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Ghost Master

If you're having a problem with ghosts, you know who you're gonna call—but what if you're having a problem with mortals? This is a job for the Ghost Master, and it is up to you to use a team of gremlins, banshees, and other things that go bump in the night to scare and manipulate the living. As
Ghost Master Game Cover
83%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
stability, grinding
89% User Score Based on 1,141 reviews
Critic Score 66%Based on 3 reviews

Platforms

Playstation 2PCMac OSXboxWindowsPlayStation
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Ghost Master Game Cover

About

Ghost Master is a single player strategy game with horror and comedy themes. It was developed by Sick Puppies and was released on December 21, 2006. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

In Ghost Master, players control a team of spectral agents causing supernatural mischief in a humorous, strategy-based simulation. Players haunt various locations, scaring occupants using a variety of ghostly abilities and spooky creatures. The goal is to complete objectives and gather enough ectoplasmic energy before being caught by the level's ghost-busters. It's a unique blend of strategy, puzzle-solving, and dark humor.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Ghost Master screenshot
Ghost Master screenshot
Ghost Master screenshot
Ghost Master screenshot
Ghost Master screenshot
Ghost Master screenshot
Ghost Master screenshot
Ghost Master screenshot
Ghost Master screenshot
Ghost Master screenshot
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89%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,141 reviews
story25 positive mentions
stability17 negative mentions
  • Nostalgic game that brings back fond memories for many players.
  • Unique blend of strategy and puzzle elements, allowing for creative gameplay.
  • Humorous and engaging storyline with interesting background stories for the ghosts.
  • Dated graphics and controls can be frustrating for modern players.
  • AI interactions can be buggy, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
  • Some puzzles are overly complex or require specific conditions that are not clearly communicated.
  • story
    185 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Ghost Master" is characterized by its dark humor and episodic structure, allowing players to engage in various missions that parody classic horror tropes. While the overarching narrative is simple, it is enriched by quirky cutscenes and character backstories, providing a unique atmosphere that remains enjoyable despite some gameplay frustrations. Players appreciate the variety of ghosts and missions, though some find the reliance on luck and specific objectives can detract from the overall experience.

    • “Narratively, Ghost Master is woven together with darkly humorous cutscenes and mission briefings that provide context and flavor to your supernatural endeavors.”
    • “Each level has a decent story behind it, and the ghosts and narrator dialogues are nicely written and voiced in a tongue-in-cheek style.”
    • “The story takes place in Gravenville, a town where a lot of paranormal activity takes place, after a group of teenagers summons you – the ghost master.”
    • “The overall story isn’t much and suffers from the fact that the game was rushed towards the end and never got a sequel.”
    • “Unfortunately, the game revisits quite a lot of the locations and only about half of these revisits feel necessary to the story.”
    • “The story ends on a cliffhanger, and sometimes the favor needed to free a ghost can be annoyingly frustrating and appear based on random chance more than your own actions.”
  • gameplay
    127 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Ghost Master" is characterized by its unique blend of strategy, puzzle-solving, and humor, offering an engaging experience despite some clunky controls and a steep learning curve. While the mechanics can be innovative and entertaining, they may also feel repetitive or frustrating at times, particularly due to a dated interface and occasional luck-based challenges. Overall, the game remains a fun and inventive experience, appealing to those who appreciate its quirky concept and atmospheric storytelling.

    • “While its concept might sound straightforward, Ghost Master combines tactical gameplay with dark humor and atmospheric storytelling, delivering an experience that feels fresh and inventive even years after its debut.”
    • “The gameplay is engaging and enjoyable; I'm having a blast revisiting this gem.”
    • “It has such a unique concept which incorporates strategy and puzzle elements without being overly puzzle or strategy based, so that the gameplay is accessible and open-ended.”
    • “While the game’s mechanics are innovative, Ghost Master can be challenging due to its sometimes opaque interface and steep learning curve.”
    • “Gameplay becomes repetitive very quickly.”
    • “Can’t recommend this game, I really love the idea behind it, but the gameplay is really slow, the controls clumsy, the interaction actually really tiny, no good game at all.”
  • graphics
    120 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are generally considered dated, reflecting its 2003 release, with many reviewers noting that they resemble the style of early 2000s titles like The Sims. While some players appreciate the retro charm and find the visuals adequate for gameplay, others feel that the outdated graphics detract from the experience, suggesting a need for a remake or remaster. Overall, the game's art style has aged reasonably well, but it may not appeal to modern players accustomed to high-end graphics.

    • “The graphics hold up surprisingly well, and the art style has aged finely.”
    • “Graphics are colorful and the game doesn’t take itself too seriously – which is quite refreshing, in my opinion.”
    • “The graphics are bright and cartoony, if a little dated.”
    • “Additionally, the game’s older graphics and somewhat clunky controls may feel dated to modern players.”
    • “Old graphics make this game mostly unplayable.”
    • “The graphics are dated, especially when it zooms in closer on specific NPCs or ghosts.”
  • humor
    97 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in "Ghost Master" is a standout feature, blending dark, campy wit with clever ghostly quips and absurd scenarios that enhance the game's atmospheric storytelling. Players appreciate the game's playful tone, filled with humorous cutscenes, pop culture references, and funny easter eggs, making it a memorable experience that balances strategy with laughter. While some critiques mention inconsistencies in humor quality, the overall consensus is that the game successfully delivers a unique and entertaining blend of spooky fun and comedy.

    • “What sets the game apart is its tone—while it is a horror game, it leans into campy, tongue-in-cheek humor that often undercuts the tension with clever ghostly quips and absurd scenarios, creating a uniquely engaging atmosphere.”
    • “The unique blend of strategy, humor, and supernatural mischief makes it a truly unforgettable experience.”
    • “It's a fun mix of problem solving, dark humor, and strategy.”
    • “It's not funny as the screenshots try to make it.”
    • “Supposed to be funny... but it's not.”
  • music
    67 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its catchy, quirky, and atmospheric qualities, effectively enhancing the gameplay experience. Reviewers note that the soundtrack, reminiscent of Halloween themes and playful chaos, adapts to the game's intensity, creating a fun and immersive environment. Despite having a limited number of tracks, the music is described as memorable and nostalgic, contributing significantly to the game's charm and overall enjoyment.

    • “The music and sound design is very nice: the ghosts talk to you (or not, depending on whether they want to or if they are even capable of speaking), people talk, sing, yell, scream, and things get shattered.”
    • “The difficulty of the game comes from getting stupid creatures to do what you want, and once everything lines up and you complete all your goals, all that's left is the victory lap of using all that stored-up fear energy and unleashing it on the helpless humans, with the music roaring to a cathartic climax as they start to run for their lives.”
    • “It's really great when all your ghosts are going full force and the mortals end up running around shrieking, trying to find an exit, while the background music picks up and really drives in the sense of mayhem.”
    • “Unfortunately, there is really only one music for the whole game.”
    • “This game is not pretty, the code is ancient, it has some bugs, and the music will get into your brain and cause incipient insanity.”
    • “It has a banging soundtrack that sounds like a mix between Halloween music, vacation music, and music at a doctor's office.”
  • replayability
    30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers significant replayability through its varied missions, scoring system, and the ability to replay levels with newly unlocked ghosts, allowing players to experiment with different strategies. While some users noted limitations due to the inability to revisit completed levels with upgraded characters, the overall consensus is that the game remains engaging and fun, providing hours of entertainment and replay value. Its unique mechanics and humor further enhance the replay experience, making it a worthwhile choice for players seeking a game with lasting appeal.

    • “It's such a unique game and the feature to let you replay any level you want means it has hours of replayability.”
    • “The replayability of each level is pretty decent, because there are multiple ways you can achieve the same objective, and you can go back with new and better ghosts.”
    • “Lots of different ways to complete various levels, and new haunts to free and unlock for your own use, make this game intriguing, with a good replay value.”
    • “There is an included progression system, but your inability to return to completed levels with your newly unlocked ghosts destroys some of the replayability and therefore renders the progression system for upgrading ghosts a little underwhelming.”
    • “Unfortunately, the game is short, but each level has immense replay value through trying to unlock new ghosts and attempting to reach a triple pumpkin time.”
    • “It's way easier to scare them off, so that's a missed opportunity to increase the replayability.”
  • atmosphere
    22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere in "Ghost Master" is a standout feature, blending richly detailed environments with a campy, humorous tone that enhances the gameplay experience. Players appreciate the game's ability to create a spooky yet playful ambiance through its atmospheric effects, engaging soundtrack, and clever voice acting, making it a memorable title that balances horror and humor effectively. Overall, the game's unique premise and high production values contribute to an immersive atmosphere that keeps players entertained and invested.

    • “The environments in Ghost Master are richly detailed, atmospheric locations that range from old mansions and asylums to graveyards and crypts.”
    • “What sets the game apart is its tone—while it is a horror game, it leans into campy, tongue-in-cheek humor that often undercuts the tension with clever ghostly quips and absurd scenarios, creating a uniquely engaging atmosphere.”
    • “I really feel like I am being spooked by the ghosts when I play the game; it's atmospheric.”
    • “Build up energy for your haunters to use by creating an atmosphere of dread and paranoia, making the mortals more susceptible to the big scares.”
    • “The music really brings out the goofy, let's-scare-the-pants-off-some-mortals atmosphere.”
    • “An odd game, but well worth learning for both its challenges and atmosphere.”
  • stability
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is frequently described as buggy, with various glitches affecting character movement and interactions, particularly with stairs and fire extinguishers. While some players report occasional game-breaking issues, most agree that these bugs are not severe enough to detract significantly from the overall enjoyment of the game. Overall, it is seen as a fun experience despite its technical shortcomings.

    • “I have experienced no glitches.”
    • “The game runs smoothly without any crashes.”
    • “I appreciate the consistent performance; it never lags or freezes.”
    • “It's terribly broken and buggy.”
    • “Buggy mechanics, crappy graphics, and absolutely terrible gameplay.”
    • “A little buggy from time to time, especially with fire extinguishers and stairs in general, but nothing game breaking.”
  • grinding
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviews highlight that while "Ghost Master" offers a unique concept and engaging story, the grinding aspect can be tedious, with some missions feeling uneventful and overly long. Players note that certain levels, particularly the hospital stage, contribute to a frustrating experience, and the tutorial is criticized for being particularly dull. Despite these issues, the game is considered a good value for its price, especially for fans of spooky simulation titles.

    • “It's old and it's kind of janky, but it's a unique concept and it's fun, even if it can be tedious at times.”
    • “Ghost Master is extremely unique in both its concept and execution, but unfortunately its unique gameplay elements, while they can be fun, often are tedious and uneventful because of the long, uneventful moments.”
    • “One negative, however, is that some levels can be a bit tedious (I'm looking at you, hospital stage!) and it also looks a little dated now.”
    • “The game is quite tedious to get through, and if you accidentally click 'new game', you will lose your current progress.”
  • emotional
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, often driven by nostalgia and personal memories associated with gameplay. The mechanics involving ghosts tied to emotional objects and environments enhance this emotional depth, allowing for strategic gameplay that resonates on a personal level. Overall, the game evokes a heartfelt response, making it memorable for many players.

    • “Certain ghosts can only be bound to mirrors, for example, making them very useful if used strategically, while others can be bound to sleeping mortals, children, water, or even emotional objects.”
    • “It could be an electrical appliance for a gremlin, or a fireplace for a fire elemental, or objects with an emotional charge to them, a place, or even a child.”
    • “You control ghosts with different abilities, each connected to certain item 'tags' (can be elements like air, fire, earth or emotions like violence, emotional etc) so you can only summon them on items or environments matching these properties.”
  • character development
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The character development is highlighted by exceptional voice acting and unique character designs for the ghosts, making each one distinct and memorable. The creative visuals are complemented by engaging music, enhancing the overall experience.

    • “Incredible voice acting and character design for the ghosts; each one is so distinct and creative.”
    • “Fun character designs and music.”
  • optimization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization relies on upgrading ghosts with plasm to enhance their performance and multitasking abilities, facilitated by a 'ghoul room' for ability enhancements. Players are also encouraged to revisit levels to improve their scores, with a scoring system that rewards performance with multipliers.

    • “You will need to upgrade your ghosts with plasm to maximize their performance in the game and multitask effectively.”
    • “Underpinning this is a 'ghoul room' where you upgrade your ghosts' abilities, along with a revisit function that marks your performance, with the highest score being a 5x multiplier.”
    • “You will need to 'upgrade' your ghosts with plasm to be able to maximize their performance in the game and multitask.”
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66%Critics’ scoreBased on 3 critic reviews
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4h Median play time
5h Average play time
2-10h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Ghost Master is a strategy game with horror and comedy themes.

Ghost Master is available on PC, Mac OS, Windows, PlayStation 2 and others.

On average players spend around 5 hours playing Ghost Master.

Ghost Master was released on December 21, 2006.

Ghost Master was developed by Sick Puppies.

Ghost Master has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its stability.

Ghost Master is a single player game.

Similar games include Haunt the House: Terrortown, Evil Genius, Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse, Neighbours from Hell, Overlord and others.