Ghost of a Tale

Oozing heart, wit, charm and adventure from every digital pore, Ghost of a Tale is a beautifully crafted and warmly affecting adventure that deserves a place in the collections of PS4 owners everywhere.

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"Ghost of a Tale" is an action-adventure game set in a medieval world. You play as a minstrel mouse named Tilo, who must navigate treacherous dungeons and outsmart enemies to save his kidnapped companion. The game features stealth-based gameplay and puzzles, with a strong focus on exploration and lore.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,606 reviews

story1,129 positive mentions

stability210 negative mentions

Beautiful graphics and art style that create an immersive atmosphere.
Engaging story with well-developed characters and rich lore.
Fun stealth mechanics that encourage exploration and creativity.

Frequent backtracking and fetch quests can become tedious.
Lack of clear direction and quest markers can lead to confusion.
Some bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay experience.

story
3,084 mentions
37 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The story of "Ghost of a Tale" is widely praised for its depth, charm, and emotional engagement, drawing players into a richly crafted world filled with memorable characters and lore reminiscent of classic tales like "Redwall." However, many reviews note that the gameplay is heavily reliant on fetch quests, which can lead to tedious backtracking and confusion due to a lack of clear quest markers, often detracting from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, the narrative's compelling nature and the desire for a sequel highlight its potential to resonate with fans of story-driven games.
- “Beautiful visuals, adorable and memorable characters, a fantastic story with wonderful world building!”
- “The story is engaging, the characters charming and the gameplay although basic, hits the spot.”
- “The story is so well written, the world is mysterious and has a lot of backstory, and I genuinely cared about the characters, the game is beautiful and plays well.”
- “Unpolished and buggy, stealth is a joke and mission design is just 'find something that we placed somewhere random, good luck'.”
- “Key quest items are sometimes buried between useless dialogue options and you can't revisit older dialogues while flooding you with information.”
- “The main issue for me is that the plot doesn't seem to advance, because the whole game is spent doing 'main quests' (that are mainly quests to obtain one little bit of information on the whereabouts of your wife/ help finding her) that are basically fetch quests.”
gameplay
1,134 mentions
34 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Ghost of a Tale" is primarily centered around stealth mechanics and exploration, with a focus on item collection and character interaction. While many players appreciate the charming visuals and engaging story, the gameplay is often criticized for being simplistic, repetitive, and occasionally tedious, particularly due to the reliance on fetch quests and basic stealth mechanics that can become less challenging as the game progresses. Overall, the game offers a cozy experience with a unique atmosphere, but it may not satisfy those seeking more complex or varied gameplay.
- “The joy of slapping the rats comes from the game's well-designed mechanics and the satisfying sense of accomplishment.”
- “It's a gameplay loop that is both engaging and incredibly fun.”
- “Cozy, well designed, smooth and consistent gameplay, some of the criticism I've seen may have a point, but what does it personally is you can see actual love and care was poured into this game.”
- “I can buy that the rat guards are that stupid, but it does not make the gameplay engaging when the main mechanic of the game feels so rudimentary.”
- “This renders stealth useless and any investment made with the mechanic is thrown out of the window in favor of literally walking from point A to point B with no challenge or threat.”
- “There is something special here, but I cannot justify that anyone pay $20 for what is ultimately an abysmal gameplay experience.”
graphics
1,033 mentions
66 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Ghost of a Tale" are widely praised for their stunning visuals, charming art style, and detailed environments, often compared to AAA titles despite being developed by a small team. Players appreciate the immersive atmosphere created by the graphics, which complement the engaging story and character design, although some report minor graphical glitches and performance issues. Overall, the game's aesthetic and visual presentation significantly enhance the gameplay experience, making it a standout feature for many reviewers.
- “The game’s charming art style and atmospheric environments add to the immersive experience.”
- “Beautiful visuals, adorable and memorable characters, a fantastic story with wonderful world building!”
- “The graphics are absolutely amazing and very well detailed and in that respect I'll give them 10/10 for graphics.”
- “Some of the graphics can look a little wonky if you look at them too closely, but all in all a beautiful game.”
- “There are issues with this game, like bad explanations of what needs to be done in a quest and not enough contrast in the graphics making everything blend together.”
- “The game is full of FPS issues, glitchy graphics, abusable AI, and the occasional falling through the map.”
music
442 mentions
49 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and emotional impact, enhancing the overall experience, especially during key moments. However, many players note that the music is sparse and often only plays at the beginning of areas, leading to a desire for more consistent tracks throughout the gameplay. The integration of character themes and minstrel songs adds depth to the storytelling, but some players feel that the lack of voice acting and limited music can detract from the immersive experience.
- “The music is gorgeous and adds greatly to the emotional impact of exploring each area.”
- “The soundtrack is also great at immersing you in this world, with music that's reminiscent of fantasy animated movies, awakening a certain feeling of magical wonder.”
- “The music is charming, thematic and atmospheric, and the character and environmental sound effects are top notch.”
- “I do wish there were more music tracks that played consistently throughout the adventure.”
- “There is no voice acting but the music is pretty darn good; sadly though, it seems to only ever start at the beginning of areas and does not continue through them.”
- “Music exists in some areas and not others, and when you transition between them, the music track starts playing in the middle and is quite jarring.”
atmosphere
236 mentions
75 % positive mentions
23 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its charming art style, immersive environments, and strong world-building, which collectively enhance the storytelling experience. Reviewers highlight the emotional depth and consistency of the atmosphere, noting how it captivates players and draws them into the game world. The combination of beautiful graphics, thematic music, and engaging character design contributes to a rich and memorable atmosphere that resonates with players.
- “It oozes soul and atmosphere, and the subtle world-building makes the whole game feel like a real place.”
- “The atmosphere is amazing; the music lets you feel exactly in the situation you are in or the personality of the characters you are around, the world and artwork could be straight from a movie and the lore of the world makes it feel almost like a book.”
- “The atmosphere created was awesome; the story is really good, graphics amazing, and the gameplay is fun.”
- “The game offers both a beautiful soundtrack and a lack thereof, as it doesn't shy away from supporting its atmosphere with absolute silence at times, leaving you in a dank, cold, dark and dirty dungeon with just the sound of bare mouse feet on the hard, cold floor.”
- “Even with its flaws, if you like atmosphere and story while exploring a game's every nook and cranny, I'd recommend giving this one a shot.”
- “The hiding mechanic for avoiding enemies is also a great touch to the game and contributes to its dangerous, ominous atmosphere.”
stability
220 mentions
5 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
95 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly hinder gameplay. Many players have experienced issues such as freezing, problematic save systems, and visual glitches, leading to frustration and a sense of an unfinished product. While some users noted that minor bugs could be resolved with workarounds, the overall consensus is that the game requires substantial polishing to improve its stability and user experience.
- “In summary; fantastic graphics and not buggy at all, the game looks beautiful and functions very smoothly.”
- “Awesome art style, cute animals, and runs great on mid-range specs.”
- “Amazing game, no glitches or bugs to report in the early access.”
- “The save system is a crime against proper game design and had I known how confusing and buggy it is (sometimes loads with you outside the safe zone, resulting in instant failure...) within the first two hours, I'd have hit the refund button so hard.”
- “Unplayably buggy.”
- “The game is quite buggy for a 'final' release, and is frankly inexcusable at this point.”
humor
164 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever and whimsical writing, with many players finding the dialogue genuinely funny and engaging. Characters are described as charming and well-developed, contributing to a mix of lighthearted moments and deeper emotional themes. Overall, the game successfully balances humor with drama, creating a delightful experience that often elicits laughter and smiles.
- “All of the dialogue is delivered through text boxes with the game paused in the background, and yet certain moments made me laugh out loud while others had me almost in tears.”
- “The writing is self-aware, hilarious, and loaded with characterization.”
- “The characters and dialogue are well-written, funny, and engaging.”
emotional
106 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game is widely praised for its emotional depth, featuring a heartwarming and engaging story that resonates with players, often evoking feelings of nostalgia and joy. Reviewers highlight the charming characters, beautiful visuals, and atmospheric music, all of which contribute to a touching narrative that explores themes of love, grief, and hope. Many players express a strong emotional investment in the story and characters, with some noting that it left them feeling fulfilled and even moved to tears.
- “I love the visuals, especially the mouse costumes - so adorable, and also useful :) The story is heartwarming and serious, and I like it: it's not just a 'mouse game', it's a game about grief, corruption, hope, sin, and deep love.”
- “This is probably the most engaged and emotionally drawn-in I've ever been by a video game story.”
- “The characters are beautifully animated and designed, and the story is emotionally gripping.”
grinding
100 mentions
1 % positive mentions
1 % neutral mentions
98 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and time-consuming, particularly due to excessive backtracking and fetch quests. While some appreciate the engaging story and world-building that can offset the grind, others feel that the lack of fast travel and objective markers exacerbates the tediousness, especially towards the end of the game. Overall, the experience can oscillate between enjoyable and frustrating, depending on the player's patience and investment in the narrative.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The final nail in the coffin is that the last quest is so grindy and unsatisfying that I uninstalled and quit altogether.”
- “However, as the game goes on, it becomes increasingly more tedious as you're forced to backtrack through the same areas while needing to manage the poorly thought out stamina and gear systems, all while hunting down fetch quest items.”
- “The 'fun stealth mechanics' wear thin quickly as it's entirely too tedious getting around and there's tons of backtracking.”
optimization
67 mentions
33 % positive mentions
46 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is a mixed bag, with some players praising its smooth performance and stunning visuals, particularly on higher-end systems, while others report significant performance issues, especially in later sections and when transitioning between zones. Many users noted that despite being built on the Unity engine, which is often criticized for optimization problems, the game performs well under certain conditions but still requires further improvements to address frame rate drops and stability issues. Overall, while some players experience excellent performance, others find it to be a buggy and unoptimized experience, particularly on lower-end hardware.
- “The game also runs smoothly at 60 fps all the time.”
- “Beautiful game, excellent on both artistic and technical levels (perfect 21:9 support, and great optimization).”
- “It has amazing visuals, good animations, and is very well optimized despite using Unity (which is known for poor performance in 3D games).”
- “The only drawback is that it runs on the garbage engine known as Unity, and thus has a few problems with optimization - namely frequent performance hiccups that can sometimes send you to death down chasms.”
- “I never buy early access games actually because of the reason why I'm refunding the game now: after so many years of early access development, it's still a buggy unoptimized mess.”
- “Some optimization issues as well, where the framerate tanks to <15 when just walking around a corner (because it's loading another area).”
character development
58 mentions
69 % positive mentions
26 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highly praised, with players noting the rich backstories of NPCs that enhance the overall narrative and emotional engagement. The character designs are described as adorable and unique, contributing to a charming atmosphere that complements the game's lore and storytelling. Overall, the game excels in creating a compelling world where players genuinely care about the characters and their journeys.
- “If you like great character development, clever plot twists, gorgeously rendered environments, and worldbuilding lore deep enough to inspire several sequels, then you owe it to yourself to play Ghost of a Tale!”
- “Character development: the NPCs who become integral to the game have fairly rich backstories you learn over time, many of which could become relevant to the overall world the game is set in.”
- “The character development had me thrilled because not many games can make you desire the well-being of many characters, but this one did.”
- “The lore is unexpectedly rich, and charm oozes from every animation and character design.”
replayability
28 mentions
14 % positive mentions
71 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the depth of the story and side quests that encourage multiple playthroughs, many others feel that it lacks significant replay value, with limited incentives beyond a few achievements. Overall, the experience may appeal to those who enjoy exploring different narrative choices, but many reviewers express disappointment in the absence of meaningful rewards for replaying.
- “Despite that egregious bug, the game's actually surprisingly replayable if you really enjoy the story.”
- “I want a game to be fun first, possess a depth of mechanics that inspires me to figure everything out second, have replay value third, and finally... graphics are a nice bonus from games that already possess some of these higher qualities.”
- “I recommend this game if you're looking to get lost in the world of a fun, replayable stealth game with RPG elements and a great story.”
- “Sadly there's almost no replay value; the only motivation for a new playthrough would be to get two achievements (never being spotted or hit), but you get no perks from having completed the game before.”
- “No real replay value after completing it.”
- “Another issue is the lack of replayability.”
monetization
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is criticized for feeling incomplete, as it ends abruptly without a satisfying conclusion, leading players to question whether it was designed to promote a sequel rather than provide a full experience. However, reviewers do not perceive it as a blatant cash grab, suggesting that the lack of content may stem from poor design choices rather than a deliberate strategy to monetize further.
- “It's basically a 'to be continued...', but there's not enough content there for it to conceivably have been a cash grab to promote a sequel. It honestly feels like they got to the end of the game and decided to just not include any real conclusion.”