Ghost Files: The Face of Guilt

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Ghost Files: The Face of Guilt is a single player casual puzzle game with horror, fantasy, mystery and kids themes. It was developed by Brave Giant LTD and was released on May 18, 2017. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Lead the Police investigation in the afterlife!

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Single-Player

Ghost Files: The Face of Guilt screenshot

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68%

Audience ScoreBased on 189 reviews

story51 positive mentions

stability5 negative mentions

The game offers a decent mix of hidden object scenes, puzzles, and forensic mini-games, providing a satisfying rhythm of progress for genre fans.
Visuals and ambient music are generally well done and contribute positively to the atmosphere.
Achievements and collectibles are well integrated and can be completed in a single playthrough, appealing to achievement hunters.

The storyline is uneven and at times nonsensical, with an awkward shift from police procedural to supernatural elements that may confuse or displease players.
Voice acting and character animations are often criticized for being low quality or distracting.
Numerous spelling/grammar errors, illogical puzzle solutions, and occasional game-breaking bugs detract from the overall experience.

story
171 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
64%
6%
The story of "Ghost Files: The Face of Guilt" blends a police investigation of a serial killer with supernatural elements, particularly limbo interludes, resulting in a genre mix that many find jarring and poorly integrated. While some players appreciate the unique combination and occasional twists, others criticize the plot for being incoherent, predictable, and weighed down by translation issues and lack of character development. Overall, the narrative is engaging enough to motivate progression but is often seen as uneven, with the paranormal aspects feeling forced and disrupting the detective story's flow.
- “Ghost Files: The Face of Guilt is a hidden-object detective adventure that blends crime-scene investigation with supernatural intrigue, creating an experience that is equal parts forensic mystery and eerie ghost story.”
- “Ultimately, Ghost Files: The Face of Guilt is a compelling fusion of investigative gameplay and supernatural storytelling.”
- “The plot is revealed through occasionally found interactive notebooks, where three given symbols must be found on an image in order to learn snippets of the story, which is a neat way to make the storytelling somewhat more interesting rather than just simply presenting it to us.”
- “The plot points surrounding limbo are never really firmly established nor concluded and frankly the whole ghost thing felt completely unnecessary - we're a detective.”
- “Minimal voice acting, no internal dialogue to both explain and further immerse the player, illogical plot points (i.e. main character starts out telling the psychic she doesn't believe in the supernatural, gets dumped into a supernatural event, psychic magically appears to help in said supernatural event, further explains supernatural event to our main character after it's over, and main character just shrugs and says okay), multiple typos and/or bad translations, poor transitions when going from one chapter to another, and a muddled story.”
- “Ghost files' plot is bad because of its jumpy pacing, unnecessary paranormal elements that go nowhere, and the face/off switcheroo twist at the end that made the reveal boring.”
graphics
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
44%
12%
The game features generally solid and detailed graphics with a polished, moody aesthetic that enhances its atmosphere, though some visuals feel dated or uneven in quality. While artwork and backgrounds are often praised for their detail and style, character animations and voice acting receive mixed to negative feedback. Overall, the graphics support gameplay well but are not consistently exceptional across all elements.
- “Visually, the game maintains a polished, moody aesthetic throughout its dual worlds.”
- “The in-game visuals are still beautiful and varied like other Artifex Mundi games.”
- “The graphics are very beautiful, with detailed places and cutscenes.”
- “The writing is atrocious, the graphics are weak as a kitten, the hidden object puzzles are hopelessly average, the voice acting isn't even b-movie grade, and only the mini-games stand out as being fun and mildly original (but only barely).”
- “Graphics have mixed quality: the locations are well-designed and detailed, but the animations look clunky and dated and most of the characters look uncanny.”
- “The graphics are very old fashioned, and in some of the hidden object scenes the gamma was set so dark that I found myself squinting and my eyes watering from trying to discern items -- not in a fun way.”
gameplay
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
62%
8%
The gameplay in Ghost Files: The Face of Guilt offers a smooth and classic hidden-object experience with a blend of forensic investigation and puzzle-solving, though many found the puzzles easy and the mechanics somewhat simplistic or inconsistently applied. While the early forensic elements add a unique thematic layer, the shift to supernatural aspects and the overall short length limit depth and challenge. Overall, it provides solid, accessible gameplay typical of the genre, appealing more to beginners than those seeking innovation or complexity.
- “The gameplay continues to revolve around a mix of hidden-object scenes, logic puzzles, and inventory-based interactions.”
- “The mechanics are on par with the best Artifex Mundi games, because I think Big Giant Studios got this spot on for my liking... the game flows great, never got stuck at any point, and it was all very satisfactory.”
- “Besides the usual finding objects and finishing minigames, for me a unique gameplay method is the use of police forensic investigation kit, where you can collect and analyze samples.”
- “The game mechanics of having to find actual evidence relating to the crime are sadly poorly utilised, the plot itself is silly and illogical, and overall the puzzles are not as interesting as other games.”
- “Unfortunately, the puzzles were often too easy, making parts of the gameplay feel uninspired and lacking challenge.”
- “In fact, the game throws so many different types of mechanics at the player that I genuinely felt it was at war with itself, an identity crisis if you will.”
music
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
59%
17%
The game's music generally creates an immersive and eerie atmosphere that complements the tone, with some players appreciating the soundtrack and voice acting. However, many found the music repetitive, monotonous, and occasionally irritating due to short loops and frequent repetition. While not exceptional, the soundtrack is decent and supported by good voice work and additional audio features.
- “The soundtrack is a highlight, creating an immersive atmosphere that complements the game's eerie tone.”
- “The graphics are well done, as is the ambient music that accompanies you through the different scenes.”
- “The musics get you in the feel, but the main feature here is the voice acting that is very good and combines with the characters very well.”
- “The worst thing about the music, besides being monotonous and irritating, is that it's a very short sample which is repeated over and over.”
- “Another weakness was the sound, with the music being heavy and repetitive, with one particular track that played in nearly every area which made it horrifically grating.”
- “Shortly, while it looks good and has a decent (if cliched) story, the puzzles often make no sense (like using a broken knife as a screwdriver when an allen key is required), the hidden object scenes regularly have multiple objects of the same type and not all of them are clickable, and the music, while initially okay, is really annoying after two minutes.”
humor
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is largely unintentional, stemming from poorly executed voice acting, inaccurate forensic details, and awkward facial animations, which some players find amusing. Additionally, quirky character design and absurd plot elements, like a detective dismissing psychics while committing crimes, contribute to a campy, occasionally funny experience. However, this humor is inconsistent and not enough to make the overall gameplay genuinely enjoyable.
- “I do find it funny that the main character says she wants to do things the detective way, not with a psychic, and then proceeds to commit so many crimes.”
- “However, the quality of the voice acting is hilariously bad.”
- “On the other side, the opening was hilarious, what with a serial killer called "the guilty man" who is being pursued by your colleague, the police psychic!”
atmosphere
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
34%
22%
The game’s atmosphere is praised for its realistic Boston settings and immersive visuals that blend detective realism with eerie fantasy, enhanced by a standout soundtrack. While some find the tone shifts uneven and the story detracts from the overall mood, the polished puzzle design and unique atmosphere still provide a compelling and engaging experience.
- “The realistic Boston settings—police stations, alleyways, grim apartments—are rendered with enough clarity to make hidden-object scenes readable without sacrificing atmosphere.”
- “The puzzles are varied, the hidden-object segments are polished, and the shifting atmosphere creates a dynamic interplay between detective realism and eerie fantasy.”
- “The soundtrack is a highlight, creating an immersive atmosphere that complements the game's eerie tone.”
- “Much atmosphere is lost as a result of this, and the already poor story felt indistinct as a result.”
- “It's unfortunate that I have a lot of negative talking points, because I really did like the art style and the general atmosphere of the game.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game experiences multiple stability issues, including visual glitches, buggy puzzles, and lag, which significantly impact the overall experience. Game-breaking bugs and award-related glitches further detract from gameplay, especially in the latter half. While some difficulty settings offer minor assistance, these technical problems hinder enjoyment and coherence.
- “The plot goes downhill in the second half and the game-breaking bugs and glitches make its situation worse.”
- “Furthermore, these puzzles are incredibly buggy and lag like crazy.”
- “It is a bit buggy in some areas, although the easiest difficulty also gives some help by displaying a glitter in important areas.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
Character development is generally viewed as lacking or insufficiently developed, which weakens the impact of the plot. However, the character designs are praised for being visually appealing, humorous, and fitting the game's eerie atmosphere.
- “The art and character designs are good and appropriately creepy in places.”
- “Call me judgmental or overly critical, but I think these types of plot lines need actual foreshadowing and character development to be effective.”
- “Story isn't that compelling or gripping with lack of character development.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers little to no replay value, with users consistently noting a lack of incentive to play again after the initial experience.
- “Little to no replay value.”
- “The replay value for the game is low.”
- “No replay value.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in the game is considered tedious and unrewarding, with players having to endure a lengthy, uninteresting bonus chapter that adds little value and extends the experience by 30-40 minutes. The repetitive music and lack of meaningful achievements contribute to a frustrating grind.
- “Grinding for achievements is a no-go.”
- “The bonus chapter feels useless and forced, with the same annoying music playing for an extra tedious 30-40 minutes.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect is weak, as players struggle to connect with the characters or feel motivated by their fates due to a lack of meaningful narrative buildup.
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization is well-handled, resulting in smooth performance and efficient system resource usage. Users appreciate the game's ability to run reliably across various hardware configurations.

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6h Median play time

6h Average play time

4-7h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Ghost Files: The Face of Guilt is a casual puzzle game with horror, fantasy, mystery and kids themes.

Ghost Files: The Face of Guilt is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, iPhone and others.

On average players spend around 6 hours playing Ghost Files: The Face of Guilt.

Ghost Files: The Face of Guilt was released on May 18, 2017.

Ghost Files: The Face of Guilt was developed by Brave Giant LTD.

Ghost Files: The Face of Guilt has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked Ghost Files: The Face of Guilt for its story but disliked it for its stability.

Ghost Files: The Face of Guilt is a single player game.

Similar games include Left in the Dark: No One on Board, Abyss: The Wraiths of Eden, Crime Secrets: Crimson Lily, 9 Clues: The Secret of Serpent Creek, Enigmatis: The Ghosts of Maple Creek and others.

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