Ghost in the pool
- January 27, 2021
- CASCHA GAMES
Get on Steam"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.
Reviews
- The game features stunning artwork and a unique black and white comic style that enhances the horror atmosphere.
- It offers an engaging story with multiple endings, allowing for replayability and different choices that impact the narrative.
- The soundtrack effectively complements the eerie tone of the game, creating a tense and immersive experience.
- 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.
- story38 mentions
- 61 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story of "Ghost in the Pool" is a short yet compelling horror narrative that effectively captures the eerie atmosphere of high school life, blending elements of psychological tension and supernatural occurrences. While the plot is straightforward and may feel rushed in its multiple endings, it resonates with themes of stress and societal pressures, enhanced by striking artwork and immersive sound design. Overall, it appeals to horror enthusiasts looking for a visually engaging and concise storytelling experience.
“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 might be short, but it tells a compelling scary story that leaves you wanting more!”
“The artwork is some of my favorite, and the story deals with many important subjects, such as depression, stress, and the pressure from parents and school alike.”
“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.”
- graphics23 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Ghost in the Pool" are widely praised for their unique monochrome comic book style, reminiscent of Junji Ito's work, which effectively enhances the game's noir atmosphere and psychological horror elements. Reviewers highlight the fantastic artwork and immersive visuals, noting that the hand-drawn aesthetic and subtle art styles contribute significantly to the overall experience, making it a compelling choice for fans of horror and visual novels. Despite its short length, the striking visuals and well-integrated sound design leave a lasting impression on players.
“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 artwork is some of my favorite, and it was also one of the biggest factors that drew me to this game; the manga, Junji Ito-esque style pleases my eyes very deeply.”
“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.”
- music9 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric quality, effectively enhancing the horror tone and immersing players in the experience. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a key element that complements the game's art and storytelling, with some noting variations in the music that add to replay value. Overall, the combination of well-crafted music and visuals contributes to a memorable gaming experience.
“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.”
“The music is well put together, and the art style is visually pleasing!”
“The background music is ok.”
“My first playthrough, the music was different, but the second time was great!”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "Ghost in the Pool" is highly praised for its effective combination of atmospheric soundtracks and unique hand-drawn black and white art styles, which create a noir and unsettling ambiance. Reviewers note that the game's visual and auditory elements work together to evoke curiosity and a sense of unease, enhancing the overall horror experience.
“I highly recommend this hidden gem with its atmospheric soundtrack and beautifully drawn nightmares.”
“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.”
“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, allowing players to feel curiosity towards the story while fully perceiving the uneasy ambiance.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that the game exhibits minor visual glitches, indicating that while stability is generally acceptable, there are occasional visual inconsistencies that may affect the experience.
“There are minor visual glitches that disrupt the overall experience.”
“The game suffers from occasional minor visual glitches.”
“I encountered several minor visual glitches that affected my immersion.”
