Ghosts of Miami
- August 22, 2017
- Pillow Fight
Ghosts of Miami mixes a detective story and romantic themes in a colorful and vibrant setting, but a couple of mechanical flaws make it slightly tricky to experience repeat playthroughs.
Get on Steam"Ghosts of Miami" is a narrative-driven detective game set in 1986 Miami. Set against the backdrop of the cocaine epidemic, you play as private investigator Chelo Martínez, seeking to solve five missing persons cases, including the disappearance of her father. Your choices in investigating, handling witnesses, and pursuing relationships will shape Chelo's growth and the outcome of each case. Be prepared for a rich, immersive story filled with decisions that matter.
Reviews
- The game features a captivating story with well-developed characters and a unique blend of mystery and romance set in an engaging 80s Miami atmosphere.
- The art style and soundtrack are vibrant and fitting for the theme, enhancing the overall experience and immersing players in the game's world.
- The game encourages critical thinking and offers meaningful choices that impact the narrative, making each playthrough feel significant.
- The lack of a traditional save system and the confusing skip function can lead to frustrating replay experiences, as players may have to restart entire cases after making mistakes.
- Some gameplay mechanics feel underdeveloped, such as the unclear requirements for unlocking certain character routes and the repetitive nature of clue gathering.
- The integration of romance elements can feel forced and detracts from the main mystery focus, leading to awkward tonal shifts during critical moments.
- story29 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The story of "Ghosts of Miami" is a standout feature, offering an engaging and mature narrative set in the 1980s that explores dark themes while featuring diverse characters. Players appreciate the stakes involved, as failing to uncover certain elements can lead to worse endings, though some have noted gameplay bugs and a lack of a skip feature that hinder the experience. Overall, the plot is intriguing and well-written, making it a compelling choice for fans of visual novels and mysteries.
“This game has a good story, and I conceptually like that you can 'fail' to find out certain things and get a worse ending; there's actual stakes that way.”
“If you're looking for a queer, socially relevant, and charming story focusing on marginalized people, I can't recommend this game enough!”
“The story and characters were written really well, so I suggest giving this game a try if you like mysteries and visual novels.”
“This game has no story.”
“With a title like 'Ghosts of Miami', I expected something very grim and dark, but instead, I got a really boring choice of colors and cliché plot twists.”
“But of course, I can’t advance the story because I can’t click on the damn choices.”
- music13 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its catchy 80's synth soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the quality and vibrancy of the music, noting it as a standout feature that complements the game's art and narrative. Overall, the soundtrack is described as one of the best aspects of the game, contributing significantly to its immersive atmosphere.
“There's definitely quality in this game - the music is wonderful, the sprites are cute, and the animation when you open the game got me so hyped.”
“The darkness of this game is astonishing, considering this is the best soundtrack I've heard in a video game in a long time.”
“In terms of music, the soundtrack is catchy and filled with 80's synth.”
“The soundtrack is pretty decent too, a shame it’s not available for sale.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received positive feedback, with many players appreciating the charming art style and the well-executed 80's aesthetic. While some users noted that graphics may not be the primary focus of the game, the overall visual presentation is considered lovely and well-researched.
“I really loved the art style.”
“In terms of overall aesthetic, the game is lovely on all fronts.”
“Great writing and super cute art style.”
“Graphics don't matter in this game.”
“The 80's setting isn't just for the aesthetic; the dev team must've done a lot of research.”
“Sure, the first thing the game asks me to do when I boot it up is to configure it with the standard screen resolution, graphics quality, and input.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Ghosts of Miami" features engaging choice-driven mechanics tied to missing person cases, offering a refreshing departure from typical visual novel formats. However, it suffers from significant shortcomings, including the lack of standard features like text speed adjustment, quicksave, and text skipping, which detracts from the overall experience despite its appealing graphics and decent writing.
“There is actual gameplay with missing person cases where your choices actually matter, which is like a breath of fresh air after some of the half-baked visual novel plots that only serve as a vehicle for the romance options.”
“Game-breaking mechanics aside, the graphics are very nice and the writing is okay.”
“Ghosts of Miami is an 80s-themed visual novel with a solid story and horrible gameplay systems.”
“My biggest issue with the game involved its mechanics; it doesn't have options to adjust text speed, quicksave, skip previously-seen text, or to press the scroll wheel to get a full look at the game's art – and all of this stuff is pretty standard for visual novels, so I didn't understand why this game didn't have those!”
“There is actual gameplay with missing person cases where your choices matter, which is a breath of fresh air after some of the half-baked visual novel plots that only serve as a vehicle for the romance options.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users highlight that the game offers infinite replayability, suggesting that players can enjoy it repeatedly without losing interest.
“The game is infinitely replayable, offering new experiences with each playthrough.”
“I find myself coming back to this game time and time again; the replayability is outstanding!”
“Every run feels fresh and exciting, making it a game I can play endlessly.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by the use of colorful Spanish slang like "cojones" and "cabrones," which adds a comedic flair reflective of the 80s Miami setting. Players also find amusement in the ability to fast forward dialogue during loading screens, enhancing the overall comedic experience.
“Chelo using words like 'cojones' and 'cabrones' is incredibly funny, especially since this is set in 80s Miami, where there are bound to be Spanish speakers!”
“What’s extra hilarious is that I can still fast forward the dialogue in the background with the ~ key while I’m stuck on the log screen.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its emotional depth and engaging style, effectively enhancing the overall experience.
“It's great to listen to and effective at building up emotion and atmosphere.”
“I like the game's atmosphere and style.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find that multiple playthroughs can feel tedious, indicating that the grinding aspect of the game may detract from the overall enjoyment.
“Multiple playthroughs are a tad tedious.”
“The grinding feels endless and repetitive.”
“It takes too long to level up, making the game feel like a chore.”
