Pseudo-Haunting

About

Pseudo-Haunting is a single player survival puzzle game with a horror theme. It was developed by ApeHardware and was released on April 5, 2024. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

https://store.steampowered.com/widget/2648260/Have you ever wondered why ghosts are so rare? If everyone who dies becomes one, shouldn’t we see them all the time? The answer is simple: we do see them, but they don’t let us remember. Retro 3D graphics with photo-edited textures. Combat and puzzles designed around the astral projection mechanic. Fast-paced combat: get close to the enemies with…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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73%

Audience ScoreBased on 11 reviews

atmosphere3 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game features a unique and original concept involving ghosts and psychic projection, creating an intriguing atmosphere.
The eerie dream-like ambiance and grotesque art style contribute to a compelling and immersive experience.
The puzzles and exploration elements are engaging, offering a challenge that rewards players who enjoy unconventional gameplay.

The slow walking speed and cumbersome traversal mechanics can make the gameplay feel tedious and frustrating.
Combat is often confusing and lacks clarity, leading to a sense of irritation rather than engagement.
The game suffers from pacing issues, with a story that unfolds at a snail's pace and can leave players feeling lost.

story
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The game's story features a unique and intriguing concept centered around ghosts and haunted houses, delivered through a blend of grotesque art and an eerie atmosphere. While the narrative is intelligent and sincere, it unfolds at a slow pace that can feel disorienting and vague, particularly in the first half. Despite some blunt dialogue and a quiet soundscape, the overall storytelling is considered original and thought-provoking, effectively creating an unsettling experience.
- “They’ve fused their signature grotesque art style, an eerie dream-like atmosphere, and unique story ideas with what others have called 'obtuse' gameplay that doesn’t hold your hand.”
- “It’s independent, it’s avant-garde and difficult; it’s tough love, it's atmospheric, it's a bit rough around the edges, but it's intelligent, and it's sincere, and it knows how to make you uncomfortable, and it knows how to tell a story.”
- “An incredibly unique game with the most original and terrifying concept of ghosts and haunted houses I've seen, and a pretty fascinating story, to boot.”
- “It’s disorienting, it’s unsettling, the sounds are loud, sudden, and creepy, and the story is vague and unclear for the first half.”
- “But the soundscape, visuals, story (even though some of the character dialogue is a bit blunt and tell-not-show), and gameplay are all intelligently made and sincere.”
- “A story of ghosts and haunted houses with a quite unique approach, where ghosts are a phenomenon that devours information.”
gameplay
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The gameplay is characterized by a slow pace that can become frustrating as players progress, particularly due to its focus on exploration, puzzle-solving, and backtracking. While the game features a terrifying atmosphere and a unique art style, some players find the gameplay to be obtuse and lacking guidance. However, the overall cohesion between the plot, gameplay, and visuals is praised for its intelligence and sincerity.
- “While its atmosphere is quite terrifying, the gameplay is arguably more terrifying at times.”
- “There is a perfect cohesion between plot, gameplay, and graphics.”
- “It's slow gameplay is fine initially, but after getting a bit farther into the game, you'll start to wish your ghost form was more helpful for your main body.”
- “If that gameplay loop is based around exploration, puzzle-solving, and backtracking, man, that traversal just delivers irritation.”
- “They’ve fused their signature grotesque art style, an eerie dream-like atmosphere, and unique story ideas with what others have called 'obtuse' gameplay that doesn’t hold your hand.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The game's atmosphere is described as a terrifying and dream-like experience, enhanced by its grotesque art style and unique storytelling. While it effectively creates an oppressive and engaging environment, some players find the gameplay challenging and confusing, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite its rough edges, the atmosphere is praised for its intelligence and ability to evoke discomfort.
- “They’ve fused their signature grotesque art style, an eerie dream-like atmosphere, and unique story ideas with what others have called 'obtuse' gameplay that doesn’t hold your hand.”
- “Side note: I love the more dream-like atmosphere and paranormal subject matter going on here.”
- “It’s independent, it’s avant-garde and difficult; it’s tough love, it's atmospheric, it's a bit rough around the edges, but it's intelligent, and it's sincere, and it knows how to make you uncomfortable, and it knows how to tell a story.”
- “While its atmosphere is quite terrifying, the gameplay is arguably more terrifying at times.”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The graphics are characterized by a distinctive grotesque art style that creates an eerie, dream-like atmosphere, effectively complementing the game's unique storytelling. Reviewers note a strong cohesion between the visuals, soundscape, and gameplay, resulting in an aesthetically pleasing experience, despite some critiques of the dialogue. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's immersive and intelligent design.
- “An aesthetic treat with an interesting twist on ghost stories.”
- “There is a perfect cohesion between plot, gameplay, and graphics.”
- “They’ve fused their signature grotesque art style, an eerie dream-like atmosphere, and unique story ideas.”
- “The graphics are outdated and lack the polish expected from modern games.”
- “The character models look stiff and lifeless, making it hard to connect with the story.”
- “The environments feel bland and uninspired, failing to create an immersive experience.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, as the combat mechanics are unclear and enemies become more of an annoyance than a challenge. The slow return to the action after dying adds to the frustration, making the experience feel laborious.
- “The enemies weren't scary; they were an annoyance I was constantly dreading because I don't entirely understand how the combat even works. If you die, it means you'll be slowly lumbering your way back, which became extremely tedious very quickly.”
- “Grinding feels like a never-ending chore rather than an engaging part of the game. It takes away from the enjoyment and makes progress feel unearned.”
- “The repetitive nature of grinding makes the game feel more like a job than a fun experience. I found myself losing interest quickly as I was stuck in a loop of doing the same tasks over and over.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express that the game's disorienting level progression and overwhelming visual effects hinder their emotional engagement, making it challenging to feel a sense of achievement or connection to the experience.