Phasmophobia: Grab Your Gear, Hunt Ghosts, and Make Friends

BY MEGAN LUTZ: I have always preferred to play games on my own rather than with strangers or even with friends.  I get quite wrapped up in the game world and find conversations with other players distracting. Some games however that are more simplistic can be a lot more fun if you play with friends or even strangers. Lately, I’ve been discovering new games through my favorite Twitch streamers or YouTubers playing them together. It’s a great way to develop a sense of community and get some social time when you’re stuck at home. One game that has really been popular with streamers is Phasmophobia.

If you’re unfamiliar, Phasmophobia is a horror game where you and your team (or, you can play on your own if you so choose) arrive at a haunted location in your ghost hunting van complete with some ghost hunting gear. When you arrive at your haunted location you are tasked with a few objectives as well as optional objectives to meet when you hop out of the van and get to ghost hunting. There are some fun things you can take with you on your scary adventure that you might recognize if you’re a fan of ghost hunting shows like I am such as a spirit box or an EMF reader. If you’ve ever wanted to go ghost hunting but have been a bit too scared then you may or may not enjoy this game because you’re almost certain to actually encounter a scary ghost!

Phasmophobia was my introduction to horror games and I think if you have not previously played horror games this might be a good introduction for you as well.  Although it is quite spooky, it is a lot of fun.  I also felt a little braver with a team of people to help me out.

Phasmophobia was also my introduction to playing online games with strangers which was surprisingly a very pleasant experience. The community playing this game have been super helpful and kind. I got a lot of excellent advice that really helped me improve my ghost hunting skills and was able to successfully level up as a result. It’s so much fun to chat with your team while you try to figure out what exactly is haunting the location and it’s especially helpful to have a buddy to walk with you if you have to spread out and cover a lot of ground.

Admittedly, the game can become a bit repetitive as you are essentially doing the same things, going from location to location in order to figure out what ghost is haunting it, but that’s where the added fun of your team comes in. I find it a lot more fun to chat with people when we’re all working together on a fairly simple activity.  It gives you the freedom to laugh and explore without having to concentrate too hard. It’s also nice to have someone to commiserate with when you are freaking out about the spooky sounds and sights lurking around every corner. There are times when I’ve been so spooked that I had to pass off my task to a braver teammate which was also a plus.

If you’re wondering, I got spooked because I needed to lock myself in a bathroom with all the lights off in order to capture evidence of a ghost! My teammate was kind enough to pick up the spirit box I was too afraid to hold all alone and finish the task for me! It’s a blast and when you have a variety of personalities it can really change up the dynamic each time you go exploring.

Phasmophobia became extremely popular very quickly and I now understand why having played. It’s a great game for horror fans, fans of ghost hunting, and anyone who just wants to goof off and chat with your friends or perhaps make some new friends. As you become more proficient as a ghost hunter you will earn money which you can use to purchase more ghost hunting gear. Try to avoid being killed by the ghost because you will lose your hard-earned gear! I’m still quite new to the game and have died several times before I learned some helpful tips from my fellow gamers so I only have the basic equipment for now. If you lose your gear fear not because the gear you are given to start with will be sufficient to do your job and it will be replaced every time you start over.

If you’re bored and need to work in some time to be social while staying indoors, Phasmophobia is a great outlet for that. You can make your own private game and play with friends you know or you can just choose a random room and hang out with some strangers. If you don’t like the group of strangers you encounter just hop out of the party and join a new game, simple as that! These days when we’re trapped inside it’s important to make sure that we are remaining social so we don’t go crazy! Online games are a great way to bring a community of people together from the safety and comfort of home. It’s also a great way to take your mind of anything that is stressing you out. So grab your gear, hunt some ghosts, and make some friends!