GHOSTWARE: Arena of the Dead
- June 10, 2024
- DaevTeam
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io StoreIn "Ghostware: Arena of the Dead," play as Molly, a soul trapped in a magical arena shooter with five others. Explore diverse dimensions, from a decaying cyber-afterlife to real-world locales, while uncovering a conspiracy surrounding the arena's creation. Experience a fusion of retro-FPS action and adventure game exploration.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a genuinely unique setting and a cool aesthetic, reminiscent of classic arena shooters with a modern twist.
- The movement mechanics, including slide and wall-jump, are fun and improve upon the classic Unreal Tournament experience.
- The exploration aspect of the game is engaging, with hidden lore and secrets that enhance the overall narrative experience.
- The game suffers from inconsistent AI behavior, making combat feel unbalanced and frustrating at times.
- The story can be confusing and poorly paced, with a lack of clarity on character motivations and plot progression.
- The game is relatively short, with some players feeling that it doesn't provide enough content for the price.
- story194 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of "Ghostware" is a complex and often confusing narrative that blends elements of retro FPS gameplay with a self-referential plot about undead spirits in a multiplayer arena. While it features intriguing world-building and a unique premise, many players find the execution to be erratic, with pacing issues and a lack of clarity that can leave them scratching their heads. Despite its flaws, the game offers a rewarding exploration experience, with lore snippets and engaging themes that resonate with fans of 90s gaming culture.
“While being obviously influenced by the Unreal series in terms of aesthetics, the game is pulling from a lot of influences ranging from 1984, Series 7: The Corrections, and No Players Online as you're immersed in a gripping story about interstellar corporate power, the intentional diminishment of the value of human life, and the evil that nostalgia is capable of.”
“The game turned out to be surprisingly narrative-driven and luckily the story and worldbuilding are really interesting and definitely seems like the kind of thing that could be explored more in the future.”
“The story really shines in the message items you discover throughout the game, particularly the forums. It's a really engaging way to explore the story, especially as the story elements serve as a reward for exploration.”
“The story can be rather opaque and I'm not sure how much I eventually understood.”
“In a previous iteration, this game was marketed with 'deep story' but really they meant 'borderline incoherent.'”
“The enemy AI is unresponsive, the level designs are messy, and the story fails to really come together.”
- gameplay72 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a mix of solid mechanics and uneven execution, with standout moments in the arena combat that highlight excellent movement and shooting mechanics. While the game offers an interesting premise and nostalgic elements reminiscent of classic FPS titles, it suffers from inconsistent pacing and underutilized features, such as stealth mechanics and AI. Overall, players appreciate the fun and fast-paced gameplay, but feel that narrative interruptions detract from the overall experience.
“The combat during the arena sections of the game feels great though; it's easily where the game shines best in terms of gameplay, combined with some excellent movement mechanics to gain a ton of speed and feel cool doing it.”
“The gameplay is really fun, and there are a lot of tiny hints to gems of that era.”
“Gameplay itself is solid and built around some modern yet mostly retro mechanics.”
“Sadly, the arena gameplay is fleeting, but due to the game's themes and narrative, it is also rather fitting that it often gets cut short.”
“It's definitely one of the most uneven boomer shooters on a gameplay level, but it is also one of the most interesting I've played in a while.”
“The messiness extends to the gameplay as well.”
- music52 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, particularly for its atmospheric quality and nostalgic 90s influences, including jungle, drum and bass, and haunting ambient tracks. Composed by Mothership Loudspeakerz, the soundtrack effectively enhances the game's retro aesthetic and immersive experience, making it a standout feature. While some players noted that the overall gameplay could improve, the music consistently elevated their enjoyment of the game.
“Especially shoutout for the soundtrack, top notch!”
“The overall atmosphere created by the visuals, music, and level design is fantastic.”
“The straylight-iness of the music all throughout is impossible to ignore if you're a fan of Unreal/Deus Ex, really setting the tone of those games through each level, but on its own it's seriously atmospheric and iconic work.”
“The moments when you have to explore a whole, empty map, with a creepy soundtrack is so relatable when you try to play an old game.”
“Soundtrack made of tracker music with 90s samples ranging from jungle/dnb to haunting ambient, it's all so very fitting to the theme of a resurrected game full of dead people.”
“There is no music.”
- graphics42 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Ghostware: Arena of the Dead" are praised for their unique blend of retro and modern aesthetics, effectively capturing a nostalgic 90s internet vibe while incorporating influences from the Unreal series. Reviewers highlight the game's art style, character and environmental design, and overall atmosphere as standout features, although some suggest improvements in visual distinction between different game environments. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the immersive storytelling and gameplay experience.
“The overall atmosphere created by the visuals, music, and level design is fantastic.”
“They nailed the aesthetic in everything from character and environmental design, down to the UI.”
“Visually pleasing, successfully mimicking the intended aesthetic for the character models, maps, and weapons, good voice acting, and a really interesting story; I'm eager for the full release.”
“I do like the visuals, but I think the dev is missing the point with some of the levels. It depends on the location; I think there is a lot of room for improvement. You could even rely more on platforming to create challenges since you can move so much in this game. Don't be afraid to create more verticality for the player to jump around.”
“One other nitpick I have is relating to a late game spoiler, but personally, I think there should be a drastic change in art style in 03_ctf3 due to that map taking place in the real world.”
“Sure, I get that the low-fidelity visuals are part of the game-within-a-game setting, though I think there should be a lot more in the way of visual distinction between the game world and touching (in-game) grass.”
- atmosphere24 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its fantastic blend of visuals, music, and level design, creating a uniquely nostalgic and haunting experience. Players appreciate the eerie vibe and iconic soundtrack that enhance the gameplay, although some note that the storytelling elements could be improved. Overall, the game successfully evokes a sense of mystery and discovery, making it a standout in its genre.
“The overall atmosphere created by the visuals, music, and level design is fantastic.”
“I absolutely loved the game’s art style, soundtrack, and atmosphere.”
“After a frantic match of deathmatch, domination or capture the flag you can revisit the levels, but this time the atmosphere is very different.”
“Just a haunting atmosphere and the fear of the unknown in the virtual void... while you crouch slide, double jump, wall jump and try the level's limits to find all the secret places.”
“I think the game gets the atmosphere and the gameplay right for the most part, but when you look into the details, like the magic of unreal level design, it needs a lot of work.”
- humor12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its quirky moments and nostalgic references, while others find it shallow and clichéd. Although there are instances of clever humor, many feel it lacks depth and could benefit from being toned down. Overall, the humor seems to resonate differently among players, with some enjoying it and others wishing for more substance.
“My playermodel hilariously changed with that of another important character a few times.”
“Not to mention the game's humor and passion really shine through.”
“Love the story and humor.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a sense of nostalgia and introspection, with some feeling a poignant reminder of aging due to the game's low-fidelity visuals. While the aesthetic is intentional, there is a desire for clearer visual differentiation between the game world and interactive elements to enhance emotional engagement.
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Users report that the game is prone to bugs, indicating significant stability issues that may affect the overall experience.
“It can be rather buggy.”
“The game frequently crashes, making it hard to enjoy.”
“I've encountered numerous glitches that disrupt gameplay.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game offers a moderate level of replayability, primarily revolving around acquiring the right powers to collect remaining items. However, the overall experience is relatively quick, which may limit long-term engagement.
“There is a decent amount of replayability, but it's pretty quick and is just about having the right power to get that last collectible.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is generally seen as enjoyable, though some players feel that it lacks the more extravagant designs found in titles like Unreal or Quake 3. Overall, while the character designs may not be as outlandish, they still contribute positively to the gaming experience.
