Ghost Master

About

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

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

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 943 reviews

story21 positive mentions

stability16 negative mentions

Unique and creative gameplay that combines strategy and puzzle elements.
Nostalgic experience for players who enjoyed it in their childhood.
Humorous references to horror movies and pop culture throughout the game.

Outdated graphics and clunky controls can detract from the experience.
AI pathfinding issues can lead to frustrating gameplay moments.
Some puzzles can be overly cryptic, requiring trial and error to solve.

story
153 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
84%
2%
The story of "Ghost Master" revolves around players taking on the role of a ghost master, tasked with scaring mortals and freeing trapped spirits across various missions that parody classic horror themes. While the narrative is simple and lacks depth, it features quirky humor and engaging backstories for each ghost, enhancing the gameplay experience. Players appreciate the unique mission designs and the challenge of unlocking new ghosts, although some find the overall plot and mission objectives to be somewhat repetitive and reliant on chance.
- “The premise is original, and the individual missions do a great job parodying the horror genre without sacrificing tone.”
- “Each ghost has a backstory and skills, and you have to utilize them all to solve the various levels, each of which is based on a film - often horror, but sometimes not.”
- “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.”
- “Unique game design, but the gameplay was too simple and the story too weak and loose-knit for my liking.”
gameplay
104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
56%
5%
The gameplay of "Ghost Master" is characterized by its unique and innovative mechanics that blend strategy and puzzle-solving elements, providing an engaging experience despite some dated graphics and occasional frustrating mechanics. While players appreciate the fun and varied objectives, they note that certain puzzles can be esoteric and the gameplay may feel repetitive over time. Overall, the game offers a charming and entertaining experience, particularly for those who enjoy its quirky concept and humor, though it may require patience to master its intricacies.
- “It has such a fun concept, which transfers to the enjoyable gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is amazing, the objectives are unique, and the different ghost choices are really fun.”
- “Unique gameplay where you take command of the ghosts to scare humans.”
- “Part of the gameplay is freeing other ghosts by completing sidequests for them, and some are much easier than others, while a couple are completely hidden and won't be found unless you either experiment a lot or consult a walkthrough.”
- “The game was released at a time when game manuals were still a thing, so the in-game tutorial is rather minimal and while the controls are simple, it doesn't really explain more in-depth mechanics.”
- “Gameplay becomes repetitive very quickly.”
graphics
99 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
58%
17%
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as dated, reflecting its 2003 release, yet many players appreciate the retro charm and cartoonish art style that has aged surprisingly well. While some find the visuals unplayable or lacking compared to modern standards, others argue that the graphics are acceptable for their time and do not detract significantly from the overall gameplay experience. Overall, there is a consensus that while a remaster or sequel with updated graphics would be welcomed, the game's fun mechanics and nostalgic value still shine through despite its visual shortcomings.
- “Graphics hold up surprisingly well, and the art style has aged finely.”
- “The graphics are bright and cartoony, if a little dated.”
- “The graphics are not bad for that time and are still not unpleasant.”
- “Old graphics make this game mostly unplayable.”
- “The graphics are dated, especially when it zooms in closer on specific NPCs or ghosts.”
- “Terrible graphics and camera controls, but nice game.”
humor
81 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its cleverness and charm, featuring a mix of dark comedy, pop culture references, and hilarious scenarios involving ghosts scaring humans. Players enjoy the light-hearted tone and witty writing, which enhance the fun and replayability of the game, making it a delightful experience for fans of both puzzles and spooky themes. Overall, the game successfully combines strategy with a unique sense of humor, resulting in a highly entertaining gameplay experience.
- “A unique game with plenty of ghosts to use, numerous powers, and a hilarious atmosphere.”
- “The writing is surprisingly funny, and any fan of old-school horror should get a kick out of all the references.”
- “It's fun, funny, and unique.”
- “It's not funny as the screenshots try to make it.”
- “Supposed to be funny... but it's not.”
music
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
48%
6%
The music in the game is widely praised for its catchy, quirky, and atmospheric qualities, effectively enhancing the overall experience. While some users note a limited number of tracks, the soundtrack is described as fun, fitting the game's spooky theme, and even reminiscent of Danny Elfman's style. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature that contributes significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.
- “Where it shines the most is its atmosphere and soundtrack.”
- “The music and sound design is very nice: the ghosts talk to you, people talk, sing, yell, scream, and things get shattered.”
- “The music really brings out the goofy, let's-scare-the-pants-off-some-mortals atmosphere.”
- “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.”
- “Decent music.”
replayability
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
54%
12%
Overall, the game offers significant replayability through various features such as a progression system, multiple ways to complete objectives, and the ability to replay levels with newly unlocked ghosts. While some players noted limitations due to the inability to revisit completed levels, many found the diverse missions and humor to provide ample motivation to return. The combination of fun gameplay and the challenge of achieving higher scores or unlocking new content contributes to its 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.”
- “Massively underrated game that has hours of 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.”
stability
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
94%
The game's stability is characterized by frequent bugs and glitches, particularly with NPC movement and interactions, such as getting stuck on stairs or scenery. While these issues can be frustrating, they are generally not game-breaking and do not significantly detract from the overall enjoyment. Players have reported varying experiences, with some encountering more severe glitches than others, but many still find the game fun and worth playing despite its imperfections.
- “I have experienced no glitches.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any crashes.”
- “I appreciate how stable the gameplay is; it never lags or freezes.”
- “It's terribly broken and buggy.”
- “Buggy mechanics, crappy graphics, and absolutely terrible gameplay.”
- “Its nice to see that it works on Windows 10 because the disk version doesn't anymore. I didn't experience any crashes during gameplay except on the final level, but that was at the end when you complete it. The level was still playable for me, but I remember that used to happen with the disk version too, so it's probably just buggy, which is a shame.”
atmosphere
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
19%
19%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its engaging and immersive qualities, enhanced by a strong soundtrack and effective voice acting. Players appreciate the blend of humor and spookiness, which creates a fun and enjoyable experience while utilizing various ghostly powers. High production values and solid atmospheric effects contribute to a captivating environment that draws players in and enhances gameplay.
- “Where it shines the most is its atmosphere and soundtrack.”
- “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.”
emotional
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, often driven by nostalgia and personal memories tied to specific levels and experiences. The mechanics involving ghosts and their emotional ties to various objects enhance the game's depth, allowing for strategic gameplay that resonates on a personal level. Overall, the emotional aspect is highlighted as a significant and heartfelt component of the gaming experience.
- “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.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
80%
Players find the grinding aspect of Ghost Master to be tedious and uneventful, with some levels, particularly the hospital stage, feeling particularly drawn out. While the game's unique concept and in-game unlockables offer some enjoyment, the lengthy and repetitive gameplay can detract from the overall experience. Additionally, accidental progress loss due to a "new game" option adds to the frustration.
- “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.”
- “The grinding aspect really adds depth to the gameplay, making each level feel rewarding as you progress.”
- “I love how the grinding mechanics encourage exploration and experimentation, keeping the experience fresh.”
- “Ghost Master is extremely unique in both its concept and execution, but unfortunately, its unique gameplay elements, while they can be fun, often feel tedious and uneventful because of the long, uneventful moments.”
- “The tutorial is so tedious that there isn't any ghost that can frighten me.”
- “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.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
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 and accompanying music further enhance 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
100%
50%
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, and 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.”