Ghosts in Gaming (Guest Spot)

Hello, I am the writer of the ghost hunting blog Skeptical Ghost Investigating and I will be writing a guest blog about ghosts in video games.

Ghosts in videogames vary from Boo from the Mario games to Alma, the ghost girl, from the horror game series F.E.A.R.. Some ghosts are there for a light form of entertainment and some are created to scare you to the bone.

My favorite survival horror games are the older Silent Hill and Resident Evil games and neither Silent Hill nor Resident Evil contains ghosts, just monsters and zombies. I have come to notice that few games deal solely with ghosts and I have a theory on why.

First, a game that focuses only on ghosts would more than likely not be original. Hollywood has taken the idea of ghosts and run into a sealed chamber with it. I believe that since ghosts are so overused in movies and over exaggerated that game producers do not know how to come up with an original idea that will excite gamers of this day and age.

After looking through the internet, I have found a game called Ghosthunter developed by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. The game was released on the PlayStation 2 in Europe on December 5, 2003, and in North America on August 17, 2004 (IGN, 2012). From the critic ratings online at Metacritic, Ghosthunter’s highest rating was a 9 out of 10 from PSM Magazine, but has an overall average of 69 out of 100 (Metacritic, 2012). Alex Navarro, the associate editor of gaming website GameSpot, says,

“Sony Europe's Ghosthunter is a rare breed of third-person action game. A cursory examination of what it has to offer would show a fairly by-the-numbers action game with pretty graphics, a shallow, rudimentary combat system, and too many linear and dull puzzles for its own good. However, upon second glance, the game reveals far more than what you would initially discover. In fact, over time, Ghosthunter proves itself to be a wonderfully atmospheric game that balances creepy and campy better than most other games that have tried. Through its impressive graphics engine, excellent use of voice talent, and well-told storyline, Ghosthunter is a game that should absolutely be played by anyone who enjoys a good, creepy action romp.” (Navarro, 2004)

So this leaves me with the question of whether or not a videogame based on ghosts would make it in today’s demanding electronic entertainment scene?

Resources

Navarro, A. (2004, August 16). Ghost Hunter Review [Game Review]. Retrieved From: http://www.gamespot.com/ghosthunter/reviews/ghosthunter-review-6104964/

IGN. (2012). Ghosthunter [Game Page]. Retrieved From: http://ps2.ign.com/objects/546/546763.html

Metacritic. (2012). Ghosthunter Critic Reviews. [Review Page]. Retrieved From: http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-2/ghosthunter/critic-reviews