Phylakterion
- October 31, 2023
- Lich Again Games
Get on Steam"Phylakterion is a horror action game that can be played in single-player or multiplayer mode with up to 4 players. Your mission is to enter haunted locations and find a possessed item while performing exorcisms using a 3-step process: search, identify, and destroy. Choose from various companions, such as dogs, cats, or birds, to assist you in your investigation and customize your characters with the talent system. The game features 7 different tools, including Geiger-counters, cameras, and notebooks, to help you locate the possessed item."
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a unique twist on the ghost hunting genre, focusing on finding and cleansing a haunted vessel, which adds an extra layer of suspense and challenge.
- The developers are highly responsive and actively engage with the community, frequently updating the game based on player feedback, which enhances the overall experience.
- The multiplayer aspect is enjoyable, allowing players to work together and strategize, even enabling dead players to assist their teammates, which adds depth to the gameplay.
- There are significant issues with bugs and gameplay mechanics, such as the geiger counter being inaccurate and players getting locked out of the house after ghost encounters, making the game frustrating at times.
- The game can feel unbalanced, with easy mode being too simple and medium mode being overly difficult, which may deter new players from enjoying the experience.
- Some players feel misled by promotional materials, expecting a more interactive and engaging experience, but finding the gameplay to be repetitive and lacking in depth.
- gameplay15 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by easy-to-learn mechanics that enhance the multiplayer experience, allowing players to create memorable moments together. Unique interactions with ghost-hunting tools and a variety of engaging methods for identifying entities contribute to its appeal, although the game suffers from a limited player base. Overall, while the core mechanics are straightforward, they offer depth and encourage strategic play, making it enjoyable for both new and veteran players.
“These types of games always reach their fullest potential when you play with other people and help make fun memories. The devs have done a great job on the game, and I really hope there is more to come, like new ghosts, maps, tools, extra mechanics, and more screen effects from the ghosts, etc.”
“The mechanics are unique, and the interactions with the vessel are unlike anything I've ever seen in any other ghost hunting game. The entities themselves are terrifying in a good way.”
“While the core gameplay loop is simple enough on the surface, the game thrives in creating a canvas upon which you and your friends draw their own narratives and allows for the development of more advanced strategies and play styles according to personal preferences.”
“Pros: fun methods of finding creatures (like throwing stuff down stairs) - easy to use tracker - banishing mechanic was neat. Cons: meant for multiplayer - not enough players to support its intent - a lot of assets you've likely seen in other games. I think it's a neat concept and sadly its largest shortcoming comes from a lack of a player base.”
“It's another bad Phasmophobia clone except now it has a prop hunt mechanic where you have to find the 'haunted object' and identify traits about it by using tools and marking how the item reacts with the tools.”
“At first glance, reading the description of the game, I was uncertain if it would translate to many rounds of fun since it all seemed to revolve around a quite different mechanic.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, users find the graphics to be quite good and enjoyable, contributing positively to the gameplay experience. The visuals are appreciated for enhancing the fun factor of the game.
“It's very fun, and I love the graphics and gameplay.”
“The overall graphics seem quite good as well.”
“The graphics are good.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive quality, effectively blending tension and uncertainty as players navigate hunts. It utilizes a variety of special effects and psychological tricks to enhance the sense of fear and urgency, making players constantly question their safety and strategies.
“Honestly, the atmosphere is on point and does make you wonder if it is hunting or just scaring you as you play. There's a lot to factor in during the hunts, like making sure you have routes to avoid the ghost and also enough sprint to get out of line of sight and hopefully hide or loop them!”
“The atmosphere is a deep web of special effects and tricks that play with your perception.”
“The atmosphere feels disjointed and lacks a cohesive theme, making it hard to immerse myself in the game.”
“Despite the potential, the atmosphere falls flat and fails to evoke any real sense of tension or excitement.”
“The game’s atmosphere is overshadowed by repetitive sound design and uninspired visuals, leaving it feeling lifeless.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is criticized for significant issues, including unreliable item detection with the geiger counter and game-breaking bugs that hinder progress. Additionally, players report minor visual glitches and quality of life tweaks that could improve the overall experience.
“Not only is the way to find the item seemingly very difficult and buggy, with the Geiger counter showing wildly inaccurate readings at times when it's nowhere near the item, but we also encountered game-breaking bugs.”
“Some minor visual glitches and quality of life tweaks.”
