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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
83%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
stability, grinding
89% User Score Based on 1,101 reviews
Critic Score 66%Based on 3 reviews

Platforms

Playstation 2PCMac OSXboxWindowsPlayStation
Buy Nowfrom $0.62
Buy NowGet on Steam $0.99

About

Ghost Master is a horror simulation game with single-player mode, where you build and control a team of ghosts, scaring humans in various 3D environments. Each ghost has unique personality, strengths, weaknesses, and powers, and as the game progresses, characters evolve and grow. With a unique AI engine, the game uses plasm energy to scare humans, with the challenge increasing as humans flee from buildings. The game boasts an intriguing story, splendid gameplay, spectacular music, and a hilarious, phenomenal atmosphere, despite being full of bugs.

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 1,101 reviews
story24 positive mentions
stability16 negative mentions
  • Unique and fun gameplay that combines strategy and puzzle elements, allowing players to control a team of ghosts to scare mortals.
  • Humorous and engaging with plenty of pop culture references, making it entertaining for fans of horror and comedy.
  • Great replayability with various unlockable ghosts and abilities, encouraging experimentation and different strategies for each level.
  • Outdated graphics and clunky controls can detract from the overall experience, making it feel less polished compared to modern games.
  • Some levels can be frustrating due to poor AI pathfinding and unclear objectives, leading to trial and error gameplay.
  • The game may not run properly on modern systems without additional tweaks, causing crashes or resolution issues.
  • story
    179 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story revolves around the player acting as a "ghost master," leading a team of unique ghosts through various missions to scare mortals and free trapped spirits. While the narrative includes clever parodies of horror tropes and engaging backstories for each ghost, some players feel the overall plot is simplistic and lacks depth, with certain missions relying heavily on luck and AI behavior. Despite its shortcomings, the quirky premise and humorous writing contribute to an enjoyable experience, making it a nostalgic favorite for many.

    • “The premise is original, and the individual missions do a great job parodying the horror genre without sacrificing tone.”
    • “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
    120 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Ghost Master" is characterized by its unique mechanics and engaging, albeit sometimes frustrating, challenges that involve managing and utilizing a variety of ghostly characters to scare humans. While the game offers a fun and innovative experience with interesting puzzles and side quests, it suffers from dated graphics, occasional clunky controls, and some repetitive elements. Overall, players appreciate the creativity and humor embedded in the gameplay, making it a nostalgic yet enjoyable experience despite its flaws.

    • “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.”
    • “The gameplay itself, to me, feels like a cross between Sims and Tecmo's Deception, with each level requiring a bit of looking around to scout out spots that might make for a good scare.”
    • “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. While the controls are simple, it doesn't really explain more in-depth mechanics.”
    • “Gameplay becomes repetitive very quickly.”
  • graphics
    116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are widely regarded as dated, reflecting its 20+ year age, yet many players appreciate the retro charm and cartoonish art style that has aged surprisingly well. While some find the visuals unplayable or lacking, others argue that they are sufficient for the gameplay experience, with clear visuals and enjoyable special effects. Overall, there is a consensus that while a remaster or sequel with updated graphics would be welcomed, the game's fun and innovative mechanics overshadow its visual shortcomings.

    • “Graphics hold up surprisingly well, and the art style has aged finely.”
    • “The graphics are still good even though they are so old.”
    • “The graphics are bright and cartoony, if a little dated.”
    • “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
    93 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever blend of dark comedy, pop culture references, and whimsical scenarios involving ghosts. Players appreciate the hilarious situations that arise from controlling ghosts to scare humans, with many noting the game's ability to evoke laughter through its witty writing and amusing gameplay mechanics. While some critiques mention inconsistencies in humor quality, the overall consensus is that the game offers a fun and entertaining experience filled with charm and comedic moments.

    • “The unique blend of strategy, humor, and supernatural mischief makes it a truly unforgettable experience.”
    • “A very fun game, with an amusing art style and sharp dark humor throughout with top-notch writing.”
    • “The humor in this game is present enough to keep me smiling, but never so shoved in as to disrupt gameplay.”
    • “It's not funny as the screenshots try to make it.”
    • “Supposed to be funny... but it's not.”
  • music
    65 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its catchy, quirky, and atmospheric qualities, blending elements reminiscent of Halloween, vacation vibes, and playful chaos. While some reviewers note a limited number of tracks, the overall sound design enhances the gameplay experience, creating a nostalgic and engaging backdrop that resonates with players long after they finish. Many describe the soundtrack as a standout feature that perfectly complements the game's whimsical and spooky themes.

    • “The music and sound design is very nice: the ghosts talk to you (or not, depends whether they want to or if they are even capable of speaking), people talk, sing, yell, scream, things get shattered.”
    • “The music really brings out the goofy, let's-scare-the-pants-off-some-mortals atmosphere.”
    • “The game's music is beautiful and fits in well, especially with the Halloween season.”
    • “Unfortunately, there is really only one music track 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's colorful and full of wacky characters, silly voice acting, and ooky-spooky Halloween music.”
  • replayability
    30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers significant replayability through various mechanics, such as the ability to replay levels with different ghost combinations and strategies, aiming for higher scores, and unlocking new ghosts. While some players noted limitations due to the inability to revisit completed levels with upgraded ghosts, the overall consensus is that the game remains engaging and fun, with numerous missions and varied gameplay ensuring hours of replay value. Despite its short campaign, the diverse objectives and humor contribute 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.”
    • “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.”
  • stability
    17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is generally described as buggy, with occasional glitches affecting NPC movement and interactions, particularly with stairs and fire extinguishers. While some players report frustrating bugs, most agree that these issues are not game-breaking and do not significantly detract from the overall enjoyment. Overall, the game is considered stable enough for casual play, especially given its low price point.

    • “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
    17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its engaging blend of humor and spookiness, enhanced by high production values and a captivating soundtrack. Players appreciate how the atmospheric effects and voice acting contribute to an immersive experience, making it enjoyable to scare mortals with various ghostly powers. Overall, the atmosphere is a key element that drives gameplay and keeps players entertained.

    • “Where it shines the most is its atmosphere and soundtrack.”
    • “In my experience, this game really draws you into its atmosphere and you just have a lot of fun using different ghosts in an attempt to scare the people in the location you are in.”
    • “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.”
    • “It sets the right atmosphere from the very beginning and I still listen to it from time to time.”
    • “The music really brings out the goofy, let's-scare-the-pants-off-some-mortals atmosphere.”
  • grinding
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviews of "Ghost Master" highlight that while the game offers a unique concept and enjoyable moments, it suffers from tedious gameplay and long, uneventful stretches, particularly in certain levels like the hospital stage. The tutorial is also criticized for being overly tedious, and players note that accidental clicks can lead to frustrating loss of progress. 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. But on the whole, it's a great game with lots of in-game unlockables, and with the current cost at £0.74, you'll probably not find a better value game on Steam if you want a spooky Sims-like title.”
    • “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 approach to character design is 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 revolves around 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.”
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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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