some dangers involved, though. You have been warned (a??gain).

Other wishes

The Monkey?? Paw can also have an eff?ect on the things outside yourself and the ghost. Much like the others, these wishes can be pretty powerful when used carefully.

It's worth mentio??ning that all the wishes for the Monkey Paw can be found on the Sunny Meadows map. You'll find them written on tags in the following places:

• Manager's office
• Chapel
• Female dorm room
• Kitchen
• Matron's office 1
• Hospital wing
• Classroom
• Restricted area
• Morgue
• Waiting room

The post All Phasmophobia Monkey Paw wishes and effects appeared first on Destructoid.

In order to unlock all the maps and equipment in Phasmophobia you'll have to level up. The final piece of equipment you can unlock is the Tier 3 Crucifix at Level 90, but even afterward you can continue leveling all the way up to Level 999. Leveling can be a real slog though, so we've figured out how to level up faster in Phasmophobia so you can quickly climb in levels.

Always complete your Weekly Tasks

The fastest way to level up in Phasmophobia is by completing your Weekly Tasks. The Daily Tasks are worth doing each day as well, but if you look at the payout for Weekly Tasks you get a lot more in comparison. They of course reset every 7 days, but you?? want to make sure you complete each of them before they reset.

The great thing about completing Weekly Tasks is you're not onl??y getting a lot of experience to level fast but a lot of money so you can keep purchasing the new equipment you unlock by leveling faster. The tasks are typically things you should be doing anyway, but just require you to do something specific like complete the task on a certain map or interact with a ghost a certain way.

Switch to Professional Difficulty

In Phasmophobia, there are five total preset difficulties: Amateur, Intermediate, Professional, Nightmare, and Insanity. The middle difficulty, Professional, is essentially the sweet spot betwe??en getting increased experience and not having an incredibly ramped-up challenge. You actually get 3 times the rewards for playing on Professional over Amateur.

You need to first hit Level 20 to unlock Professional difficulty or play with a friend who is Level 20 or higher so they can choose Professional for the difficulty level. Honestly, there's not too much of an actual difference between Professional and Intermediate or even Amateur. As long as you fundamentally understand how you should be playing Phasmophobia, you should have no problem with Professional.

Here are the parameters? for Professional diff?iculty:

• The ghost's room can rarely change
• No setup time
• Short hunt grace period
• Long hunt duration
• Sanity pills restore a little sanity
• Fuse box starts off
• Much fewer hiding places

The biggest difference with Professional difficulty is that you have to flip on the Fuse box when starting and that you will sometimes notice ?the ghost moves into a different room.

Play on small maps like Willow Street or Tanglewood Drive

To level up faster in Phasmophobia, outside of completing your tasks it's all about quickly gaining evidence and correctly guessing the g?host. You have a massive -50% penalty for guessing the wrong ghost, so you to make sure you are guessing the right ghost. Both Willow Street and Tanglewood Drive are small and let you quickly loop through the map to find the evidence you need and hopefully get an answer.

This should typically be your route when you're trying to prioritize leveling up faster in Phasmophobia on Professional difficulty on a smaller map:

1. Equip yourself with a Firelight, Igniter, and Thermometer.
2. Enter the house and light your Firelight then beeling towards the fuse box, flipping on light switches along the way.
3. Flip the fuse box breaker on and switch to your thermometer and go room-by-room. As soon as you see the mercury level on the thermometer decrease at all, you've found the ghost room. You do not need to wait until the thermometer drops to freezing.
4. Drop all of your items and head back to the Van for your evidence equipment. Grab the Writing Book, D.O.T.S. Projector, and Video camera.
5. Set all three of your new equipment up properly in the ghost room and then go back to the Van. Monitor them on the computer to see if you see Ghost Orbs or anything on the D.O.T.S.
6. If the Activity Level reaches 5 or higher you should see something on the existing equipment if it's going to happen at all. If not, it's time to get different types of evidence.
7. Grab the Spirit Box, Ultraviolet Light, and Salt. Head back into the ghost room and check the Writing Book for anything as well as the temperature on the Thermometer. Both should have been done by now if they are the evidence.
8. Lay down the Salt and try using the Spirit Box. After confirming or denying those as evidence, switch to the UV light and check for footprints or handprints in the area.
9. If you're still missing an evidence, go back to the Van and take some Sanity Pills if needed, then grab a couple Crucifixes and the EMF.
10. Head back to the ghost room and put the crucifixes down protecting two opposite sides of you, and use the EMF.
11. You should definitely have enough evidence by now to confirm the ghost identity.
12. Rinse and repeat as quickly as possible.

The post How to level up faster in Phasmophobia appeared first on Destructoid.

The great appeal of Phasmophobia is playing ghost hunter, investigating a number of locations to determine which apparition is keeping its occupants up at night. Along the way, you're given the tools needed to pinpoint exactly which spirit type is about to ??haunt your ass.

Each ghost also has a number of traits that help you to identify what you're dealing with, even without?? the use of a night vision camera or D.O.T.S pr??ojector.

Additionally, the game has a number of Cursed Possessions. While they can be of great help, the name strongly implies there's a Faustian bargain accompanying them, which can result in your demise. One of those is the Monkey Paw, so we'll break down how said Monkey Paw and its Cursed Wishes work in Phasmophobia.

What is a Monkey Paw?

In folklore and popular culture, a monkey paw is pretty much what it sounds like. It's the mummified hand of a (presumably dead) monkey which, when used by the person holding it, they're given the gift of Monkey Paw wishes. It first appeared in the 1902 short story The Monkey's Paw by W.W. Jacobs.

Each wish results in one of the paw's digits curling in on itself. Thus, the user has up to five wishes at their disposal. However, it's called a "cursed" item for a reason �there's a punishment for every wish granted. In the original story, Herbert wishes for money. The next day, his son is killed while working at a local factory, leadin?g Herbert to receive a cash settlement for the exact amount he wished for.

So, what's with the Phasmophobia Monkey Paw?

The Monkey Paw in Phasmophobia is essentially that. It?? was added to the game in February 2023 and is the seventh Cursed Possession item to be featured, alongside the Music Box, Summoning Circle, Tarot Cards, Haunted Mirror, Voodoo Do??ll, and the Ouija Board.

It takes its inspira??tion from the original Monkey Paw story, too. So think of it in similar terms, if the Monkey Paw does you a favor, there's always gonna be a price ??to pay for it.

How do you use the Monkey Paw in Phasmophobia?

Like the other Cursed Possession items, the Monkey Paw has a chance to spawn in?? the map location. However, you can force it to appear by selecting it in the custom difficulty settings before beginning an investigation (under the "contract" tab).

When you find the Monkey Paw (like the others, it always spawns in a specific place), all of its digits are upright, meaning it's good to go. To make a wish (between three and five, depending on the reward multiplier set at the start), it's simply a case of using the game's voice recognition feature, similar to the Spirit Box. Of course, if you can't �or simply ??don't want to �use a microphone, there is a text-based option as well.

However, beware of the consequences! Each time you make a wish �and a finger curls inwards �you risk initiating a hunt. See, the Monkey Paw can be very useful, but, much like in the original short story, it can lead to disaster. For example: wishing for more sanity restore??s 50% of your sanity, but the Monkey Paw Curse adds a multiplier of 1.5 to your sanity drain rate. Likewise, if you wish for the exit door to unlock, it will do so, but will also slow your speed down for a few seconds.

What can you wish for with the Monkey Paw?

There are a number of Monkey Paw wishes you can ask for that Phasmophobia recognizes. This can range from wishing for a clear sky to wishing to see the ghost itself, to even wishing for a player who's died to come bac??k to life. Some questions you can ask the Monkey Paw include:

• Restore sanity
• Reveal the ghost room
• Witness activity
• Trap the ghost
• Unlock the exit
• Revive a friend
• Change the weather

Similar to using the Ouija Board or Voodoo Doll, it's typically best to employ the Monkey Paw away from th??e ghost room if at all possible. At least that way, you have a chance to hide should a hunt begin. Oh, and if you're using voice recognition, be careful what you say while holding the item, as it's known to unintentionally interpret speech as a wish.

The post How to use the Monkey Paw in Phasmophobia appeared first on Destructoid.

Every Sunday evening, I play Phamophobia with my friend from Canada. We boot up Discord, I crack open a can of craft beer (I'm really into craft beers at the moment � yes, I have a beard), and we put our game faces on. Now, we've been playing on and off for several years at this p?oint, but for those who are just joining the ghost-hunting sensation, there are some things you may want to know beforehand.

First off: there are ghosts. This is hardly mind-blowing information. Even if you haven't played the game, you're probably vaguely familiar with the concept. However, it's important to know that there are several ghosts you'll en??counter over the course of your investigations. Not only that, but they have different characteristics to help you identify a specific one.

So if you're new to Phasmophobia, or you're getting back into it for the recent Easter 2024 event, consider this guide a bit of a cheat sheet for all ??the possible ghosts you can identify.

Banshee

Typically ??noted for their wailing screech, these ghosts are often depicted in popular culture as creepy girls or women with gaping mouths. B??ecause of the screaming.

One key trait of a Banshee is its distinctive screech. Using the parabolic microphone, it's possible to pic?k up this scream (directly into your ears. Splendid). However, it's not a guarantee, with around a 33% chance of a scream being heard, but if you do hear it, yep: that's a banshee.

They also typically target one parti??cular player, so be on ??the lookout for one member of your party being singled out.

Evidence

• Ultraviolet
• Ghost orb
• D.O.T.S.

Hunts at: 50% sanity.

Demon

The dreaded Demon. This is definitely one of the ghosts you hope is not the subject of your investigation. An absolute staple in horror, demonic beings are the type to make even those ??of no faith make considerable changes to their underwear budget. They're fierce ne'er-do-wells, is what I'm saying.

Phasmophobia's Demons are no better. They're the ones most players dread. Whereas most other ghosts will have the common decency to wait until your sanity is down to a certain threshold, these ass-baskets can initiate a hunt at an??y point. Yes, I've literally walked into a home to start the investigation only to have the door im??mediately slam behind me.

However, to balance this poop-inducing ability, the range of the crucifix is 50% larger than for other ghost?s. So you got that going for ??you.

Evidence

• Ultraviolet
• Ghost writing
• Freezing temperatures

Hunts at: whenever the hell it feels like it.

Deogen

The firs??t on this list that many may not be too familiar with. In legend, the Deogen (sometimes spelled "De Ogen") is of Belgian?? descent, said to haunt the Sonian Forest. However, in this case, they've chosen to hang around the confines of a pretty lush, suburban household.

These spirits can be almost as deadly as a Demon, in that they know where the player is hiding during a hunt. Be on the listen for footsteps that are much faste?r than normal, as this probably means your hiding spot ?has been compromised. Conversely, they'll walk slowly when near their victims.

Feeling brave? If so, you can identify a Deogen by its "flicker" when it appears for a hunt. When "deo" thy see, longer visibility thar be, if the old saying is to be believed.

Evidence

• Spirit box
• Ghost writing
• D.O.T.S.

Hunts at: 40% sanity.

Goryo

Similar to a Banshee, a Goryo (sometimes written out as "GoryĹŤ") is said to be a vengeful ghost of Japanese origin. In Phasmophobia, there is actually a very neat way to immediately identify whether you have this ghost typ?e on your hands.

See, a Goryo will show itself via the D.O.T.S. projector. However, they'll only be visible through a camera lens or screen. When playing by yourself, if you hold the video camera in the direction of the D.O.T.S. (but not too close) and you see the ghost through the viewfinder but not with your own eyes, you've got 'e?m.

They also don't typically wander too far ??from their favorite room, so that should help you focus in on one area.

Evidence

• EMF 5
• Ultraviolet
• D.O.T.S.

Hunts at: 50% sanity.

Hantu

Here we move into more Indonesian territory, with a ghost that �according to folklore �may not always be mal??evolent. However, what sort of ghost hunting horror game would it be if there was a friendly spirit?

Hantu's are noted for having an aversion to lights, which means it's more than likely to turn the breaker itself off. It will also never turn the breaker on, eith??er.

They also love the cold, and can be identified during a hunt by the foggy breath that's emitted near its head. On the opposite end of this, they move a lot ??slower in warm areas during a hunt. When it begins to roam, you may notice the speed of its footsteps change as it moves from a colder room to a warmer one??.

Evidence

• Ghost orb
• Freezing temperatures
• Ultraviolet

Hunts at: 50% sanity.

Jinn

The Jinn is of Islamic folklore, but many of us in the west typically know them as the Genie. But you won't be granted any wishes when this spirit comes a-knockin' in Phasmophobia. Not even if one of your wis?hes is, "I wish I wasn't being ??killed by a Jinn right now."

These spectral? pieces-of-work are known to be quite speedy during hunts, but only when t??he fuse box is on, it has line-of-sight of its target, and it's more than three meters away.

Also, unlike the Hantu, a Jinn will never turn the breaker off, but there is a chance it can lower a player's sanity quite dramatically while showing EMF 2 or EMF 5 at said breaker. Lots to? think about there.

Evidence

• EMF 5
• Ultraviolet
• Freezing temperatures

Hunts at: 50% sanity.

Mare

As in "night-mare?" According to the myth: yes, absolutely. This ??spirit is the reason?? we may wake up in a cold sweat in our beds. Now you know who to blame when you have terrifying dreams about bumping into your old principal in the local Fuddruckers while you have no clothes on. And your principal is now a clown.

Not too dissimilar to a Hantu, a Mare prefers the soothing embrace of darkness, so it is likely to switch any lights off that have been turned on. Incensed with lighting, it even has a hi??gher chance of exploding light bul?bs. However, it can still turn the TV on.

As a result, a Mare can initiate a hunt at a slightly higher sanity level in a dark room, so turning lights on can help keep you safe for a bit longer. But be warned, the ghost can immediately turn lights off as soon as you switc??h them on.

Evidence

• Spirit box
• Ghost orb
• Ghost writing

Hunts at: 60% sanity with lights off, and 40% with lights on (NOTE: once the 40% threshold has bee??n reached, turning lights on won't reduce the chance of a Mare hunt).

Moroi

I'm never quite sure how to pronounce this: M'roy, Mo-rah, Mo-row-ee? Whatever. The?se are actually vampire ghosts from Romanian folklore, but they won't suck?? your blood and go "blah." They do, however, suck to encounter in the game.

The Moroi in Phasmophobia feeds on weakness. Essentially, the lower a player's sanity is, the faster this spirit is during hunts. However, this can be rectified by taking sanity pills. But you're still in the midst of a hunt, so you're not out of the woods yet (unless you're not in the woods to begin with, but I digress). It can also curse the player (intensify sanity drainage) if they hear a response using the spirit box or through the parabolic m??icrophone.

You can, however, subdue an ?advancing Moroi by using incense, which makes it so it can't see the player for lon??ger than with other ghosts (7.5 seconds instead of the usual 5).

Evidence

• Spirit box
• Ghost writing
• Freezing temperatures

Hunts at: 50% sanity, but will move qu??icker as sanity be?comes lower.

Myling

It??'s become pretty evident so far that there are many more different types of gho?sts in myths and legends than a lot of us initially suspected. The Myling comes from Scandinavia and is a ghost of the child killed by its parents. Charming. Also, it's pronounced "mew-leeng," apparently. I literally just found that out. I've been making a fool of myself this whole time.

When trying to identify a Myling in Phasmophobia, an easy method (like with a lot of ghosts) is to listen out for its footsteps during a hunt. I say listen out, as these ghost types are quieter?? than others, so fainter steps and vocal sounds are a good indic?ator.

They also make more frequent paranormal sounds, which can be picked up through the parabolic mic. Don't always count on t?his method though, but it is at least one more trait of a Myling.

Evidence

• EMF 5
• Ultraviolet
• Ghost writing

Hunts at: 50% sanity.

Obake

We return to Japan for this one. The Obake is said to be a type of Yokai (more on these later) and are notable for being shape-shifters. If you're wondering whether the Phasmophobia team did their homework for this ghost t?ype, you'd be right on the money.

Yes, just like in folklore, this specter can change its form. When hunting, if you notice the ghost model change during the ghost's flicker, you're right in Obake territory. However, it's not always a guarantee, but there are other things beside the usual eviden?ce you can look out for.

Perhaps the most famous of this is its ultraviolet imprint. During an investig?ation, if you notice a handprint that has six digits instead of the usual five, you absolutely have an Obake. Again, it won't always happen. It's something like a one in six chance. See also: two fingerprints on a light switch instead of one.

Evidence

• EMF 5
• Ultraviolet (natch)
• Ghost orb

Hunts at: 50% sanity.

Oni

According to the myth (yes, it's from Japan), Onis are hulking figures that may have horns, tusks, and/or sharp claws. Is anyone else immediately picturing the dinosaurs from Jurassic Park? Much like the Obake above, these are also types ?of Yokai (again, we'll get to them).

In Phasmophobia, the Oni is more active when players are nearby, so if there's a bunch of you in the room and things start flying off the shelves, it could?? be something other than your typical Poltergeist. Speaking of ghost events, they also don't do that weird thing where you see a small bit of mist floating by followed by a loud, breathy vocal sound. You know the one I'm talking about.

During a hunt, Onis also?? have a chance to appear in full for longer periods, meaning their flickering is shorter. So many of these identifiable traits seem to involve standing and looking at ghosts as they hunt, it seems.

Evidence

• EMF 5
• Freezing temperatures
• D.O.T.S.

Hunts at: 50% sanity.

Onryo

This might be just me and my friend, but we often refer to these as "onion rings." Because of the name, you see (please don't leave). I mentioned earlier how the Banshee was the type of thing you might see in the Grudge. Well, in fact, the Onryo is closer to this type ??of ghost. Sorry to be a tease like that.

As you may have gathered from the image above, identifying an Onryo can be done using a flame. An Onryo is more likely to extinguish a lit candle. However, doing so can initiate a hunt, but the use of a flame itsel??f can pacify the ghost making it less likely to hunt. Go figure.

Basically, it's worth being caut??ious of how effective you want this startegy to be. Some might say going into a house that's haunted by a dangerous spirit is n??ot worth the risk at all. But they're not you though, amirite? Onryo's can also hunt at a higher sanity threshold than other ghosts, so be wary of that.

Evidence

• Spirit box
• Ghost orb
• Freezing temperatures

Hunts at: 60% sanity.

Phantom

A classic of any haunted house story. The Phantom is not just for operas or pregnancies. Although they can often be interpreted as being a dreamlike ghost, which sounds quite nice in a weird way. But the one in Phasmo is more deadly than you might think.

For starters, it will drain your sanity quite significantly if you look directly at it. The Phantom also appears to be quite shy, in that it doesn't show up in photos, but taking a photo of it during a hunt will make it disappear temporarily, though?? you may still be able to hear it.

Having said that, if one of your objectives is to capture a photograph of the ghost, it will still count, even though you won't be able to see it in the image itself. Also, a Phantom may be invisibl??e (i.e. the amount of time between flickers) for longer during a hunt.

Evidence

• Spirit box
• Ultraviolet
• D.O.T.S.

Hunts at: 50% sanity.

Poltergeist

Whether you believe in ghosts or not, if you've ever seen an object fall over apparently of its own volition, chances are you've thought, "oh no. A poltergeist. Who am I going to call?" The Enfield haunting (which the film The Conjuring 2 is based on) is probably the most famous Poltergeist story in British history, so it's not surprising it's in Phasmophobia.

As you would expect, this ghost type is known for in??teracting with objects, sometimes even more than one. During a hunt, you'll also likely notice all man??ner of items being thrown about hither and thither and yon, to the tune of one ever 0.5 seconds.

One tip is to build what some may call a "polty pile." This involves gathering a selection of objects and building a small pile in the ghost room. If you witness them being thrown about with wreckless abandon, chances are it's a Poltergeist. However, it's worth saying that other ghosts can also interacte with th?e en??vironment, so further detective work may still be needed.

Evidence

• Spirit box
• Ultraviolet
• Ghost writing

Hunts at: 50% sanity.

Raiju

With a name that means "thunder beasts," the Raiju could well be the Thor of the ghost? world. Expect it definitely isn't. It's (you guessed it) a Japanese spirit that is said to fall down from the sky on a lightning bolt during thunderstorms. So way better than Thor, in fact.

It won't surprise you, therefore, that Raiju??s are known to interfere with electronics. Now, other ghosts can do similar, but this one d??oes so from further away, disrupting equipment from 15 meters instea of ten. It also siphons power to increase its speed and aggression. Someone get Mr. Marvel on the phone, stat.

Additionally, it can initiate a hunt at a higher sanity threshold when near electronic equipment. You might have? to become a bit more luddite with this one. Go a bit analog. Bit old school.

Evidence

• EMF 5
• Ghost orb
• D.O.T.S.

Hunts at: 65% when near electronic equipment, ???but 50% otherwise.

Revenant

We're in the big leagues now, peeps (do people still say "peeps"?). Deriving from the French verb "to return," a Revenant is often depicted as a revived corpse. It's not quite the same as a zombie, but it?? certainly seems to share similar charactertistics.

In any case, much like the Demon, Revenants are feared by a lot of Phasmo players. Noted for its violent tendencies, it will absolutely make a beeline for any player it catches in its sights during hunts. ??This no?t only makes it dangerous, but pretty terrifying as well.

However, if there's one saving grace, it will walk q?uite slowly when it's not actively targeting a player, so hiding is probably your best weap?on in this regard. You utter, utter coward.

Evidence

• Ghost orb
• Ghost writing
• Freezing temperatures

hunts at: 50% sanity.

Shade

Residing within the underworld, Shades are simply the spirit of a dead person. They're familiar in a lot of cultures and have appeared in notable classic texts, such as Homer's Odyssey and Dante's Divine Comedy. There. I bet you didn't th?ink you'd get a quick lesson in literature when you started reading this.

Anyone familiar with Phasmophobia will probably feel a sense of relief when they hear about the Shade, especially in counter to the Revenant?. One thing to note about these is they are known for being shy, which can mak??e identifying them a bit more difficult.

They are also quite forgiving, in that they don't ente?r a hunt state when people are nearby. This means you're likely to have an easier time during an investigation. A good rule of thumb we use is: if you've been investigating for some time and there's been little to no activity, there's a good chance it's a Shade.

Evidence

• EMF 5
• Ghost writing
• Freezing temperatures

Hunts at: 35% sanity.

Spirit

We often use the term "spirit" interchangably with "ghost." I've been guilty of it myself in this article. This is very much the bread and butter of the spectral world, to the point where it's basically the default in Phasmophobia.

The unique thing about the Spirit is that it doesn't actually have any distinctive traits. You could get into a socialogical argument about whether the absense of any notable charactertics is, in its own sense, a charactertistic. To that end, if you notice the ghost does not have any special behaviour, you may have a Spirit on your han??ds.

One way you can check is with incense. Wh??en used in the ghost room, it will prevent the Spirit from going into a hunt for 180 blissful seconds (double what it normally is). However, outside that, you have nothing to go on. Well??, except all the obvious evidence, of course.

Evidence

• EMF 5
• Spiri box
• ghost writing

Hunts at: 50% sanity.

Thaye

Despite hearing people refer to it as a "tie," I have it on good authority that it's actually pronounced "thuh-yeh." Don't say you never learn anything from my articles. These are known to be disembodied spirits that hail from Mayanmar folklore, often said to appear either at noon or nigh?t. I suppose it depends on how long they've slept in.

Thayes are very unique to Phasmophobia in that th?ey actually age the longer the investigation goes on. This means their behaviour can be different depening on how much time has passed. They will start off being quite aggressive with a greater chance of hunting at a higher sanity threshold, but will become weaker as your investigation goes on.

You should be able to check ??this if the location has a Ouija board. The ghost will give an older respon?se when asked its age. However, that way madness lies, so just be wary of a decrease in activity and aggression.

Evidence

• Ghost orb
• Ghost writing
• D.O.T.S.

??Hunts at: 75% sanity to begin with, but goes as low as 15% over time.

The Mimic

As you've noticed, I've been making use of these opening paragraphs to fill you in one some of the folklore behind Phasmophobia's ghosts. But there doesn't apppear to be anything about this one's cultural signifi?cance or country of origin. So let's just sit in silence ??until the next paragraph.

That was fast. As the name suggests, the Mimic is a tricksy character. As such, it's capable of imitati?ng the behavior of other ghosts. While this makes it a lot more unpredictable, astute ghost hunters who notice a difference in patterns and charactertistics may be able to identify a Mimic.

However, there is a simpler solution. See, this ghost type is the only one in the game that actually leaves four pieces of evidence. It's kind of a well-know??n secret, if you will, so if you notice a ghost orb despite marking down three other types of evidence...boom. M?imic.

Evidence

• Spirit box
• Ultraviolet
• Freezing temperatures
• Ghost orb (secret evidence)

Hunts at: 50% sanity

The Twins

Much like the Mimic, there isn't really any IRL lore surrounding the Twins. What you can probably deduce from the name alone is that it's actually two ghosts in one complete package. Bonus fact: I'm a twin in real ??life. Is that an interesting fact? Not really. But it's true, and isn't that the real treasure here? (The answer is no)

In Phasmo, a huge charactertistic of the Twins is its (their) ability to interact with the environment in different rooms simultaneously. As such, on larger maps especially, it?? can be easy to get confused about which room the ghost(s) is in. That can work to your advantage, as noticing things move in one room but al?so in another, much further room, most likely means it's the Twins.

Another way is through the hunt (isn't is a??lways). Basically, one hunt will come with slow footsteps, while the next one will be faster. Given this, it just takes two hunts to narrow down this ghost type if you're unsure.

Evidence

• EMF 5
• Spirit box
• Freezing

Hunts at: 50% sanity. It should be ??noted that evidence is only found in one of the rooms, not both rooms where the ghosts are active in.

Wraith

Another classic in the gost world. The Wraith is can be depicted in numerous forms, though often looks more creepy than something like a typical Spirit. Think the one from Dead by Daylight or the Ringwraiths from the Lord of the Rings series. Yeah, that's the stuff.

One thing that often typifies this ghost type is its ability to fly. As such, if you're wondering whether you're dealing with one in Phasmophoia, just put a bit of salt down. The Wraith here does not leave a t??race of a footprint, so an indisturbed salt pile is one of your biggest clues.

Having said ?that, its ghost model doesn't float, which means waiting for it to m??anifest won't help you out. However, there is a possibility of it teleporting across the map at random, which will often give an EMF 2 or EMF 5 reading.

Evidence

• EMF 5
• Spirit box
• D.O.T.S.

Hunts at: 50% sanity.

Yokai

I mentioned this ghost type earlier. In Japanese folklore (yes, we're back to that), a Yokai is a broad term that can explain a number of paranormal phenomnon, in??cluding ghosts and other apparitions. With ??a name that means "strange apparition," it's not just a moniker, it's a basic description.

This one is?? rather sensitive to sounds, especially voices. Whenever you attempt to talk to a Yokai, you increase the chance of it becoming more active. Imagine an entity getting increasingly aggressive the more you talk at it, but enough about my family (oh, I got jokes)!

During a hunt, it will only really be senitive to a voice when it's close by. I've watched videos of?? people calling out the ghost's name only for it to seemingly ignore the player, leaving them to verify it with confidence as a Yokai. It is, however, capable of hunting at a much higher sanity level than other ghosts.

Evidence

• Spirit box
• Ghost orb
• D.O.T.S.

Hunts at: 80% ??sanity. That's?? almost Demon levels of aggression.

Yurei

Yurei appear to be quite choosy about their hauntings, often opting for a specific location at a specific time. Basically, there's a lot of crossover it seems between this, the Obake, t??he Yokai, and the Banshee.

In Phasmophobia, however, there are ways?? to distinguish it from other apparitions. For example, a Yurei may shut the main (exit) door of a location, even when it's not hunting or initiating an event. The same goes for closing any other door fully.

You can also "trap" a Yurei by smudging it with the incense at its place of death (i.e. the gho??st room). On the downside, it will also have a greater effect on sanity, so be careful when in the vicinity of a door that suddenly slams shut.

Evidence

• Ghost orb
• Freezing temperatures
• D.O.T.S.

Hunts at: 50% sanity.

The post All Phasmophobia ghost types and traits appeared first on Destructoid.

The Easter Event for 2024 in Phasmophobia has begun. In order to successfully complete this event you will need to find five Forest Spirit Minions and then a Forest Spirit to complete the event. Doing so will earn you some rewards. The event is only around for a couple of weeks so make sure you complete the event in time. Here's where you can find all five Forest Spirit Minions and how to find the Forest Spirit in the Phasmophobia Easter Event 2024.

Where to find the 5 Forest Spirit Minions for the Summoning Ritual

When you go to vote on a contract, you will see five of the pictures have what looks like a nest icon, and one which has a bunny icon. You need to do all five nest icon contracts first and take a picture of the Forest Spirit Minion(represented by a Jackalope that looks like a mythical rabbit) in each map before continuing to the bunny icon contract which has the F??orest Spirit. Here are the five contracts with a Forest Spirit Minion:

• 10 Ridgeview Court
• 13 Willow Street
• Bleasdale Farmhouse
• Grafton Farmhouse
• Maple Lodge Campsite

Pick which map you want to do then bring along UV Light, a D.O.T.S. Projector, and a Photo Camera. You can use any tier, but Tier 1 versions are available at the beginning of the map which you can pick up as well.

Once the map loads, you need to complete the following p??ro??cess in order on each map:

1. Find the Jackalope Footprints at the entrance using the UV Light. Click on the Nest using the UV Light.
2. Jackalope Footprints will appear. Follow the correct Jackalope Footprints corresponding to the map below using the UV Light to reach the final nest with the Jackalope.
3. Use the D.O.T.S. Projector to highlight the final Nest. A Jackalope will appear.
4. Take a picture of the Jackalope in the nest. It will jump at you. The picture should show as 3 Start Forest Spirit Minion in your journal.
5. Once you've got the picture in the journal, hit ESC and go to Leave Game. You do not need to complete the map for it to save.

Here are the paths you can take for each map.

10 Ridgeview Court

Unlock the front door and look down and you will see the start of the Jacklope Foot??prints. Follow the footprints that lead forward until you see stairs on your left. Follow the footprints up the stairs and look to your left.

You'll see another nest. Turn left around the wall and head all the way down the hall. ??You will see a door in front of you and on your right at the end of the hallway. Go inside the door on your right and you will now be in a boy's bedroom.??

Look for the nest on the floor in the left corner which is where you want to setup your D.O.T.S. Projector to shine on the nest. A Jackalope will appear, at?? which point you take the picture!

13 Willow Street

Head through the front door and continue through the living room into the kitchen. Straight ahead the kitchen leads into the hallway. ??Look down at the entrance to the hallway a??nd you will see the starting Jackalope footprints. Use the UV Light to interact with the Jackalope Nest then head left into the basement.

Proceed down the stairs into the basement and turn left. The basement hallway leads to two rooms, a storage room on your right and a storage room on your?? left. You want to proceed?? into the storage room on your left. In the back right corner of the room you will find the final Jackalope nest.

Put up your D.O.T.S. Projector to shine on?? this Jackalope nest and the Jackalope will appear. Take the picture of the Jackalope and you are finished with this map!

Bleasdale Farmhouse

This one is a bit trickier. Head inside then head up to the second floor which is the attic. Use the UV Light at the top of the stairs to start your journey to find the Jack??alope. Head down? the Attic stairs and turn left to proceed through the Upstairs hallway. Head down the stairs and towards the basement ahead of you.

In this house, the living room is in the basement. Once you're down the basement steps look right and that is the entrance into the living room. Look for the Sofa in the middle of the living room and you will find the Jackalope nest rig??ht next to it.

Turn on your D.O.T.S. Projector and shine it on the Jackalope nest and you wi??ll see the Jackalope. Snap the picture and onto the ??next mission!

Grafton Farmhouse

This one is easy and takes? place entirely on the first floor. Head inside and directly ahead you will see the foyer. In the entrance between the foyer and the living room, you will find the beginning Jackalope footprints. Start tracking the footprints to the right into t??he living room. You will find another doorway on your right that leads into the Twin Bedroom.

Once inside the Twin Bedroom look to your left and you will see the storage closet door. Head inside the Twin Bedroom storage closet and look to your right and you will find the Jack?alope nest.

S?hine the D.O.T.S. Projector on the Jackalope nest and it will appear. Take a picture of it and move on to the final Forest Spirit Minion contract.

Maple Lodge Campsite

This is the ??only intermediate difficulty map that is part of the Forest Spirit Minions, and if you've played it, ??you can understand it will be tricky to explain.

Start the map and head into the center of the map, more specifically the Reception Building. Once inside look on the ground and you will find the Jackalope footprints. Follow them outside into the open area of Campsite B. Follow to the left and continue all the way around until you reach the bathroom area on your left. Head through the female toilets bathroom and then? ahead through the male toilets bathroom, then to your right head back outside.

You're not in the Campsite A area. Head forward as far as you can and look for a tree in the corner that?? is near the entrance to the entire lodge.

Aim your D.O.T.S. Project?or at the nest near the tree and the Jackalope will appear. Snap the final picture and you now have all five Forest Spirit Minion??s! It's time to move on to the Forest Spirit!

Investigate the Forest Spirit

To investigate the Forest Spirit, you just need to successfully identify and take a photo of the ghost on the Camp Woodwind map. Choose the Camp Woodwi?nd contract and start the level.

Play out the contract like you would a normal mission. Use your equipment to track the ghost and properly identify the correct ghost you are dealing with. Make sure you snap a picture of the ghost before completing the contract and leaving, as you need to do this to complete the summoning ritu??al.

If you took a picture of the ghost AND identified it correctly, you will s??uccessfully complete the Easter Event 2024. You can't quit via the menu like the previous steps, and have to go through the entire ghost identification process and leave the map the proper way by closing up the van and leaving.

You will receive a trophy and badge for completing the Phasmophobia Easter Event 2024!

The post Phas??mophobia Easter Event 2??024: Where to find all Forest Spirit Minions and the Forest Spirit appeared first on Destructoid.

Those guys over at Kinetic Games sure are determined to keep Phasmophobia ticking over nicely. With the?? studio initiating a reset along with a huge updat?e last year, it feels as though the team is trying to keep things fresh. Now, we've got some more stuff inbound, including something that a lot of fans should be pleased with.

In a recent post on Steam, we've been treated to a bit of insight into what's happening behind the Phasmophobia scenes. First and foremost, we're getting an update to? the shop "sometime next week."

After hearing the feedback, Kinetic is working hard to make it "t??he best shop it can be." A few images show what we can expect when the changes happen. However, as always with these previews, any "information and images are Work In Progress (WIP) and may change drastically before releasin?g."

Actually, yes. Why have we not had rickety houses before?

We're also told that? progress on some other things is coming along nicely. For example??, we've been shown a new image from Point Hope, the lighthouse map that the team will "soon be able to set it up for gameplay and get testing."

And yes, you can apparently play the chessboard that's in the image. This also means it may not be long until the map starts rolling out. Caveats apply, as ??always.

On top of this, tinkering? is still underway on the farmhouses, which are being given a rework. Images show that Grafton is getting something of a visual overhaul, with it now being a lot more dilapidated, as well as having its layout altered.

Sadly, there's been no word on the much-anticipated console port. We were told last year that the developer had to delay it, but there's been no conf??irmation on when we can expect it.

Personally, I can't wait until the new shop update. Ever since the changes came a while back, I've really not got on with it. Apparently, I'm not alone in this, according to the comments on this Reddit thread. It's pretty much the one thing that's been a thorn in my back when it comes to Phasmo.

The post Phasmophobia preview sho??ws long-awaited shop overhaul coming next week appeared first on Destructoid.

Kinetic Games is greeting the New Year with an updated roadmap for Phasmophobia. 

This Roadmap is a little unusual in the sense that it only features milestones but lacks any release windows. The announcement shows the planned feature updates through to the 1.0 release from early access, but doesn’t really give any idea as to what the timeline is. This isn’t even a 2024 roadmap. It’s for 2024 and beyond.

Nonetheless, it gives you an idea of what needs to be done before the developer considers it complete enough to call it done. This includes lighting updates in 0.9 (which arrives next week after the holiday event ends), new tasks in 0.10, new play models in 0.11, and further overhauls in the 1.0 release. Beyond this is also the console release, the Point Hope map, and other maps beyond that, which are planned for release as they’re done rather ??than being packed with major updates.

Beyond the roadmap, Kinetic Games�announcement includes information about the Point Hope Lighthouse map, showing off the bathroom and the basement workshop. Also discussed is the changes happe?ning to the two farmhouse maps. Previously, they were too similar (I couldn’t even tell you which is which), but they plan on giving both of them their own individual flourishes. Mainly, a number of rooms are being converted to having specific purposes. Grafton will also be made to look more rundown, while Bleasdale will be the opposite, being made more posh and ostentatious.

While a timeline for these updates isn’t given, we do know that 0.9 will be arriving next week. I can certainly understand why they wouldn’t want to make promises after development on the game was upended by an office fire last year. 

Phasmophobia is currently available on PC via Early Access. The Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and P??SVR2 versions h??ave been delayed to an unspecified date.

The post Phasmophobia roadmap outlines Point Hope Lighthouse updat?e and path to 1.0 appeared first on Destructoid.

Kinetic Games has announced that the Xbox Series X|??S, PS?5, and PSVR2 versions of the cooperative horror game Phasmophobia have been delayed once again beyond its planned October date. 

The first time Phasmophobia’s console version was delayed was due to an office fire. Kinetic Games�post suggests that their new release date of October was a little too ambitious. They state that the latest delay is due to issues adapting after ?the fire.

“As we still try to adapt to our new remote working life after the fire incident and to establish a new office, we've encountered unforeseen challenges in adapting the game for consoles. These combined factors have affected our development timeline more than we initially anticipated.�/p>

I feel that’s completely understandable, but it's still a bit of a bummer for console players who want to hunt ghosts with friends this Hallowe’en season. While they don’t have a revised date, the team is working to get the wrinkles ironed out and “minimize the impact of this delay.�/p>

What's blocking the camera?

Phasmophobia was released into Steam Early Access on September 18, 2020. It quickly exploded in popularity, and a number of imitators filled the market soon after that. In it, you ??and your friends explore various environments and use an assortment of detection equipment to try and nail down what kind of ghost is haunting the area. All the while, you have to try and avoi??d attacks from said ghost.

I played it with friends a while back, and I’m exactly the type of person you don’t want to play Phasmophobia with. Since I’m generally immune to the scares of video game horror, I spent most of my time screwing around with the environment,?? intentionally obstructing my teammates, and trying to scare them by flickering the lights, abandoning them during investigations, and being where I wasn’t supposed to be. My favorite activity was dropping tubes of caulk in front of surveillance came?ras and gathering every instance of a particular item into the van.

Good times.

Phasmophobia is currently available on PC via Early Access. The Xbox Series X|S,? PS5, and PSVR2 versions have been delayed to an unspecified date.

The post Console versions of Phasmophobia delayed again appeared first on Destructoid.

The paranormal horror game Phasmophobia originally launched on September 18, 2020,? on PC where it enjoyed popularity among streamers. Kinetic Games has PS5 and Xbox Series X/S ports in the works, but you'll have to wait a little longer than expected before you can get your hands on them. The studio has announced that the game has been delayed, pushing its Early Access console launch from August to October, in the week leading up to Halloween.

//twitter.com/Kinetic?Game/status/1694849069045194??958?t=tRaDEz-xKbFYrOeZT2OxnQ&s=19

As the studio explains on Twitter, the delay is the result of a "fire incident" in its offic??e building, along with "unpredicte??d development issues." With the extra time gained by the delay, the studio hopes to perfect and fine-tune the ports.

[caption id="attachment_399024" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Kinetic Games.[/caption]

Phasmophobia lands just in time for Halloween

The delay isn't too long, and in the meantime, PC players can enjoy the recently released Ascension update which brings several changes, including a new leveling system with "new rates of progression, new unlocks, and a prestige system," alo??ng with several minor bug ??fixes.

PS5 owners will be happy to know that a PS VR2 version is also in the works, and crossplay will allow friends to play together regardless of what platform they're on. T??he game has already demonstrated that it is capable of providing a terrifying VR experience thanks to its VR support on PC.

Phasmophobia's minor delay pushes it into an appropriately spooky time, which could end up being a positive for it. However, Phasmophobia will have to contend with several other headliners scheduled for October, including horror titles like Alan Wake 2 and Alone in the Dark.

The post Phasmophobia console launch delayed to October due to “fire incident” appeared first on Destructoid.

Are you ready for the big Phasmophobia update? If so, you'll be pleased to hear that it's going to start rolling out thi?s Thursday, so prepare yourselves for a number of changes in the hit co-op ghost-hunting game.

After what felt like an eternity of Kinetic Games promising that a significant patch was coming, the team finally confirmed it on Discord recently. There's also been a public post on Twitter conf?irming that, yes, the "Ascension" update is inbound and will be going live on August 17 from 10AM UTC onwards.

//twitter.com/KineticGame/status?/1691407479119192065

If you want to get in those last few levels before Phasmophobia goes through these changes, now's the time.

Everything changes

Over a series of dev posts on Steam, we've learned that a lot of things are going to be different in Phasmo. For one, there's some new equipment, which is now going to be tiered. Everyone is also having their levels reset to 0, but it's been said that you will be given a badge that indicates where you were before the update. The patch was supposed to be rolling out a little earlier, but the people at Kinetic said they had to delay it a little bit.

Phasmophobia is also coming to consoles, with a proje?cted release date of...??well...sometime this month. Who knows, maybe we'll get the PS5 and Xbox Series versions on the same day as the big update.

In any case, there's a lot to look forward to. So horror ?fans, mark your ca?lendars for tomorrow, the Progression 2.0 changes are coming!

The post Phasmophobia’s “biggest update” ever is coming this week appeared first on Destructoid.