Haunt the House: Terrortown

85%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,158 reviews
  • graphics
  • gameplay
  • music
Haunt the House: Terrortown Game Cover
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In "Haunt the House: Terrortown" , you play as a ghost tasked with haunting various locations, including a museum, hospital, theater, and cruise ship, using different objects' unique scare powers. The game features vibrant locations, a diverse cast of townsfolk, and a secret second goal beyond scaring everyone. With its clever mix of emotional depth, mischief, and creepy fun, it's an engaging side-scrolling action puzzle game best suited for Halloween.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Steam Deck
  • Web Browser
  • Windows
  • Mobile Platform
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station Vita
  • Tablet
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

85%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,158 reviews
graphics87 positive mentions
stability26 negative mentions
  • Charming art style and cute animations that enhance the overall experience.
  • Fun and lighthearted gameplay that allows players to creatively scare people.
  • Great for casual play, making it suitable for all ages, especially children.
  • Extremely short gameplay, often completed in under an hour, leading to limited replay value.
  • Frustrating AI behavior where characters may run in circles or get stuck, making it tedious to complete levels.
  • Frequent crashes and bugs that disrupt the gameplay experience.
  • graphics163 mentions

    The graphics of "Haunt the House: Terrortown" are widely praised for their charming, cute, and colorful art style, reminiscent of a whimsical cartoon. Players appreciate the delightful animations and the overall aesthetic, which effectively captures a lighthearted yet spooky atmosphere. However, some reviewers note that while the visuals are appealing, they do not compensate for the game's repetitive gameplay.

    • “The art style is absolutely charming and the different scares are creative and fun to execute.”
    • “The hand-drawn visuals exude a playful and whimsical quality, with each character and location exquisitely designed.”
    • “Maybe the visuals could've carried it for the hour or two it takes to beat, but the repeated crashes are the final nail in the coffin.”
    • “The graphics are cute and creepy in a way that's distinctly different from nearly every other cute and creepy game.”
    • “I found some glitches with the graphics, but they're just minor problems.”
  • gameplay163 mentions

    The gameplay in "Haunt the House: Terrortown" is characterized by its simplicity and repetitiveness, primarily revolving around scaring people away by button-mashing and possessing objects. While the charming art style and humorous elements are praised, many players find the mechanics shallow and lacking in depth, leading to a frustrating experience due to limited variety and frequent crashes. Overall, the game offers a casual, albeit short, experience that may appeal to younger audiences but can quickly become tedious for others.

    • “With its charming art style, clever gameplay mechanics, and lighthearted atmosphere, Haunt the House: Terrortown is a perfect choice for those seeking a spooky but fun experience.”
    • “The gameplay is simple and easy to understand, and your objective isn't that hard.”
    • “The intuitive controls make it easy to navigate the environments and unleash your spectral powers, adding to the enjoyment of the gameplay.”
    • “While very cute, and with a top-notch art style, the gameplay is unfortunately quite boring.”
    • “Constant crashes and a boring gameplay loop are very prevalent in this game.”
    • “Unfortunately, when it comes to the gameplay overall...there's just not much there.”
  • music119 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its catchy, whimsical, and atmospheric qualities, enhancing the overall experience. Many players find the soundtrack nostalgic and enjoyable, often highlighting its ability to set the mood, whether eerie or playful. However, some critiques mention occasional inconsistencies in sound quality and repetitiveness over extended play sessions.

    • “Even when I was having a bad time with the game, at least I could zone out and enjoy the soundtrack.”
    • “The game's soundtrack and sound effects contribute to the whimsical ambiance, creating an immersive and enjoyable experience.”
    • “The music ties in extremely well and makes the game even more enjoyable.”
    • “And the music is sure to give you nightmares... or at least a headache.”
    • “It's like listening to a horror movie soundtrack on repeat while being haunted by your own thoughts... and a particularly annoying neighbor.”
    • “The music might get a little repetitive for you if you are in the game for a while, but they are good soundtracks and lengthy.”
  • humor63 mentions

    The game's humor is widely praised for its quirky interactions, amusing animations, and the comedic reactions of characters, making it a fun and lighthearted experience. Players enjoy the nostalgic charm and find joy in scaring townsfolk with a variety of humorous antics, often leading to genuine laughter. While some feel the humor can become repetitive, the overall consensus is that the game successfully blends cute and dark humor, providing an entertaining experience.

    • “The game's humor shines through the quirky interactions and amusing reactions of the townsfolk.”
    • “Very funny game, I love the adorable ghosts and scaring the crap out of the humans.”
    • “It's hilarious to see the guests get scared.”
  • story56 mentions

    The story in "Haunt the House: Terrortown" is largely considered minimal and lacking depth, with many reviewers noting that it feels almost non-existent. While some players appreciate the cute premise of a ghost scaring people, they find the narrative to be simplistic and not engaging enough to enhance the gameplay experience. Overall, the game is seen as more focused on fun mechanics and charm rather than a compelling storyline.

    • “Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
    • “As a lonely ghost (or so I would assume, given the story centers around reclaiming the souls of others so as to collect a band of ghost friends...or something like that) it's your job to float around and possess objects to scare the living daylights out of partygoers until they either abandon ship (sometimes literally) or out of stubbornness end up dead at your ghostly hands.”
    • “Haunt the house is a fun little cutesy game that puts you in the character of a ghost, and your mission is to scare all the people away.”
    • “In this game, the story is pretty much irrelevant.”
    • “There's not much story to it, other than you are a ghost and are scaring people away from places, but that's okay.”
    • “There is no challenge, there is no story, this can't even be called a game.”
  • replayability47 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players enjoying the ability to experiment with different scare tactics and achieve high scores, while others find it lacking due to its short length and limited content. Many reviews highlight that replay value primarily hinges on achievements and personal enjoyment rather than substantial gameplay differences. Overall, while some players appreciate the replayability offered by various mechanics and unlockable ghosts, others feel it falls short, especially after completing the game.

    • “However, the game's replayability lies in discovering new scare combinations, experimenting with different tactics, and striving for high scores, providing some longevity to the experience.”
    • “In spite of how fast it goes, all the different item combinations -- as well as being able to play different ghosts you can unlock throughout the game -- allows for lots of replayability.”
    • “The graphics are terrific, the sound effects are top-notch, and there is lots of replayability to get all the achievements and use the new ghosts to scare people away.”
    • “Beside achievements, there is no replay value.”
    • “If you played the flash demo, this game is a pretty good expansion, but the biggest flaw is that after completing the game, there's really no replay value.”
    • “While there's nothing really objectionable here, the gameplay just becomes shallow and repetitive too quickly, and there's little-to-no replay value that might allow me to otherwise justify the purchase.”
  • atmosphere41 mentions

    The atmosphere in the game is a blend of spooky and lighthearted elements, enhanced by charming art, engaging soundtracks, and clever gameplay mechanics. Players can manipulate the atmosphere by scaring characters, which unlocks new actions and adds depth to the haunting experience. Overall, the game successfully balances a whimsical tone with moments of genuine fright, creating an enjoyable and immersive environment.

    • “As you play, an atmosphere meter rises to indicate how terrifying you're making the overall mood of the place that you're haunting, and as the meter rises, new scares unlock for different objects.”
    • “Haunt the House: Terrortown strikes a balance between providing a spooky atmosphere and maintaining a lighthearted tone.”
    • “The combination of haunting melodies, atmospheric sounds, and comedic moments enhances the overall charm of the game.”
    • “On top of that, certain systems like the atmosphere meter don't seem to serve much purpose or to mesh well with anything else in the game.”
    • “While it has a cute cartoony look, it also is pretty dark, in that you will sometimes scare people enough to throw themselves out of a window, and in the main scenario you also have a 'family' to collect - by killing them (once the atmosphere in the building in question is high enough).”
    • “Thus trying to chase them one by one from the location with objects you've already used a lot turns the game into a chore, however charming the atmosphere.”
  • stability27 mentions

    The game suffers from significant stability issues, with frequent freezes, crashes, and various glitches reported by users. While some players find it enjoyable despite these problems, many express frustration over the lack of fixes from the developers, making it difficult to recommend without reservations. Overall, the game's stability is a major drawback, overshadowing its cute aesthetic and nostalgic appeal.

    • “Freezes constantly, don't waste your money.”
    • “As other reviewers have said, it freezes often and the developers don't seem to have any intention of doing anything about it.”
    • “Now for the bad, the game is pretty buggy; it crashed/froze a few times, and the AI can get stuck, making the achievement 'The Final Curtain' very hard to get.”
  • grinding22 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, particularly when trying to clear out the last few NPCs, which can lead to frustration. While some enjoy the nostalgic elements and art style, many agree that the gameplay becomes monotonous and time-consuming, especially when pursuing achievements that require multiple playthroughs. Overall, the game is seen as a short, enjoyable experience, but the grinding can detract from its appeal.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “I love the art style and the different animations, but I simply find the game too tedious to play.”
    • “Couldn't get past the first level because it was boring, tedious, and repetitive, as the last 10 NPCs just would not leave no matter how scared they were, and there seemed to be no pattern or logic for how they behaved.”
    • “This is an immensely tedious game.”
  • emotional6 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a unique blend of haunting yet heartwarming experiences, evoking feelings of nostalgia and connection. However, some players noted a boring storyline and raised concerns about potential themes of emotional abuse and suicide, which may affect the overall emotional impact for certain audiences.

    • “It's the game that made haunting feel oddly heartwarming.”
    • “I just like the way it made me feel.”
    • “The storyline felt incredibly boring and failed to evoke any emotional response.”
    • “I found the emotional depth lacking; it just didn't resonate with me.”
    • “The characters were one-dimensional, making it hard to connect with their emotional journeys.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization of "haunt the house" is viewed as somewhat high at $4.99 for a relatively short game, but players do not consider it a cash grab, indicating a level of value in the experience.

    • “$4.99 is a bit much for this short of a game, but this isn't a cash grab by any means.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some users praising its smooth performance and efficient resource management, while others report occasional frame rate drops and stuttering issues. Overall, the game's optimization appears to be satisfactory for most players, but there are still areas that could benefit from further refinement.

  • character development1 mentions

    Character development is noted for its distinctive designs, which contribute to the overall uniqueness of the game's environments. However, the reviews do not provide further insights into the depth or progression of the characters themselves.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

80% average critic score

Buy Haunt the House: Terrortown

Play time

3hMedian play time
135hAverage play time
1-400hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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