Poltergeist: A Pixelated Horror

About

In "Poltergeist: A Pixelated Horror" , play as Henry B. Knight, a ghostly being seeking to reclaim his mansion from unwanted tenants. Using your supernatural powers, scare and manipulate the inhabitants until they flee, all while enjoying a charming pixelated art style. This puzzle game offers a unique blend of horror and humor for a one-of-a-kind afterlife experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Poltergeist: A Pixelated Horror screenshot

68%

Audience ScoreBased on 34 reviews

music3 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The game features charming graphics and engaging puzzles that provide a fun experience for casual gamers.
It offers a unique premise of playing as a ghost, using various powers to scare away occupants, which can be satisfying and entertaining.
The game has a good amount of content with 60 levels and a variety of characters and scenarios, making it enjoyable for puzzle enthusiasts.

The graphics are considered poor and outdated, especially when compared to other modern games, leading to a lack of visual appeal.
Many players find the puzzles to be too simplistic and repetitive, resulting in a lack of challenge and engagement over time.
The game is criticized for its pricing, with some reviewers feeling it should be offered at a lower cost given its short length and limited replayability.

graphics
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
54%
23%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many users noting that they are subpar compared to older titles, despite being released more recently. The visuals feature a blend of retro 2D characters and simplistic 3D environments, which some find charming, while others criticize the overall quality as basic and outdated. Overall, while the artwork has its appeal, the graphics do not justify the game's price point.
- “The graphics are a peculiar mix of 2D characters against chunky, voxelly 3D levels.”
- “The adorable visuals are coupled with some equally adorable sound effects of gasps, screams, and Sims-style nonsense.”
- “The graphics are really simple but charming, mixing pixelated characters with 3D objects.”
- “It's basically a ripoff of an older game called Ghost Master from 2003, only this has worse graphics (despite being over 11 years more modern).”
- “The game is rendered partially in 3D which means the developers were capable of doing more modern visuals but they deliberately chose not to.”
- “Despite being 8 years old, with visuals that would look bad for something 18 years old, the developer has no qualms about trying to gouge PC gamers $8 for the kind of thing that can be done in a browser these days.”
gameplay
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
45%
27%
The gameplay is characterized by its charm and simplicity, featuring a range of powers that, while mechanically similar, offer some variety. However, many players find it repetitive and lacking depth, with basic graphics and animations that fail to create an engaging experience. Overall, while it may provide a few hours of entertainment, it struggles to justify its price and lacks replayability.
- “Charming gameplay and graphics.”
- “Graphics and sound-wise it's a very basic game, the gameplay also is easy to learn, but offers at least a bit of variety.”
- “Length-wise there’s more than enough gameplay to keep you occupied for at least several hours.”
- “It’s enough to forgive concepts that aren’t fully fleshed out or gameplay with rough edges, and that’s exactly what it does for this title.”
- “Yeah, it's a cool idea and I normally love pixelated games, but it's very repetitive and is definitely nothing to do with a horror game (it doesn't even have a creepy atmosphere!). Yes, it gives you a few new mechanics, but the replayability is nil.”
- “The gameplay is extremely simple to the point of being boring and the animations are underwhelming.”
music
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
29%
29%
The music in the game is generally well-received, featuring distinct scores for each era that enhance the atmosphere, though some players find it simplistic and repetitive over extended play. While it may become grating after prolonged exposure, many reviewers note that it remains effective and not overly annoying, contributing positively to the overall experience.
- “Nice soundtrack, simplistic and repetitive but effective and not annoying art, awesome puzzles, and good concept with a nice progression of the story for a game so based on its puzzles!”
- “The music is perfect with haunting, exorcist-like tunes.”
- “Each era has its own musical score too, and while that might sound a little grating as it's the only music you'll hear for 15 levels, I've yet to become overly annoyed by the music.”
- “The music is okay, and there is one track for each era.”
story
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The story of "Poltergeist: A Pixelated Horror" revolves around a vengeful protagonist seeking to scare away unwanted guests from his mansion, blending elements of tragedy and revenge. While the narrative is simplistic and somewhat repetitive, it effectively supports the game's puzzle mechanics and offers a nostalgic experience for fans of the genre. Overall, the progression of the story is engaging, though it could benefit from a touch more humor.
- “Nice soundtrack, simplistic and repetitive but effective and not annoying art, awesome puzzles, and a good concept with a nice progression of the story for a game so based on its puzzles!”
- “For a fan of the specific genre 'play evil', it surely is enjoyable. The story of the protagonist is tragic enough to build up feelings of sweet revenge.”
- “Poltergeist: A Pixelated Horror is a puzzle game that aims to scare people out of their condos in that old mansion. The protagonist of the story is hell-bent on scaring and freaking out his unwanted 'guests'.”
- “For a fan of the specific genre 'play evil', it might please some nostalgia aficionados, and the story of the protagonist is tragic enough to build up some feelings of sweet revenge.”
- “Not really as humorous as it could have been, and the story is lacking.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by the amusing visual changes of NPCs as players progress through different decades, adding a comedic touch to the experience. Additionally, some physics glitches contribute to the humor, providing more laughs than frustration.
- “It's also hilarious that as you play along, you go through the decades and the NPCs' looks change.”
- “There are, however, multiple physics problems that are more funny than annoying.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
150%
The atmosphere of the game is noted for its well-executed setting, though it lacks the intended horror elements, leading to a perception of repetitiveness rather than creepiness. While the pixelated style is appreciated, it ultimately does not contribute to a truly immersive or frightening experience.
- “It’s done very well and complements the atmosphere, even though the game isn’t about scary or creepy stuff (the setting, however, is).”
- “Yeah, it's a cool idea and I normally love pixelated games, but it's very repetitive and is definitely nothing to do with a horror game (it doesn't even have a creepy atmosphere!). Yes, it gives you a few new mechanics, but the replayability is nil.”
- “The atmosphere is lacking; it fails to create any sense of tension or immersion, which is crucial for a horror game.”
- “While the visuals are appealing, the overall atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, making it hard to stay engaged.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The stability of the game is criticized for being buggy, particularly regarding the noise ability, which inconsistently teleports players to different rooms, leading to frustration in puzzle-solving.
- “The game is buggy, especially the noise ability that moves people to different rooms. It's so inconsistent with who it calls to the room, making it annoying in some puzzles.”
- “I frequently encounter crashes that disrupt my gameplay experience.”
- “The game suffers from severe lag, especially during intense moments, which makes it frustrating to play.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
The game's replayability is rated as average, suggesting that while there are some elements that encourage players to return, such as varied gameplay or multiple endings, it may not be compelling enough to keep players engaged for extended periods.
- “The game offers a multitude of choices that significantly alter the storyline, making each playthrough feel fresh and engaging.”
- “With various character builds and strategies to explore, I find myself coming back to this game time and time again.”
- “The dynamic world and random events ensure that no two playthroughs are ever the same, keeping the experience exciting.”
- “The game lacks meaningful choices, making replaying it feel pointless.”
- “Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to go back and play again.”
- “The limited variety in gameplay mechanics means that replaying the game feels more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”