Mini Ghost
- April 28, 2017
- @unepic_fran
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam"Mini Ghost" is a charming 2D pixel art metroidvania game where you play as a tiny ghost. Explore a vast open world huntdown by evil spirits and uncover the truth about your past. Gain new abilities, battle bosses, and interact with NPCs in a lighthearted, fun-filled adventure.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Mini Ghost is a fun and engaging retro-style metroidvania that captures the essence of classic 8-bit games.
- The game features a robust level and character editor, allowing for extensive customization and replayability.
- With its low price point, Mini Ghost offers great value for a short but enjoyable gaming experience.
- The healing system is frustrating, requiring players to grind for health and backtrack frequently.
- Boss fights can be overly challenging, with some requiring specific strategies or items that may not be immediately clear.
- The game can feel tedious at times due to its reliance on manual saving and the lack of checkpoints.
- graphics33 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 79 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming retro aesthetic, reminiscent of 8-bit and early computer games, which many players appreciate for its nostalgic appeal. While some reviews note that the visuals may not be technically impressive by modern standards, they effectively capture the low-res style and colorful design typical of classic gaming. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's old-school charm, enhancing the gameplay experience despite some minor inconsistencies in art style.
“The art style is very evocative of 80s computer games, which I think is great, since so many pixel art games go for a NES or SNES style more often than not.”
“Graphically, it does a fantastic job of capturing the low-res retro feel.”
“Brilliant, delightful retro-style metroidvania, with graphics and audio of the highest 8-bit quality.”
“It's not the best metroidvania by far but it is playable, even though it's a bit slow the controls are tight, the graphics aren't great but there is a reason for that!”
“Before I start, I do have an older computer so I can understand having a game with heavy graphics and such could overpower my computer, but this is crazy.”
“To give a comparison, I have games much more graphics intensive and memory usage that do better than this.”
- gameplay29 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Mini Ghost" is characterized by its simple yet engaging mechanics, reminiscent of classic metroidvania titles, focusing on run-jump-and-shoot actions. Players appreciate the balance of upgrades and the strategic element of weapon management, despite some minor balance issues and clunky mechanics. Overall, the game delivers a polished experience with a nostalgic feel, enjoyable enemy variety, and a fun soundtrack, making it a worthy title for fans of retro gaming.
“Classic metroidvania goodness, the gameplay is very simple, but very fun as well.”
“The sprites are detailed, the soundtrack is amazing, the gameplay is simple, yet challenging at times, and overall, mini ghost is fun and enjoyable.”
“A very nice throwback metroidvania with cute graphics, controls and mechanics that are just right and balanced, fun old-school gameplay and all in all is tightly designed.”
“Neither felt good to me, especially with the janky ladder mechanic featured in several of them.”
“The game lets you save on every screen if you've cleared all the enemies, so save scumming is a natural strategy to go along with its clunky retro mechanics.”
“Although this is (for the most part) my kind of gameplay, I couldn't finish it.”
- music18 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its retro 8-bit charm and atmospheric quality that complements the gameplay. While some find the soundtrack repetitive, it evokes a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic games, and a few users expressed a desire for more tracks. Overall, the music enhances the gaming experience, though some noted it could become annoying over time.
“The soundtrack and graphics are aesthetic af.”
“The music has definitely an 80's 8-bit punch which I enjoyed a lot.”
“The music is outstanding.”
“The only things that really do it no favours are that even during such a short game, the scant music tracks have the time to get annoying and the bookend scenes break the stylistic integrity.”
“Could use a couple more music tracks.”
“The music is repetitive, but in that old-timey good way where you never know when the cycle starts or stops.”
- grinding14 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly when it comes to preparing for boss fights and achieving 100% completion. Many reviews highlight the necessity of farming for upgrades and health, which can detract from the overall enjoyment, especially during the final stages of the game. While some appreciate the casual playstyle, the grind can become overwhelming, especially for those aiming for achievements or optimal strategies.
“But, in the pursuit of that, he unwillingly made the game way more tedious than it is fun.”
“However, the game is cheap and rather short, so if you play it casually you might have some fun with it, but the more you play it, especially if you try to get the achievements, you'll eventually notice how grindy and barebones Mini Ghost is. Honestly, I think you're way better off playing the original Cave Story instead.”
“The game can be awfully frustrating, though, as the only way to get health is to slowly raise your XP bar by grinding enemies.”
- story10 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's story revolves around a robot girl named Ghost on a mission to defeat an evil computer, offering a simplistic and straightforward narrative that serves primarily as a backdrop for gameplay. While the storytelling is presented in a comic-strip style that some find jarring, it is generally considered average and not a focal point of the experience, which emphasizes gameplay over narrative depth. Overall, players can expect a brief and light story that doesn't detract from the game's casual fun.
“But as I downloaded the 24MB game, I binged it for 2 hours straight. The game is basically about a robot girl called Ghost on a mission to destroy an evil computer.”
“Two main overworlds and four areas with four bosses, simple enemies, and a silly story to glue it all together in a game that's over in two and a half hours.”
“However, the game is cheap and rather short, so if you play it casually you might have some fun with it, but the more you play it, especially if you try to get the achievements, you'll eventually notice how grindy and barebones 'Mini Ghost' is. Honestly, I think you're way better off playing the original 'Cave Story' instead.”
“The biggest issue I have is the comic-strip style storytelling in the prologue and epilogue, which really clashes with all of the highly pixelated visuals. But as that is only for a few seconds at the very beginning and end of the game, it doesn't really affect the whole experience.”
“Story is basically just 'Yo Ghost, go kill this crazy computer,' and the game focuses on being a gameplay-oriented experience, so that's really all the motivation you need.”
- replayability5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability through features like a level editor, workshop support, and challenging achievements, encouraging players to revisit it for additional content and exploration. While the main campaign can be completed in under two hours, the potential for replay is enhanced by collectible icons and the game's overall design.
“There's also a level editor and workshop support, so there's potential for replayability as well.”
“Good replay value due to some hard but not impossible achievements.”
“While the character, tileset, and level editor give this tons of potential replayability, the base game is really well done.”
“First time around, you will probably finish the game in under 2 hours, but it has some replayability with the hunt for Twitch streamer icons and achievements.”
“Great short game; it's decently difficult and has enough replayability.”
- stability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is rated positively, with most users experiencing a stable performance and only minor, non-game-breaking bugs reported. Some players noted the game was "almost perfect," indicating a high level of reliability.
“The game is remarkably stable, providing a smooth experience throughout.”
“I encountered some non-game breaking bugs, but overall, the stability is impressive.”
“This game is almost perfect in terms of stability; I rarely face any issues.”
“The game is a buggy mess.”
“There are some non-game breaking bugs.”
“I encountered several glitches that affected my gameplay experience.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the humor in the game to be exceptionally entertaining, especially when enjoyed with friends, leading to a hilariously chaotic experience.
“OMG, if you have friends to play this with, it's brutally funny.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized for causing frequent stuttering, negatively impacting the overall gameplay experience.
“The game keeps stuttering, making it difficult to enjoy the experience.”
“Performance issues are rampant, leading to frequent frame drops.”
“The optimization is so poor that it feels like I'm playing on outdated hardware.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is enhanced by its atmospheric music, which contributes significantly to the overall immersive experience.
“The atmospheric music enhances the immersive experience.”
“The game creates a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that draws you in.”
“Every sound and visual element contributes to a rich, atmospheric world.”
