Ghost in the pool

About

"Ghost in the Pool" is a black-and-white Japanese comic style horror visual novel game, inspired by the original comic series "Guiwenzhai". The game follows a chilling tale of a ghost haunting the school swimming pool, with multiple endings and branches in the story. It offers 1-2 hours of fully interactive gameplay, presenting a unique and eerie campus horror experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 72 reviews

story46 positive mentions

stability3 negative mentions

The game features stunning artwork and a unique black and white comic style that enhances the horror atmosphere.
It offers multiple endings and a path selection feature after completing the game, allowing for replayability and exploration of different choices.
The soundtrack effectively complements the eerie tone of the story, creating an immersive experience for players.

The game is quite short, with a playtime of around one hour, which may leave some players wanting more content.
There are issues with slow text speed and a lack of a proper skip feature, making it tedious to replay sections for different endings.
Some translation errors and minor bugs can detract from the overall experience, affecting the clarity of the story.

story
76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
35%
4%
The story of "Ghost in the Pool" is a short yet engaging horror visual novel that combines eerie elements with themes relevant to high school life, such as stress and parental pressure. While the narrative is straightforward and features multiple endings, some players found the pacing sluggish and certain endings rushed, leading to mixed feelings about the overall resolution. However, the game's captivating art style and atmospheric music enhance the storytelling experience, making it a recommended choice for horror enthusiasts.
- “Ghost in the Pool is a horror visual novel produced by Cascha Games displaying a very eerie story that will keep you on your toes while having a quite short, yet quality horror experience.”
- “The story is really good as we follow the protagonist Yaru as she goes through a couple of days in her elite high school and strange stuff happens to her.”
- “The atmosphere of this game is very well-portrayed so the public can both feel curiosity towards the story, as well as fully perceive the uneasy atmosphere of the game.”
- “Strange drawing + senseless story = ghost in the pool”
- “The pacing is a little sluggish, but that does not take away from the story it is trying to tell.”
- “The epilogue scenes are a bit repetitive, while the story’s finale does offer 3 variations.”
graphics
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
50%
7%
The graphics of "Ghost in the Pool" are highly praised for their unique hand-drawn, monochrome comic book style, reminiscent of Junji Ito's work, which effectively enhances the game's noir atmosphere and psychological horror elements. Reviewers appreciate the artistic diversity, immersive visuals, and the overall aesthetic, noting that the artwork is a significant draw for the game, even for those less interested in horror narratives. The combination of striking visuals and a fitting soundtrack contributes to a memorable experience, making it a recommended choice for fans of visual novels and horror.
- “Ghost in the Pool is a short hand-drawn comic novel with multiple subtle art styles all in black and white, such as papercut portraits stuck to a background or rough pencil graining, enhancing the noir atmosphere.”
- “The art style on this game is simply amazing, and whilst it is kind of short (took me around 2.5 hours to complete it 100% - as in getting all the endings and all the trophies), I don't think that is a flaw, since it tells the story it sets out to tell.”
- “The horror in the game is really good, while it's not jump out of your seat scary, but its scares come from the psychological tension and disturbing visuals.”
- “The art style is presented as a monochrome comic book and appears to be highly inspired by Junji Ito's works.”
- “Hopefully in the future, the studio will get a big budget for their next game, making a longer one with full voice acting while maintaining the quality of graphics and art style.”
music
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
33%
11%
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric quality, effectively setting the mood and enhancing the horror elements of the visual novel. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, noting its ability to create an immersive and tense experience that complements the game's art and storytelling. Overall, the music is described as well-composed and memorable, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
- “I highly recommend this hidden gem with its atmospheric soundtrack and beautifully drawn nightmares.”
- “A very interesting visual novel with expert art and a soundtrack that captures the horror style and tone very nicely.”
- “Immersive, tense, with enticing artwork and a good OST that fits it perfectly, 'Ghost in the Pool' is a short yet memorable addition to your library.”
- “The background music is ok.”
- “My first playthrough, the music was different, but the second time was great!”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
40%
20%
The atmosphere of "Ghost in the Pool" is highly praised for its effective combination of unique black-and-white hand-drawn art styles and an atmospheric soundtrack, creating a noir and unsettling environment. Reviewers note that the game's art and sound design work together to evoke curiosity and a sense of unease, perfectly aligning with its horror themes. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as both original and immersive, enhancing the storytelling experience.
- “Ghost in the Pool is a short hand-drawn comic novel with multiple subtle art styles all in black and white, such as papercut portraits stuck to a background or rough pencil graining, enhancing the noir atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere of this game is very well portrayed, allowing players to feel curiosity towards the story while fully perceiving the uneasy atmosphere of the game.”
- “Very original and unique black and white manga art combines with excellent sound design, creating a disturbing atmosphere that perfectly fits the horror environment the game aims to deliver.”
- “The atmosphere of this game is very well-portrayed so the public can both feel curiosity towards the story, as well as fully perceive the uneasy atmosphere of the game.”
- “Ghost in the pool is a short hand-drawn comic novel with multiple subtle art styles all in black and white, such as papercut portraits stuck to a background or a rough pencil graining, enhancing the noir atmosphere.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The game exhibits minor visual glitches, which have been consistently noted by users, but these issues do not significantly impact overall stability.
- “There are minor visual glitches that disrupt the overall experience.”
- “I encountered minor visual glitches that detracted from the game's immersion.”
- “The game suffers from minor visual glitches that can be quite distracting.”