Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open

About

"Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open" is a narrative-driven game where you play as Ting, a young girl with the ability to see spirits. Over five years, you'll navigate Ting's journey through challenging conversations, puzzles, and stealth sequences, forming a bond with a ghost named Xiu and helping lost souls while dealing with the impact of her power. The game explores themes of morality, identity, and the consequences of one's actions.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open screenshot

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 46 reviews

story25 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game features a beautifully crafted paper doll aesthetic and a compelling story that resonates emotionally with players, often touching on themes of family and cultural identity.
Players appreciate the cultural insights and relatable experiences presented in the game, particularly those familiar with Malaysian and Southeast Asian culture.
The gameplay includes a mix of engaging mini-games and exploration, with a unique art style that enhances the overall experience.

The pacing of the story can be slow, with some players feeling that excessive detail in certain scenarios detracts from the overall flow of the narrative.
Some mini-games and quick-time events can be frustrating due to unclear instructions or controls, leading to moments of confusion during gameplay.
A lack of voice acting and occasional bugs can detract from the immersive experience, with some players wishing for more interactivity and clearer gameplay mechanics.

story
67 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
58%
4%
The story of "Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open" is widely praised for its emotional depth, cultural richness, and engaging narrative, drawing from Malaysian and Chinese folklore. While some players appreciate the detailed storytelling and character development, others feel that the pacing can be slow and certain elements may feel unnecessary. Overall, the game is recommended for its gripping plot twists, relatable themes, and unique art style, making it a compelling experience for fans of narrative-driven games.
- “The story is wonderfully written, all characters feel believable and diverse!”
- “The unique art style, the freshness of non-US narrative, and the steady building tension in the plot make this game a phenomenal narrative.”
- “Ohh Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open, what an amazing and emotional story.”
- “The pace of the story starts off slow but it does ramp up at the end.”
- “There are certain flaws like the slow story pacing, and fixed camera angle on certain chapters, which I think the developers would work on in the future.”
- “However, I encountered a few small bugs here and there, and some of the backstory is not really explained well (which they probably need to explain better or at least create some encyclopedia on the ghost types?).”
graphics
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
47%
9%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their unique paper doll aesthetic, which beautifully showcases Malaysian and Singaporean culture. Reviewers highlight the stunning visuals and charming art style, noting how it enhances the narrative experience and creates an engaging atmosphere. The combination of detailed animations and a fresh, non-traditional approach to horror graphics has left a lasting impression on players, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “The unique art style is what first drew me to this game, and it is just beautiful to look at and see in motion.”
- “The graphics are stunning.”
- “The unique art style gives the game a charming yet spooky atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.”
- “The art style isn't your typical horror game aesthetic (as far as the ones I've seen).”
- “As a Malaysian, broken English is a must tick for me (optional if you guys don't care), this game to be honest, is a prequel to their previous game 7pm (recommend to try it out), way longer in story structure, as well as improve on their art style.”
- “You kinda broke me but I loved the journey and was in awe with the artwork during the whole game.”
gameplay
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
The gameplay is a mix of walking simulator elements and interactive mechanics, featuring visual novel-style conversations, exploration, and various mini-games, including cooking and stealth sections. While some players find it primarily focused on exploration and simple interactions, others appreciate the variety and unexpected gameplay elements that keep the experience engaging. Overall, the gameplay offers a blend of genres that adds depth and keeps players on their toes.
- “The gameplay is varied, with mini-games, quick-time events, stealth, and exploration keeping things fresh.”
- “The gameplay with visual novel style conversations alternates with walking around 3D locations.”
- “At first, I thought it would be strictly a visual novel type game with walking in 3D space, but even in my short time with it, I encountered sudden gameplay sections, such as cooking a BBQ (manually assembling ingredients on a skewer and then cooking it) or stealth sections where you need to avoid other characters seeing you sneak out - so I am confident the game will have many such gameplay inclusions to add variety.”
- “Now to start, the gameplay isn't going to be significantly more than a walking simulator and some pointing or clicking with some minor mix-ups to the formula that I won't mention for spoilers.”
- “The remaining gameplay focuses on exploration and occasional mini-games that are tied to the storyline.”
- “Most of them are for doing chases without getting caught, or in one go... because most of the time I needed some time to figure out the mechanic, or was surprised by a prompt to evade something.”
music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
21%
14%
The music in the game is generally praised for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, effectively enhancing the overall experience with a blend of modern sounds and nostalgic elements reminiscent of PS1-era compositions. However, some players noted that certain musical cues did not align well with specific emotional moments, slightly detracting from immersion. Overall, the soundtrack is considered excellent, with a bonus episode showcasing even better music production, contributing to a cozy and engaging gameplay experience.
- “The music is great, reminiscent of a lot of the writing of PS1 era greats with modern sounds, with a lot more of the eerie droning tones that eastern horror often uses.”
- “The stunning paper-like art that blends 2D and 3D and the fitting music enrich Third Eye Open's overall vibe and experience, and the game surprised me.”
- “The background music and sound effects further immerse you in the papercraft world, showing a level of care and attention to detail that I find many will appreciate.”
- “However, some parts of the music didn’t match the situation well, like during sad or surprising moments, which slightly broke the immersion.”
- “Sound and music are limited but do the job.”
emotional
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its strong character development and emotionally resonant storytelling, effectively exploring themes of loss and acceptance. While it maintains a light-hearted tone, it also delves into heavy emotional subjects, culminating in a surprising plot twist that enhances the overall emotional impact. Players find the narrative both heart-touching and engaging, making it a recommended experience for those seeking a wholesome yet profound story.
- “Very good character work and also very heart-touching and emotional in places.”
- “It's an emotional story; I'm a tough nut to crack, but man was it difficult to hold it together whilst reading out the lines!”
- “The game does such a good job of touching on emotional subjects and telling the story.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
25%
38%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a unique art style that blends charm with spookiness, enhanced by effective audio design despite the absence of voice acting. It evokes a familiar, storybook-like ambiance, particularly resonating with players from Southeast Asia, while balancing its spooky elements without overwhelming the player. Overall, a more condensed experience could further enhance this captivating atmosphere.
- “The unique art style gives the game a charming yet spooky atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.”
- “Although there’s no voice acting, the audio design still manages to create a spooky atmosphere.”
- “BGM music was atmospheric and immersive.”
- “If the game was more condensed, the overall atmosphere would have improved as well!”
- “Despite all the ghosts and spooky atmosphere, this game isn't concerned with trying to scare you at every opportunity.”
- “It does help invoke the atmosphere of a storybook.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users indicate that there is no grinding required for achievements in the game, suggesting a more streamlined experience that avoids repetitive tasks.
- “Grinding achievements feels pointless and tedious.”
- “The amount of grinding required to progress is overwhelming and frustrating.”
- “I find the grinding mechanics to be repetitive and lacking in enjoyment.”